Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-08-24

Notwithstanding these undenlable facts,
the senator from Rhode Island asserted, if
not I'm express terms. at least by necessary
inference. that the prices ~ commodities
and the cost of living declined during the
period covered by the investigation. He
said, "Therc can bc no longer any question
Us to the course Of prices for the period
covered by tht committees investigation"
and think every one who heard his speech
understood him to maintain that prices
and the cost of living were lower daring
that-period than they were before
Protection Did Not Help Wages.
But, Mr.. President, l must pass on TO
another subject. The committee also, ~
have already said, caused an investigation
TO he made ~ to the rates OF wages during
this same period In fifteen Of what arc
called general occupations, most Of which
aro almost entirely In the nonprotected in
dustries as will be seen when | come TO
state them. and In fifteen special occupa-
tions which are highly protected by the
tariff law.
Tho result of that Investigation b shown
by the report The fifteen general occupa-
tious selected by the committee ~ fairly
representative OF the rate OF wages received
IN all the general occupations IN the coun
try were as follows, aud asks senators 10
give the4v attention to them ~ l state
them. in order that tAey may dote<mine
foy themselves how far they aru protectedi
Bakers, back smiths, bricklayors-l sup
Dose there 10 scarcely anybody who will IN
ust tnas bricks can be laid In a wall In
foreign country and imported tn this
sountry, md therefore brinklayer Is not
much protected by a tariff law; cabinet
makers carpenters-of whom the snme
thing may be said as Of bricklayers; COM
mon laborors. farm laborers, machinists,
masoDs-who lay stone In wall which
cannot bo iaportod-molders Of iron, paint
ers, plumbsrs, stopecutters, tsilors and
tinsmitbA These are the fifteen general
occupations selccted by the committee, and
they arc the occupations upon which the
rates Of wages rose 75-l0oths Of 7 per cent
during the period covered by tho investi-
sation, and they were that much higher at
~ close than they were at the beginning
The senator from Rhode Island stated
generally rs will bc seen from his printed
speech, that the committee had found that
while there bad been decline In prices
there had been an increase OF 75iOHhs Of
per cent IN wages whereas assert now,
with the tables before me. that the only
occurred, taking the whole together. were
IN those fifteen substantially unprotected
Industries. md I will show presently that
IN the flfteen highly protected industries
m which tho rates of wages had increased
before the Mckinley bill passed there was
o decrease after II passed. II any of these
fifteen general occupations are OF can ~
pro.ccttd or In any way assisted by the
tariff, IL must he cabinet makers and
molders of iron. and yet, although the Nc
lsinley tariff act increased the duties ON
household ~ cabinet furniture, the wages
OF cabinet makers fell after its passage,
and although u reduced the duties upon
nj; 'orms Of iron castings except hollow
W. coated. glazed or timed, the wages
b. Z occupation increased after its pas
sage.
DO Dot make this statcsncot for The