Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-07-28
TRIUMPH IN FINANCE.
THE M'KlNLEY TARIFF LAW LOWERS
THE COST OF LIVING.
Senator Aldrich of Rhode Island ABLY
Presents the Advantages of the Measure
and shows Conclusivciv That 1t Has
Enhanced the General Prosperity of tho
Country to an Am azing Degree.

minutes executive session, at when tne
nomination Of Mr.. Shras as justice OF the
Supreme Court was confirmed, the doors OF
the Senate were opened.
he resolution az to the relative advan-
taCes of ''protectiuu' and tariff for rev
enue only" was laid before the Senate this
afternoon, and MIR. Aldrich proceeded to
address the Senate upon it. The senator
said: at has, | believe, been for many
months apparent to the great mass OF the
people OF the United States that none Of tho
democratic predictions in regard to the
higher prices aud greater cost OF living as
the result Of the tariff legislation Of 1870
have been fulfilled
"The decline in tho cost of living from
June, 1889, to May, 1892, was 3.4 per cent.
The advance In wages as shown by the same
report was 10 Of per cent. This makes an
average advance in the purchasing power of
H. 10 per cent. Assuming $500 as the aver
age income of families of the country, this
would be squvalent to $50 per family or an
aggregate saving for IL, 90, 600 of families
OF $32j, 900, 600 Tor each year.
The addition of this vast sum annually
to the national earnings aud wealth is an
achievement which speaks with n more eo-
quent voice than l can command in behalf
Of policy under which such results are
the cost o. living declined for the period
covered by the investigation of the finance
committee, the cost Of living in England in
creased 10 per cent.
"While the attempt to compare average
retail prices in England anu the United
States 10 not satisfactory, | am convinced,
that for family bvyInS, taking the same
quantity and quality OF articles at retail In
| the two countries, tue cost of living would
not be higher in America,
''Ihese relative conditions, however, do
not exist as the scale of living for the
masses of the people in the respective couu-
/ tries IS vastly different"
| Mr. Adrch asserted that the recent in
vestigatons of the committee showed that
| in general occupations wages iu the United
States we're ! per cent higher thar IL Eng
! land He had submitted tables showing the
relative wages in cotton and worsted mills
in the two countries with American wages
in many cases more than 100 per cent high
er. The tables IN reference to wages in the
production Of tin plate showed a difference
Of lja par cent in favor OF the United Sta es
as compared with Wales. Similar statistics
We're abundant.
Tariff reformers, as u rule, admitted that
American earnings were greater than any
others, but assumed that the higher rate Of
wages insured u lower cost of production on
account OF the greater skill and efficiency OF
American workmon. This they asserted
wGs the necessary result OF the general
economic law that higher wages would re-
suit in lower cost Of production. There
were many instances IN which the producers
OF the nited States through the superior
energy, skill and gonius OF our mechanics
and inventors or by the greater or more
effective use OF machinery, had reduced the
cost of production to point lower than
that i'll competing countries In these cases
important duties were, of course, inopera-
tive. The number of cases in which this
WAS true was constantly increasing.
Referring to Mr.. Vests assertion that
neyor before the present time had there been
such Disturbances of labor, or such hos
tiic md inimical relations between employer
and employe Mr.. Aldrich presented statis-
tics Of strikes in each year from 1850 &c
1890, inclusive, in the United States These
strikes varied from GlO in 1850 to I9S IL
1890; whereas, in Great Britain, the para
disc OF tariff reformers 3iGi strikes had oc
Cured in 1880
As to the prostration of agricultural in
terests, about which Mr.. Vest had said 81
much Mr. Aldrch asserted that Mr.. Vest
statement was Numerically opposed to th'
actual facts of the case. The farmer to- day
with an equal number cf bushels of gran
or pounds OF meat, could buy more and bet
ter clothing, machinery OF supplies THAI
ever before BY the operations Of the ac
of 1890, farmers were given larger and NOR
profitable markets both at homo and abroad
As to foreign commerce. Mr. Allr!Ch sub
mitted tables which, he said, furnished con
: vincing evidence 10 disprove statements ST
ha nh. iva aIF Fpptl n
tariff legislation on foreign commerce. Al
analysis OF details of both imports and ex
ports would develop tho fact that desirable
changes had taken place in the character o
each.
The exports OF manufactured aud othe
articles exclusive OF all farm and asrioul
tural products and petroleum amounted II
y value in 1892 to S231, go, $40. This yalu
of expectations OF manufactured articles
etc, was -, zoe, 600 greater than tho tots
average annual value Of ali exports for til
period lSi7 to 1861. Tho amount OF dut
per capita collected during the fiscal yea
1892 was -. G2; that is, less than half tn
relative amount collected in 1872, tn
amount for tho latter year having bee
o So IS per capita These statements an
J. computations show beyond any possbiiit
= of doubt that the expansion of our forels
commerce WAS dtCcIcIulcd IdtLcE IuUu h'''
rowed and limited by the act of 1890.
9 Continuing he said: There is no perm
3; anent place in American politics for part
II that bases its claims for popularity an
's support on the failures and disappointment
/, Of the people, The purposes of the act {
y 1890 as repeatedly stated by its advocate
J. on this floor, was to provide for the bette
security and the greater development {
American industries. and to maintain I'll
higest level of wages then existing in Il
n United States. Tho claims and expoctt
< tious Of the trainers Of the measure hay
ID been more than realized. Through its vi
l. rlous provisions it has enlarged the market
r both foreign and domestic, OF America
producers 1t has secured the establishmer
of new industries and vitality and eIpaI
sion to old ones 1t has quickened the pu
2, sations Of trade and given a now impetus
D., agricultural pursuits, as well to mani
20 features aud commerce.
4. BY its revival of activities in every dire
80 ton it has given profitable employme
and certainty to all classes Of the peopl