Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-10-13

ticians. and the report, signed by all
| the members OF the committee, has
been given to the public. No such
wide and careful inquiry has ever be-
fore been made, These facts appear
| from the report:
Flrst-The cost Of articles entering
into the ute of those earning less than
one thousand dollars, per Rnnum has
decreased, up to May, 1892, 3. 4 per cent,
while In farm products there has been
an increase in prices, owing In part to
an increased foreign demand and the
opening of new markets In England
during the same period the cost of liv-
ing increased per cent. Tested by
their power to purchase articles of
necessity the earnings of our working
people have never been as great as
they are now.
Second-There has been an average
advance in the rate OF wages of rs of
per cent.
Third-There has been an advance in
the price of all farm products of 1857
per cent. and of all cereals 49, 80 per
cent
The ninth annual report of the chief
Of the bureau of labor statistics of the
state of New York, democratic Off
GER, very recently issued, strongly cor
roborates, as TO that state, the facts
found by the senate committee. His
extended inquiry shows that, in the
year Immediately following the passage
of the tariff act of 1890, the aggregate
sum paid in wages in that state was
50, s77, 025 in excess, and the aggregate
production $31, S15, 1870 in excess of the
preceding year.
In view of this showing of an in
crease i'm wages, of a reduction in the
cost of articles of common necessity,
and of a marked advance in the prices
of agricultural products, 1t is plain that
this tariff law has not imposed burdens,
but has conferred benefits upon the
farmers and the workingman.
Special Effects OF the Act.
Some special effects Of the act should
be noticed. 1t was courageous at
tempt To rid our people Of a long main
tanned foreign monopoly in the produc-
ton of tin plate, pearl buttons, silk
plush, linens, lace, etc. Once or twice
In our history the production of tin
plate had been attempted, and the
prices obtained by the Welsh makers
would have enabled our makers to pro-
duce it at a profit. Bat the Welsh
makers at once cut prices to point
that drove the American beginners out
of the business, and when this was ac-
complished again made their s-own
prices. 80 E.,g -
A correspondent III Ahs Industrial
tin-plate workers, ublishe d at Swan
sea, in the issue Of June 10, 1892, adj
vises new trial of these methods. He
says:
''Do not be deceived The victory of
the republicans at the polls means the
retention of the Mckinley bill and
means the rapidly accruing loss of the
so per cent. of the export American
trade. Had there been no democratic
victory i'm 1899 the spread of the tin
plato Manufacture in the United States
would have been both rapid and iona
fide. - - 1T is not yet too late to
do something to reduce the price of
plates. Put them down to lis. per box
of 16.14x2O, full weight basis. Let the
worlSmen take half pay for n few
months and turn out more. Then let
the masters forego profits for the same
time"
And again that paper says:
ut is clearly the interest of both
employer and worlfmen) TO produce
tin plates, tariff on no tariff, at price
easse via a--i---- II cnnl s.ai tines f...> 49,
field"
No Hope In the Welsh Democratic Al
lance.
But in spite of the doubts raised by
the elections Of 1890 and OF the machiua-
tions of foreign producers TO maintain
their monopoly the tin plate industry
has been established in the United
States, and the alliance between the
Welsh producers and the democratic
party for its destruction will not sue
coed.
The official returns to the treasury
department of the production of TIN and
terne plates in the United States during
the last fiscal year show a total produc-
ton of 10, 240, $50 pounds, and compar.
ison of the first quarter, S26, 922 pounds,
with the last, 5000, 900 pounds, shows
the rapid development of the industry.
Over 5,000 900 pounds during the last
quarter were made from American
black plates, the remainder from for.
eign plates.
Mr.. Aver, the treasury agent in
charge, estimates, as the. result of care.
full inquiry, that the production
of the current year will be
100, 900, 900 pounds, aRl that by the end
of the year our production will be at
the rate of 2Oo,oOo,pOo pounds per an.
mum.
Another industry that has been prac.
tically created by the Mckinley bill is
the making of pearl buttons. Few ar.
ticles coming to us from abroad were
so distinctly the product of starvation
wages.
But without unduly extending this
letter 1 cannot follow in detail the in.
huences of the tariff law of 1890. II
has transplauted several important in.
dustries and established them here, and
has revived or enlarged all others.
The act gives to the miners protection
against foreign silver bearing lead
ores, the free introduction of which
threatened the great mining industries
of the Rocky Mountain states, and to
the wool growers protection for their
fieecez and fioclks, which has saved
them from further and disastrous de.
cline. The house of representatives, at
its last session, passed bills placing
these ores aud wool upon the free list
The people of the west will know how
destructive to their prosperity these
measures would be. The tariff law
has given employment to many
thousands of American men and
women, and will each year give EN-.
ployment TO increasing thousands. It's
repeal would throw thousands out of
employment, and give work TO others
only at reduced wages.
Communicate Appeals.
The appeals of the free trader to the
workingman are largely addressed to
his prejudices or to his passions, and
not infrequently are pronouncedly
communistic. i, The new democratic
leadership RACES at the employer, and
seeks to communicate this rage to the
employe. a