The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1922-01-26
IMPORTATION OF
LUXURIES REDUCED

lions OF the return Vi oahi's o
part of the American people is the dis
tinct reduction in the demand for lux
uries The silk shirt which was COM
monty worn b yevery day laborer two
wears ago is now getting to be quite
scarce. The present day buyer Is not
buying so much for show as for value.
Every one is fast becoming aware that
care must be taken in the purchase or
the smallest article. Everyone is fast
incoming aware that it is only by CIV
ing full value that they are going to
he able to secure money and they are
equally insistent that they receive in
return articles of full value All OF
which is just as it should be.
Even the importers of luxuries are
reducing materially the sums or mon
ey which they are sending out OF the
country for the classes of articles
which may be properly included under
that term "luxuries." Taking SO prin'
cipal imported articles or groups OF
articles usually included under that
general title. it appears that their
value in 1921 totals only $33O,OOO,OOO
as against $525,000,0O0 in 1920, an ap-
parent reduction of about 81 per cent
in the amount of money sent out Of
the country for Injuries in 1927 when
compared with 1920.
This fall-off in importation of lux
uries is due in part to smaller quaint
ties of the articles brought in and In
some cases to lower prices though In
this class of merchandise the reduc.
ton in price comes more slowly than
in many other classes of articles inn
ported, especially manufacturing ma
terials and foodstuffs, which show
much larger fall in prices than do the
finished articles and especially those
classed as luXuries. In automobiles
imported, for example, the number
brought in to the country in the II
months ending with November, 1921,
is only 49S against $50 in the same
months of the preceding year; pushes
and velvets of cotton 100000 yards
against $685. 900 in the same months of
last year; silk pushes and velvets
226,000 pounds against $4,000; tap.
estries 2,726,0OO square yards against
1897, 900; lace curtains 100000 square
yards against 1,3S2.00O: crude meer.
schaum for use in manufacture of
pipes 1871 pounds against 1886; pat
ent leather 5640S pounds against 104,
9OS; silk ribbons 6,50S yards against
1O,762; marble and onyx 36S.OOO cubic
feet against 10000; CONNECTIONS 1885,.
900 pounds against 1,0S4.0OO; undress.
ed furs and fur skins 68,670,0OO against
l27.98O,000; feathers and downs, 2,00O,.
600 pounds against 100000; leaf to-
bacco 47,979.000 pounds against 49,.
S48, 900; platinum. manufactured,
Al 900 ounces against $4,000; mother
of pearl shells 2.S3O,OO pounds against
7.46S,O00; buttons of pearl or shell
100000 gross against $4,000; un.
cut diamonds $4,000 carats against
10000; and diamonds cut but not set
239, 900 carats against $4,000 in the
corresponding months of 1920
From the above statement showing
the reduction in the quantities import
ed of certain articles usually classed
as luxuries in the eleven months OF
1921 when compared with the core.
spending months of 1920, it is appar.
ent that the actual quantity of lux.
uries" being brought into the United
States has been materially, in many
cases very materially, reduced In
those articles in which it is not pos
sible to state quantities, there is also
an equally large reduction in the
stated values of the imports. Taking
the great group, art works, for ex.
ample, the total for the II months of
1921 is $18, 764,0OO against S25,7S3, 900
in the same months of last year; beads
and bead ornaments $S,O7S,O 900 against
$11,9s3,OO0 cotton laces and embroi-
deries as whole $15,011 900 against
$23,279,OO0 in the same months of
1920; silk laces and embroideries S.. |
$4,000 against $7,146,OO0; manufac.
lures of silk as whole $45,OO6, 900 |
against $72,566,O00; tobacco and man.
ufactures thereof $55, $780, 900 against !
S93,75O,OOO; pipes and smokers arti |
cles $4,125, 900 against $4,s4O,OOO; per.
fume and cosmetics $500, 900 against
$6,36O,OO0; and ivory $1,225, 900 against
$4,714,00O in the same months of 1920.
or the so articles or groups of ar. |
ticles enumerated In the import state.
ment and ordinarily classed as lux.
uries, only half dozen show increases
when comparing the II months ending |
with November. 1921, with the same |
months of last year, while the value |
for the full year 1921 totals approx.
mately $330O0O,OOO against s625. 000.. |
600 in the same months of 1920. the
per cent of reduction in luxuries be.
ing about 81 per cent while the reduc.
ton in total imports is about SIS per !
cent