The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-08-27

rollers in all the Pittsburg mills is S15.25
per day, and the net earnings in wire rod
rolling are even higher than this.
1t is perhaps proper that should say
word in regard to the condition and earn
ings of the operatives in Rhode Island.
That they do not work for a miserable pit
lance is shown by statement which l
Submit and will have printed in The Rec
ord of the relative wages paid in a cotton
mill in Rhode Island and one in Oldham,
England, showing the much greater wages
in Rhode Island. The mills have each
about SO, 900 spindles and make the same
kind of goods.
Instead of working at Starvation
wages" the working people of my state
are enabled from their earnings to live as
well and as comfortably as any similar
class of people in the world; and their
savings, averaging nearly 81, COO for each
family, deposited in the saving banks of
the state, furnish the best evidence of
their prosperous and satisfactory condi-
ton. These savings, accumulated since
the Inauguration of the protective policy
of the United States, are greater per capita,
believe, than those of any other indus
trial community in the world.
1.-THE senator here read letters from S. N.
D. North, secretary of the American AS
ISOLATION of Wool Manufacturers, and cited
much other evidence showing that the
Warner list of strikes was grossly exag
gerated, the same instance being set down
several times. He presented other evil
dence Of advance of wages and continued:
In no class Of people in the United States
has the improvement in condition been SO
marked as in the farmers during the period
under consideration.
The prices received for farm products
subsequent to the passage of the act of 1890
show an average increase on all crops of
1867 per cent. The percentage of increase
on many important articles-corn, for in
stance, at Al per cent.-was greatly above
this average.
1t will be seen by an examination of the
report of the committee that the advance
in the average price of all cereals. the COM
putation being made according to their
relative Importance, was $3.50 per cent
The price received for meats of all kind
averaged per cent higher in September,
1891, than in June, 1889.
The most striking result shown by the
inquiry was the fact that while there was
considerable decline in the prices Of man
ufactured articles which enter into general
consumption there was an advance in the
price of nearly all agricultural products;
and if it had not been for the great decline
that took place in the price of sugar, owing
to removal of duties by the act of 1890, that
large portion of the cost of living which is
embraced in expenditures for food would
have shown an increase instead of diminu-
ton.
While farm products advanced, the prices
of those articles the farmer has to purchase
declined as per the following table, the
price prior to passage of the act being rep
resented by 100:
Retail.
Cloths and clothing.... 1855
Fuel and lighting. ......................... $3.50
Metals and implements. 97.49
Lumber and building material. .......... 1928
Drugs and chemicals. .................... 95.96
Housefurnishing Observation-Disclosures. $685.
MISCELLANEOUS. 1UU.5S
I believe that in no period of equal length
in the history of the country has there been
such a marked improvement in the condi-
ton of any class of people as can be shown
by irrefutable testimony to have taken
place in the condition of the farmers of this
country since the passage of the act of 1890.
There has been great advance in the
sum received by them for their crops and
substantial decline in prices of articles,
especially manufactured products, which
they are obliged to purchase. The farmer
today, with an equal number Of bushels Of
grain or pounds of meat, can buy more and
better clothing, machinery or supplies than
ever before. Within this period hundreds
of millions of dollars of their Indebtedness
have been paid off, and as class their
financial condition vastly improved. By
the operations of the act of 1890 the farmers
were given larger and more profitable mar
kets both at home and abroad; as an in
stance of this our exports to Cuba-largely
of agricultural products-were increased
during the ten months ending June 80,
1892, as compared with the corresponding
ten months of the previous fiscal year, So
zoo, 900, or an increase of 54.S6 per cent.
The following shows the rapid growth Of
our foreign commerce:
FOREIGN COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.
Total imports and ex- Annual aver Per
ports age. capita