The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-10-31
FURNITURE MAY
BE CHEAPER

New Tariff Law Should Make =
Change From the. Garret to the
Cellar.
by Bond P. Geddes, Staff Correspond
ent OF the United Press.]
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.--From the
garnet to the cellar, furnishing the
American home should be cheaper
when the new tariff law gets into good
working order.
Import duties on curtains, furniture.
carpets, table linen. glass and china
ware, kitchen utensils and other house
hold articles are all sharply cut. Some
OF the tax reductions may eventually
filter through to Mrs. American House
keeper. Foes of the new law-its politi.
cal enemies assert that the tariff
slAshing will have little effect upon
American pocketbooks at retail stores.
The duties on household furniture has
been cut from 35 to Is per cent. While
little foreign furniture is bought by
Americans, the slicing off of 20 per.
cent OF the tax at the American sea.
board will stimulate foreign competi.
ton and, democrats believe, force
| down prices. Lumber also is on the
free list, giving American manufactur.
ers OF furniture the opportunity to
buy Canadian planks cheaper. San
guine democrats believe per cent will
be fair decrease in retail furniture
prices, predicted saving Of SIS on 500
worth Of new furniture.
Fifteen per cent duty Is taken off
kitchen utensils, but foreign competi-
tion is slight in this field. rhe re-
duction Is potent, however, with pow
er to force retail prices lower on pots,
pans Ind kettles of American manufac-
ture. Aluminium ware should be cheap
er, the duty having been cut about 40
per cent Putting in new furnace
may be more pleasurable, economical
ly, under the new law, as the duty on
such housewarmers has been reduced
from as to 20 per cent. However few
foreign furnaces are now imported.
4 For the dining room table, dishes OF
china, porcelain, earthen ware and
stone are reduced In duty about one
fifth. The retail price on these ar
ticles is expected by friends of the
law, to drop at least per cent, af-
fording a saving, for instance Of 81 on
a set of china dishes worth $40. On
!, cheap earthenware and pottery, a re
duction of retail prices can be hardly
expected.
While the duty on cotton table
cloths Is reduced from 40 to Is pei
cent, estimated importations next year
are only 100000, not enough, it is be
lieved, to cut retail prices even at the
doilies, blankets, sheets and pillow
cases, ETC., are reduced from about As
to 25 per cent in the new law. Some
slight retail price reductions are ex-
pected to result. Linoleum should be
slightly cheaper. Foreign imports
next year under the new law are ex-
pected to aggregate S2,000OU0 and
force retail reductions in this country.
!, Duty on cotton window curtains re-
duced about II per cent and some por-
ton of that reduction may reach the
buyer.
II A saving of from Is to SO cents on
4 wooden blankets is expected by friends
of the new law, because Of the sweep
ing tariff reductions on wool and its
products. This decrease will hardly
be felt for year or more. From to
1 10 per cent sIashes in retail prices on
cotton and wooden carpets is also con-
fidently predicted by the democrats.
While the farmer will without ques-
ton share equally with other folks in
the general retail price reduction
aimed at in the new law, specifically
the new law offers him little hope OF
reduced prices upon the things he
buys to equip and work his farm
Democrats argue in defense OF the
| new law, that they have placed agricul
II tural implements on the free list TO-
the farmers benefit.
They did remove tariff of 15 pc
| cent, and make free of duty, imports 0
| plows, harrows, headers, harvesters
drills, planters, mowers, rakes, cultivat
ors, thrashing machines, wagons an
1 CdIlb, COIlOu 6lAo eluo cue5dA AAioSAAAA
cry. This was an attempt blow q
the trust" But American imple
ments are SO much superior to foreig
makes that foreign competition ha
heretofore been barred Imports, wit
the moderate duty Of Is per cent,
1910 amounted to only $4,000, and
l $4,000 last year. In 1896, under
former democratic tariff bill, when In
plements were formally on the fre
list, imports aggregated $500. Thu
the foreign imports cannot possib
force down retail prices here Is belle
ed a certainty, because Amer1ci
manufacturers produced S146,0O0,O'
worth last year and even export'
$35 100000 worth.
So it is believed that the democrat
plan of taking off duty on Implement
will not put dollar in the farmer
pockets. The same situation obtal
II y afr t<xra