Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-09-27

rally, but the cause OF the fall OF prices is
better machinery, larger results, better
labor, new inventions and nothing to
the tariff In fact, the carpet men today
would be only too glad to have the
taritf completely removed from their raw
material 30 that they could compete in the
markets OF the world.
The endeavor to make out a case for it.
self is so painful that the News has en-
tered into a discussion Of the cost OF mill
| supplies for 1865 also. But instead OF
quoting prices Of articles OF that year IL
took them for fourteen years later, 1870.
Perhaps this proves that prices were high
er in 1856 than 1892, but II 80, it is a prom
lem OF mathematics We do not under
stand. But whore are the statistics that
were promised In regard to the prices OF
furniture, and crockery, and shoes, and
pianos, and organs, Where are those
most complete and unanswerable tables
OF comparative pricesr Couldn't the News
get anyS or did II find that the figures
wouldn't sustain its side OF the
case7 There are no figures given
and we presume 1t didn't dare
publish them. Tne News should
remember that talk is cheap and that what
this one or that one said doesn't amount
to much and doesn't prove anything. IL
the News has any figures about hardware,
or crockery, or pianos let 1t publish them.
But 1t would be very strange indeed IL
there wasn't fall In prices In regard TO
some OF these things In the course OF fifty
years. so far as good piano 10 concerned,
made out OF the same material, In the
same way and by tho same Arms as In
1855 there is but little difference In
them. There are pianos, and pianos, and
a good piano costs very near as much as 1t
did then.
Such, then, is the article OF the News on
the cost OF livlng-an article that starts In
boldly but slumps out before the end.
We have examined IL step by step and
shaken the shoddy out OF 1t as mastitf
would shake the life out OF snarling and
troublesome bull pup. We have proven
beyond question::
1st. That groceries and provisions were
cheaper during the period between $4,000
than in 1899.
I'd. That meats are much lower then
than now.
Sd. That tailor made clothing and
ready made clothing were also cheaper.
ith. That although dry goods are
cheaper, the cheapness comes not from the
tariff, but from the improvement in man
ufacture made during II period Of fifty
years.
The lists that we have given might be
extended in various lines with tho same
result that we have already arrived at
and can be substantiatcd by the authori-
tics already given. After this thorough
and complete refutation OF all the facts
contained in what the News 80 loudly and
audaciously calls the most valuable con-
tribution to political literature that has
ever been Published in this State, we trust
that 1t will quietly relegate itself to the
rear and allow this so called valuable con-
tribution to pass into innocuous desue-
tude. At the very outset the News snap
ped at us ass mackerel snaps at
red rag, and got hooked. We
enjoy our bright contemporary
usually cleanly sheet and trust that it
will no longer allow itself the use of un-
kind and opprobrious epithets in regard
to us that have muddy riled It's columns.
History and the weight Of authority
generally are unanimously against the
News which has been sly enough to shift
It's position and narrow IL down In order
to make out a case. II has utterly and
ignominiously failed. The Mckinley bill
has brought none of the benefits
claimed for it and these protection ad-
vocates, to use the striking language OF a
! brilliant writer, are hardly more than
"imps OF darkness chasing after human
souls" The contest Is ended. The News
vanqushed. Victory Is ours. We are
! in possession OF the field.