The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-12
SUBSTANTIAL
PROGRESS
MADE
On Tariff Bill, Disparity
Between Wholesale and
Retail Prices Discussed

Washington, May 11.-Substantial
| progress was made in the consldera-
| ton of the tariff bill today, the amend
ments of the committee on finance be-
| ing upheld in the senate by substan'
| tial majorities.
A feature o. the session was gen.
| eraI discussion concerning the great
| disparity between wholesale and re-
| tail prices. Republican senators de-
| clared this difference was so great us
to demonstrate that the duty levied
| by a protective tariff had small of"
feet on the price paid by the con-
sumer.
This feature Of the discussion WAS
precipitated by Senator Scott. him
self a glass manufacturer.
| The schedule covering the products
| of lead was passed over upon the
| suggestion of Senator Aldrich be-
cause he said the finance committee
| desired to make some changes in the
duties as previously recommended.
Mr. Newlands suggested the appoint
ment of an official body to inquire into
| the differences in wholesale and re-
| tail prices SO that congress might have
proper information.
Saying he had much information to
illustrate the great difference in whole
| sale and retail prices, Senator Flint
said he had in mind an instance OF
| set OF Haviland china, costing 10
| import S5.77 with forty-siX cents
packing charges, and $4.66 duty, max
ing in all $10S9, which retalled for
| $36.
He instanced another case of an ar
| ticle costing forty-one cents to import
which retailed for $3.50. Those, he
said, were the prices in the great de-
| paItment stores OF the east and in the
northwest states the prices were in
creased fifty per cent
Senator Smoot made another con-
| tribution to the fund of information
concerning export prices. He instanc-
ed case of a razor, the manufac-
| turers wholesale price of which was
| S395 a dozen, which sold for 81 each
to consumers. Gloves, he said. man.
ufactured for 81 per dozen, sold for
| So a pair or S24 dozen. These high
| prices. he said had nothing to do
with the protective tariff because COM
pared with the original price, the tar
| if charges were small
Senator Fletcher inquired whether
there are no agreements between the
manufacturers and jobbers and retail
| ers to sell at stipulated prices.
Il have been manufacturing gloves
for forty years" declared Mr.. Scott.
Indignantly, "and ! never knew Of such
| contract TO maintain the prices"
He added that I'VE should not be too
hard" on the jobbers and retailers.
He said there was great breakage in
| glassware, charges for packing, etc.
which ran the price up.
Prices can be produced here to
show" said Mr.. Flint, that the re-
tail merchants make larger percent
| age of profit than in any other line of
business. ] undertake to say that II
there were 20 duty on Haviland
| China that article would sell no cheap
| er than 1t does today"
Mr. McLaurin defended the retail
| dealers against the charge of extor-
| ton, saying retailers would lose their
! trade If they undertook 10 charge TOO
much. He said the high prices re-
suited from the tariff,
| Mr. Lodge said that tea selling at
wholesale at 16 cents a pound is re-
| tailed throughout the land Tor 90
cents a pound.
| Mr.. McLaurin insisted that tariff
of ten cents a pound on teas would
Increase the price OF tea to that ex-
| tent
Mr. Tillman, addressing Senator
Hale, asked whether II he believed
that the duty on tea would not in
| crease the price. he would join him
In voting for ten cent duty on tea
we have an infant tea industry
down in South Carolina, continued Mr..
| Tillman, and We want to know IL
the senator from Maine will join me
to protect it? / will assist because
] want protection for tnat infant in
dustry in South Carolina"
IF the senator will be a little less
boisterous," interrupted Mr.. Hale, II
VIII try To answer him"
why should you ask me TO be less
boisterous," retorted Mr. Tillman,
when other senators have been high
horslng around here as if they were
| in a circuS?"
Mr., McLaurin chided the Republic
ans with having abandoned the theory
that the foreigner pays the tax and
asked to know who did pay the tax if
the duty did not raise the price.
Mr. Lodge insisted that the destruc.
! tlon OF American manufacturing
would result in the destruction OF 4
corresponding portion of the worlds
competition.
Mr.. Cummins offered several am.
endments to the window glass sched-
ule, saying that they were intended to
| ~, Sd NJ
| from putting upprlces.
Without acting on the window glass
| schedule, the senate adjourned,