The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-13
New York Merchant Scores
Revenue Measure as II
Stands Now.
Is BURDEN ON MEN I
OF MODERATE MEANS
Prices Already "Shffening," Say
Heads of Larger Depart
ment Stores.
By WALTER ]. FAHY.

bill Is enacted into law in anything Ike
its present form, the great mass OF
American people win be called upon to
/ pay more for practically every srticIs
of clothing they wear and the Repub-
! lican party viii fan to redeem its CAM
paign pledges for downward revision.'s
This statement, made today by Isadors
Saks, president Of saIzs & Co, one OF
the greatest department stores in New
York city. voices the sentiments Of near
Iy every great merchant in the metropo-
lis who caters to the poor as well az
to the rich.
This BILL said Mr. saks, sis a tax
on the poor man. He viii have to pay
more for his stockings. his shoes, his
shirts aad suits, and the tax viii be
/ especia y great upon the dress goods lie
viii have to buy for his wife and chill
dren.
Prices "Stifening."
A visitor may go up and dcwn Broad
way and receive assurances from the
/ department store managers that the
prices are already 'Htinening," and that
/ this is bat the beginning. These in
creases. notices of which have been sent
out by nearly ever- manufacturer who
! is to benefit by the ,arin. is but the be-
ginning Of what is to come and the
trade is making no plans until It finds
out what the limit is going 10 be. The
dissatisfaction IS 50 great and so wide
spread THAI practically al of the great
department stores have sent either ex-
perts from their stores or have enga ged
lawyers 10 go 70 Washington 10 make q
last desperate fight against the Payne
AIdTich oil.
Dispatches from Washington 10 the
effect that Chairman Payne. OF the
Ways and Means Committee, viii insist
on the restoration in conference Of the
increases in the hosiery schedrIe have
aroused tEe hosiery dealers in this city
to a point where they are becoming
ugly.
The reason which actuated the Ways
and Means Committee in increasing the
hosiery schedule has beer as great a
puzzle in New Iork as it 3aS in WASH
ington. No one is ready TO charge that
either Chairman Payne or his assocI-
ates on the committee were actuated by
motives other than desire 20 give 10
the hosiery manufacturers the protec-
ton which they claimed they needed.
How It Looks.
a thorough investigation of this agi-
Jation for increased duties on hosiery
disCIOses situation which, 10 the or
dinary observer. would seem 10 come
dangerously close 10 being a combina-
tion formed for the express. purpose OF
boosting the tariff in order that a small
coterie of business men in New York
might reap a harvest.
There is every reason Cor believing
that up to a year ago the hosiery manu-
facturers were perfectly satisfied with
the protection sffOrded them under the
provisions of the Diugley law When
tariff revision talk reached its height
just before the opening OF the Presi-
Dental campaign these manufacturers
had given no thought to asking for an
increase. It had been long understood
in a general way that il there seemed
to be a disposition 10 lower the duties a
protest would be made and the WAYS
and Means Committee would be asked
to let the DingIey rates remain undis-
turbed.
Immediately after Mr.. Taft was nom
mated for the Presidency and before he
was elected. he hosiery manufacturers
were approached with a scheme which
had for its object a concerted move
ment for an increased duty. THIS
scheme was hatched by a group Of SELL
ing agents in New York city who con-
troll 75 per cent of the output Of Amer
lean factories. These selling agents
offered TO MAKE contract with the
Loo
entire product for a period Of i've years.
Manufacturers Part
The manufacturers part Of the bar
gain would be to back up and lend their
moral and financial influence TO a CAM
paign for increased duties. The plea
was to be based on the high labor cost
and the danger of foreign competition.
Whatever the nature Of the agree
ment which was finally entered into.
the fact remains that the WAYS and
Means Committee was repeatedly in
formed, both publicly and privately,
that the duties must be increased. That
their arguments proved effective was
evidenced by the Increases written into
the bill by Chairman Payne The Sen
ate struck out the increases, thereby
putting itself in the rare posit 4 of
having the consumers h5.fests at
heart,
Now the same influence whick was a.
work before the bill was reported tc
the House Is again stalking abroad in
the halls of Congress in an EFFORT to
have Chairman Payne insist uDOn the
restoration Of the increased duties.
That Mr.. Payne has not changed his
ideas is indicated by a remark re-
Gently made by him TO a hosiery jobber
who sought 20 point out that increased
sary