The St. Johns herald., 1892-09-15
John G. Carlisle on the Tariff.

Perhaps I ought to apologize t. the Senate for attempting on sucl a day as this, and at so late period in, the session, to occupy any par of it's time in the discussion of 2 subject which we all agree canno be.disposed of; but the recent re- port made by the committee on f. nance in relation to the prices of commodities, the rates of wages and the cost of living in the United States has been so thoroughly mis. understood or so grossly misrepre- sented in the public press and else where that I have felt it to be the duty of some one on this side of the chamber who assisted in making that investigation to state our views of its results.
 I think it is the unanimous opin- ion of economists and statisticians who have investigated the subject, that for many years, in all the great industrial and commercial coun- tries of the world, the prices of commodities have been decreasing and the rates of wages, especially in those occupations which require a considerable degree of skill and intelligence, have been increasing :; of course, there are very many and very conspicuous and aggravating exceptions to this general rule, but they are all attributable, in my opin- ion, to abnormal and artificial con- ditions, created by unequal and un- just tax laws and by improper gov ernmental interference with the pri- vate affairs of the people, discrimi- natingi in favor of some and against others.
 Whatever makes It easier for the people to live decently and comfort ably, whatever makes the necessa- ries of life which the people are bound to buy and use cheaper and less expensive to the masses, is a blessing to mankind, and I have never been able to appreciate the wisdom of that policy which com pels men to work longer and harder in order to procure food, raiment and shelter for themselves and their families; 1 have never been able to appreciate either the economic truth or the humanity of the proposition that the people can be made happy and prosperous by taxation, wheth- CT the purpose of that taxation be to defray extravagant expenditures on the part of the government. or to increase the prices which the peo- pie pay for what they eat, drink and wear.
 Mir. President, any one who con- tends in this day that high prices of commodities are beneficial to the community at large, is at war with the spirit of the age in which he lives, at war with the genius of dis covery and invention which during the last half century more than during any other like period in the history of the world has amelior- ated the condition of mankind by bringing all the necessaries of life, and many of its luxuries, within the reach of every man who is will ing to work.
 l speak ot production and distri- button together, because cheap and easy distribution is just as impor- tant. both to the producer and to the consumer. as cheap and easy production; therefore every shackle imposed upon commerce, every in- reference with the free exchange of Oroducfa in the Enoorlrats of fba world increases prices and deprives the people of the benefits which they have a right to enjoy, and which they otherwise would enjoy, resulting from improved industrial and commercial methods.
 But it is unnecessary to pursue this line of argument further, be- cause at least it appears to be ad-