The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-04-29

WE have noticed in another CotumnI
the probable fact that most, ifnot all, Of
the pittsburgh Nail mills will resume
work to-day at the old price for pud-
dlIng-viz-nine dollars per ton. Ad-
vices TO this effect have been received
by the Iron men here. There are two
causes that will explain such a termi-
nation of the lock out, " as it is called.
First, nails are absolutely scarce in the
West, in consequence of the long stop
page of the mills, and are in demand al
card rates It is, therefore, u necessity
with the Pittsburgh manufacturers to
start their concerns, or else leave The
market in The hands Of their comPeti-
tors, which, OF course, they are not VIII
ling to do. Second, the price Of living
is still 50 stubbornly high, and main
tains, in the item Of breadstuffs, such a
threatening aspect, that labor through
out the country has been filled with ap-
prshensions at the idea OF a reduction
at one end OF the string before a CORES
ponding decline should be established
at the other. Hence, instead OF a gem
eral reduction in wages, We have been
reading for some time past of
positive advances gin a number Of the
trades. Strange as this state of things
may appear, it finds at least partial
explanation in a lecture recently de-
liYered before the Social Science Asso-
citation of Boston, by Prof. Amasa
Walker, OF Amherst, College, in which
he reviewed the statements and figures
embraced in the report of Commission
er Wells in relation to the compara-
tive advance of wages and the prices Of
commodities since the year 1861. Mr..
Wells did not claim entire accuracy for
his figures. but he believed that an
average advance of sixty-tWo per cent.
in wages, and OF ninety per cent. in the
the truth. Professor Walker afiirms
that my per cent. advance in wages,
and one hundred per cent. advance in
commodities, IS nearer the truth. He
goes one step further, and shows that
while the cost OF commodities has
doubled, the rate OF interest on money
has not advanced at all, from which he
argues that the prevailing high prices
are disadvantage of fifty per cent, to
the labOEing man, and OF one hundred
per cent. to the capitalist. Both classes,
he holds, are interested in securing a de-
cline in prices, and the capitalist even
more so than the labodng man.
1t is easy enough to talk Of "both
''cIasses" being interested in decline |
Of prices, but the practical question is,
how is that decline to be brought about3 |
Supply and demand, as well as the vol
ume Of currency, have something to do
with prices. and it seems just now to be
admitted that the supply OF breadstuhs
is not sufficient to resist the assaults Of
speculation. Meat, -four and corn are
all high, and other necessities are not
low. A practical writer gives it as his
opinion that the only reliable remedy
for this state of things Is in di-
niinished consumption OF the more
expensive articles Of food. The health
full and nOurishing properties of meal,
potatoes. and beans are specially EN-
phasi1sd, as is also the absolutely ben
ideai effect OF eating meat but twice,
aad in many instances bat once per
day. By simplifying ard economizing
rhsir dieI, it is thus suggested that not
oaly ibs stonAehE, bot the purses OF
the people would be vastly recruited
Tas practice OF drinking tea and coffee
Al every meal he considers pernic5ons,
and well calculated 70 disorder not only
ths haanees but the nerves Of a
family. By following the simple plain
laws Of health, the writer supPoses it
possible to cut down the expenses OF
living to many people, at least one
third. And in view of continued
high prices, he recommends that those
who are receiving tolerable wages,
should be as ready to act on these sug-
gestions as those who are only partial
ly employed, or out Of work altogether,
so that when the "evil day" comes, as
come it may, Of astill more straighten-
ed condition of things. great deal Of
want aud suffering may be avoided.