The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-06-24

On no subject is the partisan press
more divided than on the effect of the
Mckinley bill on the prices of American
products. The enemies of the bill have
exhausted the vocabulary in its denun-
citation, insist that it bas raised the price
of everything that the consumer has to
buy and Increases the price of nothing
that the producer has to sell. On the
other hand the friends of the bill pro-
nounce it to be by far the best tariff bill
that the country has ever seen, while
both produce bewildering statistics to
prove the truth of their respective posi-
tions. In this state of affairs it is very
great satisfaction to know that an inquiry
has now begun which assures the public
a carefnl, comprehensive and reliable
statement of the facts concerning the ef-
feet of the tariff laws upon prices. The
Senate Financial Committee has COM
pleted.arrangements for such an investi-
cation and the work is now in progress
under the direction and supervision of
subcommittee composed of Senators
Aldrich, Hiscock, and Carlisle. There
is no question as to the qualifications of
these gentlemen for the work assigned
them. Senator Aldrich was the leading
champion of the McKinly bill in the
senate while Senator Carlisle was its
leading opponent and is universally rec
ognized as the ablest apostle of free
trade in this country. Senator Hiscock
is good business man and protection
ist and with him and Mr.. Aldrich to
represent protection and Mr.. Carlisle to
look after the interests of the free trad
ers such statistics may be expected as
will clearly and accurately indicate the
actual effect of the tariff on the price of
commodities. The inquiry will deal
with the retail price of two hundred and
twenty different articles, sixty-four of
food, sixty-three of clothing, thirty-sev-
en- of metals and implements, six of fuel
and light, fourteen of building materials,
twenty-nine of house furnishing goods
and seven of drugs and chemicals, sew
enty-five places in all parts of the coun-
try have been selected at which prices
are to be ascertained, SO as to make the
the results obtained representative.
Besides this, inquiries will be made as
to the kinds of food and clothing most
largely used by various classes in order
that the classes of people benefited or
injured by the tariff laws may be de-
termined. Special enquiry will be made
as to the prices paid by the consumer
as well as the wholesale cost of the prin-
cipal articles of consumption. BY these
means exhor bitant profits of middle men
will not be charged to the tariff law and
low rates of profit will not be placed to
its credit.
The period covered will embrace more
than year before the Mckinley law
went into effect and nearly year after;
from July 1st, 1889, to the close of the
inquiry, this coming fall.
Everything possible seems to have
been done to secure perfectly fair and
impartial investigation and all the ar
rangements we have detailed as we'll as
others of minor Importance were adopt
ed by the committee unanimously. The
results, therefore, will be anxiously
looked for as such as will undoubtedly
cut no important figure in the next pres
idential campaign.