Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-11-07
Tariff Goes Up and Wages 60 Down
National Democrat.


The Mckinley bill increases the
general average duties on silk and silk
goods from 40 to 81 per cent. The
silk manufacturers came on here and
persuaded the ways and means COM
mittee to abandon its plan OF putting
protective duty on raw silk and sub
stitute therefor bounties ON cocoons
and reeled silk. While the Mckinley
bill was pending, the manufacturers
told the operatives in Pate rson, N. j.,
that as soon as the bill became law
business would revive, wages would be
advanced and everybody would be
happy. Last Sunday night, ut meet
ing of Central Labor Union, New
York, committee from the Silk Rib
bon Weavers' Union of Paterson re-
ported that the McKicley measure
had scarcely become a law when the
weavers in one Of the Paterson shops
had to strike against reduction OF
20 per cent. in wages. The strike
was still on and similar reductions
we're expected in other establishments
The duty on plushes, vclvets and
velveteens has been advanced IL to Is
per cent, mainly in the interest of
Mr.. Dobson, of Philadelphia, friend
of the Postmaster General and the
contributor Of $25, 600 to the fund Mr..
Quay used two years ago to secure the
election Of Mr.. Harrison. A dispatch
from Catasaqua, Pa, October 8, says /:
More than 500 silk mill strikers and
their friends took part in riotous dem
onstration here yesterday against Super
intendcnt Degener and 5 of the AZ strik-
ing silk plush weavers who had returned
to work at the Unicorn Mill. A large
force OF police is on duty, rs renewed
violence is expected. The trouble is the
result OF a reduction OF wages.
There is no direct reason in the new
tariff law for an advance in the prices
of leather and shoes beyond new
duties on sumac and degras, used in
dressing leather, and the imposition
of which excites the ire of the Boston
Commercial Bulletin, a Republican and
protectiOnist paper. But in the CON-
mercial world prices act on prices. and
if the tariff bill causes general ad-
vance, in prices there will be advances
even in lines not touched directly by
the law. Shoe and leather workers in
New England are now striking against
reductions of wages made when the
passage of the Mckinley bill was a
certainty, and last week meeting OF
the shoe manufacturers OF the country
agreed to advance their selling prices.
A large Chicago manufacturer remark
ed the other day that his end of the
trade had reasoned that, as everything
was going up, owing to the new tariff,
they thought the time was ripe for an
advance in their line, and acted accord
ingly. The house he represents has
raised the price of cheaper grades OF
shoes "a cents per pair, while French
calf-skinAare unchanged.
So, alsoA the Musical Courier last
week said OF the prices of pianos:
Remember that all imported material
going into the manufacture Of pianos has
increased in prices since the new tariff,
and that pianos cost more to manu-
facture since October 6, 1890, than they
cost before that day. They cost more to
make, not only on account OF the ad-
vance Of the cost Of impoi ted material,
but also because the cost Of other things
has advanced; such, for instance, as the
cost of living. Pianos cannot he sold at
the same figures to-day and with the
same resulting profit as before Monday
last. Remember!
In its alarm at the very general in
creases of prices, the Boston Journal,
Republican and high tariff, warned
its readers the other day that dealers
were making the Mckinley tariff q
pretext for raising prices, even where
the duty had not been increased.
Probably there is some of this, but
these increases are as truly the results
OF the new law us increases that are
compelled by that law. Even though
the duty on sheet iron be not changed,