New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-06

the long recess preceding. the senate Finance Com
mtt"e mas b."n prosecuting an inquiry Into the
effect O farr legislation on prices ana wages,
and branch OF the nvcstixatioi that covering he
fluctuations of prices and wages In the period OF
tNestv nine Just before and af1cr the passage
~ The Mckinley act. ha, been finished ami n
partial r"por made public: THIS report offered Two
weeks ago ly Adrlch, * Oh" Of the most sig
rfcant and valuable contributions. economically and
politically ever made by ANY OonlrcN' io II FURNISHES
in authentic and unimpcachaDlv record OF lacts IN
regard 20 the Operations Of tGc tsrn egls,non "f
1880 on wages aud prices G0rms IN" P'i'n consul
cred. The showing nude Is an extraordinarily grA
tying one refutcs entirely the baSe,ss assertions
made every hand tiat the Mckinley act hhd
greatly advmuc- the cost OF living in his country
s %ne dsprrnF T"ges s nond"rea uGV"s
price, have not risen in his county as result OF
lower now than they before the first draft OF
v.>.ni. ma wa~ t,nrwriItrn. Comparing the
month of June. 1880 with the month Of October.
1s9I the two extremes of the inquiry, the committee
found that the average retail prices In seventy cities OF
2l5 articles q consumption covering all the necesSares
Of NE had declined "a 100 OF per cent that whole
sale prices for the san; articles had declined 3-loo
Of per cent that the prices Of agricultural products
had advanced 81 psr cent. and that the average Of
wages had adyancGd - OF PER 9r cent mas. o, to,..
and figures containing statistics for ach month Of me
twenty nine collntcd and published In the committees
psrin report They are also embodied In great detail
and commented nIsn with great mcdiiy in SonSator
Adrchs recent SIP och in reply to criticisms the
working Of the M'Kinlcy tailf' at. further re-
por, will be mad, some fimr next session on the
fnonations OF prices and wages in This
country under The various tariff laws from
lao to 1892. Senator Morrill,. Of vermont me
chairman OF the FinaIcp Committee also Subnltf1'
during the last sion valuable report on the effect
= the now tariff locnIly along The Canadian border
slowing In the main that markets on me hi@u
State, side have been ben"Gcally simulated by the
changes In rates. while The Canadian side rrde has
been proporiionatcly depressed.
IMPORTANT TT.DATY.M tRIN0 or THE SESSION.
No review ~ the Sennte's work would be complete
without n reference 10 the unusual amount OF I'm
portar executive business accomplished at this session
Il, diicnlt aud delicate negotiations for thu CON
cIs1on Of treaty with Great Britain TO submit the
ch-iug sea dispute 10 arbitration and for the renewal
OF the modns vivondl Of 1901 were all communicated
10 The Scnnc from time 70 time. and the consideration
~ fhr ArbiiraitOn Treaty ran along for many pro
tIaGiei sessions. The temper displayed by the Sen
ate In discussing tbe treaty was admirable, every
Do sIhc desire beng shown 10 support and sustain
Tho action taken Nv the state Department and the
President The treaty itself hnnllv ratified by n
nnnniuon, vote. Early in the winter the Brussels
Treaty for thu suppression Of the African slave trade
Join hands with the other Rrca; Powers for this hn
nanc and phllanthrOpc object. The >eiao has also
had 10 act This year on an exceptionally large number
~ giclasS appointments. may be concluded from
the single fact that ten Federal Circuit Judges and
one Associate Justice Of the supreme Court have been
confirmed since the Isl Of March. Executive business
Mas II fact been unusually cNncinp, and probably
cchth 70 one tenth 81 all the time Of the Senate has
been spent this year behind closed doors.