Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-01
ANTI-TARIFF REASONS.
Changers Listen to a Talk Antago-
nistic to McKinley's Law
FROM A FREE TRADE ORATOR.
The Purchasing Power of Wages Used to
Sustain His Position.
S0FT-s0APING THE AGRICULTURIsTS

ESPECIAL rELEGRAM TO THE DIsPtrcH.t
WILLIAMS GROVE, Aug. 3L-The crowd
at the Grangers' picnic to-day numbered at
least II, 900 people, in addition to the 1900
who are camped in the grove The scores
of exhibitors were kept busy setting forth
the merits of their wares, and the faklrs
never worked harder to bleed the mass of
people. Those partial to speechmaking
were entertained morning, afternoon and
evening in the large auditorium, capable of
seating 1000 persons.
The principal topics discussed were the
tariff and prohibition. Congressman
Brosius. of Lancaster, was among the ora
tors. He, in the main, duplicated his
speech at Mt. Gretna at the farmers en-
campment, in which he urged the farmers
to participate actively in the primaries, in
order that good men might be sent to legis-
lative halls.
He was followed by Senator Brown, of
York, in speech in opposition to the Nc
Kinley law, which he said had not been
beneficial to either the agriculturist or the
mechanic Incidental reference was made
to the depressed condition of agriculture,
after which he presented figures to prove
his position. There was no justification for
the increase of the average duty from At per
cent to 60 per cent in view of the fact that
the census of 1880 showed that manufacture
600, 600 capital invested in their plants.
Wages Compared With Expenses
These profits amounted to 90 per cent,
while labor received only IS per cent as its
share. The average daily wages was 81 10,
and the average daily profit to the manu-
tacturer on each mans labor was 81 so.
Even if wages were twice as high in
England (Which they are not)," said Sena-
tor Brown, "why tax us 60 per cent to pay
difference in wages of only 9 per cent. To
demonstrate the insincerity of the plea,
made by the protected interests that they
ask this sacrifice on the part of consumers
solely for the benefit of wage earners, we
will take the steel rail industry as an ex-
ample.
'iIn the 1sSO's there were II corporations
engaged in manufacturing steel rails under
the Bessemer open hearth process. Their
competition brought down the price from
S120 to S25 per ton The next step was to
consolidate, cheaper and limit production
to the requirements of the American
eliminated II of the II companies and there
total annual capacity of 3, IA, 900 tons The
price established bv the trust is $50 per ton
aud would amount to S94, $50 600 year,
Benefits Ms He Finds Them.
'sThe tariff of 81, ,344 benefits the producers
to the extent of $40, 26S, 600. The total cost
of production is about $40 per ton or S62,-
900, 900; the balance profit over cost is $751;
450, 900, or Sc per cent.
IT,; L. Ii.
to the Congressional Committee, but Mr..
Carroll D. Wright, present Labor Com
missioner of the United States, has ascer-
tanned it to be S12 20 per ton and its total
amount cannot exceed S37, 500, 900, so that the
tariff protection over labor is not less than
S4, 466, 900, which should go to the account
of the labor each year, if the steel operators
were honest in their position; but instead,
it is retained as additional profit, and this
accounts for the anxiety of the trust for o
protective tariff.
Senator Brown charged that Mckinley, |
to enlist the wool farmers under his ban |
ner, had increased the tariff on wool, and |
the result was drop in the price of that |
article of from 80 to 5 cents a pound, the |
lowest point reached within the memory of |
any living sheep farmer.
The Purchasing Power OF V ages
STATISTICS were presented to demonstrate |
that woolen blankets sold in England by |
the retailer at S4 80, on account of increased !
duty cost 50 65 in this country, which,
said Senator Brown, smust be paid by the
American consumer, be he farmer or me-
chanic, unless be can afford to make a trip
TO Europe every season and make all ex-
penses clear in replenshing his wardrobe,
as thousands of our aristocracv do.
SIS it not plain that the difference in the
purchasing power of wages here and there,
20 lar as woolen blankets are concerned.
must be calculated thus? When the En-
ylishman is paid SO the American should
receive 500 38 Where the American work
nan gets $40 his English competitor need
,nly have a Al. The price of wheat to the
armer in the Midland counties of England
low is about 95 cents per bushel. The
armer of Central Pennsylvania is getting
o-day 70 cents, but to be on equal terms
With his English brother in buving his
blankets, hats, clothes, carpets, bedding,
tc, he should be able to get at least 81 81
or it.
"And this same disastrous discrimination
gainst the farmer, unfortunate enough to
Tork. in this free country, is applied to
nore>than 800 different articles. -
Senator Brown ridiculed reciprocity as
emedy for depression. 1t was retaliation l.
n our own people instead of reciprocity.
Rev. Anna Shaw, of Massachusetts, de-
lvered al address on prohibition in the
ffnrp I