The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-05-12
THE RETAILERS
ARE RESPONSIBLE.
FOR HIGH PRICES
New Turn in the Tariff Debate
Over the Cost to the
Consumer
ARTICLES WHICH COST ONLY
$l0.8s RETAIL FOR ;36

Tariff Rates Do Not Coincide With
the High Prices Paid by the Con.
sumer
Washington, May 12-Senator AL
drich came to the capitol today
determined to follow the course pur-
sued by him yesterday in doing every
thing possible to promote the progress
in the disposition of the tariff bill. He
has not yet fixed upon the time when
he will call for night sessions, and if
no unusual delay occurs in the discus
sion of the tariff schedules, he will
agree to permit the daily sessions to
continue as at present, running from
IL a. m., to p. m.
A touch of humor was introduced
into opening proceedings when SEN
ator Gallinger laid before the body a
petition from his constituents in the
New Hampshire praying that q re-
ductfon OF ten cents bushel to be
made in duty on wheat AS the title
OF the petition was read, Senator Gal
linger glanced toward the senators
from the wheat growing states, many
of whom have figured prominently in
the movement for lower duties on the
manufactured products of New Eng
land. Senators Nelson, Burkett and
McCumber and others exchanged
significant smiles with the senator
from New Hampshire, but no COM
ment was made by any of them.
In the discussion on the general
bill Senator Newlands suggested the
appointment of some kind of official
body to inquire into and report con-
corning differences in wholesale and
retail prices, SO that congress might
have proper information. = Ae
Saying he had much information to
illustrate the great difference in
wholesale and retail prices, Senator
Flint said he had in mind an instance
of set Of Haviland china costing to
import $5.77 with 46 cents packing
charges, SO cents custom and $4.O8
duty, making in all $1O.S9, which re-
tailed for $36. He instanced another
case of an article costing Al cents to
import, which retailed for $3.50.
These, he said, were the prices in the
great department stores of the east
and in the northwest states the prices
were increased fifty per cent.
Fifty per cent more?" asked Mr..
Hale.
Eyes, fifty per cent in addition to
those large prices," replied Mr. Flint.
Prices and Tariff
Senator SmOot made another con-
trtbution to the fund of information
concerning extortionate prices. He
cites case of a razor, the manufac-
turer's wholesale price on which was
1896 a dozen, which the retailer sold
for 81 each to consumers. Gloves,
he said. manufactured for $7.4O per
dozen, sold for So per pair, or $24
a dozen. These high prices, he said,
had nothing to do with the protective
tariff because, compared with the re-
tail price, the tariff charge was small
Senator Fletcher inquired whether
there were not agreements between
manufacturers and the jobbers and
later between the jobber and retailer
to sell at stipulated prices.
~ have been manufacturing glass
for forty years." declared Mr.. Scott
Indignantly, land never knew of any
such contract or agreement to MAIN
tain the price,"
He added that Eve should not be too
hard on the jobber and retailer" He
said there was great breakage in
glassware, charges for packing, etc.,
which ran the prices up.
prices can he produced here to
show" said Mr. Flint. that the retail
merchants make larger percentage
of profit than in any other line Of
business. l undertake to say that If
there were no duty on Haviland china
that article would sell no cheaper than
it does today"
Retailers Defended
Mr.. McLaurin defended retail deal
ers against the charge of extortion.
saying retailers would lose their
trade If they undertook to charge too
much. He said the high prices re-
suited from the tariff.
Mr.. Lodge said that tea selling at
sixteen cents pound in this country
is retailed throughout the land for
sixty cents pound.
Mr.. McLaurin insisted that a tariff
of ten cents pound on tea would
increase the price of tea to that ex-
tent.
why do you Republicans deny
that?" inquired MIR. Tillman in loud.
rasping voice, when you have been
telling the people you will not place
any burden on their tea? The sena-
tor from Iowa the other day said you
dared not put any duty on it."
Mr.. Tillman then. addressing him.
self to Senator Hale. asked whether.
If he believed that the duty on tea
would not increase the price. he would
join him in voting for ten cent duty
on tea.
Tillman's Infant Industry
1--WE have an infant tea industry
down in South Carolina" continued Mr..
Tillman, "and want to know whether