Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-08-24
WAGES Low, PRICES HIGH.
Senator Carlisle Discusses the Report on
Retail Prices and Wages.

Retail Prices and Wages.
The senate committee on finance has
Just published part of its report on
prices and wages to show the effect OF
the Mckinley tariff act upon industry.
Senator Carlisle was on this committee
and took occasion during his speech of
July 30 to draw some conclusions from
the statistics obtained. Heshowed that
the tariff act of 1890 had interfered with
the natural tendency to decline In the
prices of commodities and to a rise III
the rates of wages, and that it made 1t
harder and more expensive for the
masses of the people of the United
States TO live. He showed that the prices
of commodities in the United States
whether by wholesale or retaiD had
been enormously increased by the pas
sage of the Mckinley act, and by the
agitation which had preceded it, and
thai the cost of living in the United
STATES had increased during the period
cove red by the investigation more than
$685. .000, 900. He showed in the second
place that the rates of wages in fifteen
unprotected industries in the United
States had increased during the period
covered by the investigation, while the
rates of wages in fifteen of the highly
protected industries in the United States
had fallen since the passage or the Nc
Kinley act. The fifteen general occu-.
pations in the unprotected industries
were bakers, blacksmiths, bricklayers,
cabinet makers, carpenters, common
laborers, farm laborers, machinists, ma
sons, iron molders, painters, plumbers,
stonecutters, tailors and tinsmiths.
The average increase of wages in these
occupations had been 75-l0O of / per
cent. The fifteen highly protected oc-
cupations were bar iron, boots and shoes,
cotton goods, cotton and woolen goods,
crucible steel, flint glass, green glass,
lumber, machinery, pig iron, steel ingots,
steel blooms, steel rails, window glass
and woolen goods. In these occupations
the rates of wages had fallen (since the
Mckinley act an average of s9-1OO of
per cent, as against rise OF 75-lOO OF l
per cent. in the fifteen unprotected in
dustries.
Mr.. Carlisle then went into detailed
statement as to the cost of imported
goods and as to tin plate. On the latter
point he quoted Mr.. Aldrich as saying
that the people of the United States had
paid to the Welsh tin plate manufactur-
ers in 1891 70 cents per box more than
they had been paying before that time.
That was undoubtedly too true. The
Mckinley act had been a bonanza to the
Welsh tin plate manufacturers. 1t had
enabled them to take from the people of
the United States many millions over
and above their normal profits. The
Mckinley act had paid, not to the inn
porter, not to the government, not to the
dealers, but directly to the Welsh tin
plate manufacturers $l,G99, ,750, or moro
than half the value of the plant Of the
sos tin plate works Of Wales. The Nc
Kinley act as to tin plate had proved to
be, not for the benefit of the American
consumer, but Of the Welsh manufac-
turers.
In his closing remarks he exhibited
two samples of woolen goods exactly
alike, except as to color, manufactured
in Canada. Canada, he said, was pro-
tected country, but admitted wool free
of duty. These specimens sold in Can
ada for 221S cents pound, but could not
be made in the United States for less
than 40 cents. This showed what our
manufacturers could do if they were
given free wool to work with.