The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-07-27
SENATORALDRICH.
Ills Great Speech on the Tariff
Yesterday.
REBUKE TO MUGWUMPS.
The Tariff Is the Issue Of the
Campaign.
THE DECREASED COST OF LIVING.
We are Living More Than Three Per
Cont. Cheaper Than Two Years Ago,
and Getting q Trine Higher Wages
Mr.. Vests Rejoindsr-other Washing
ton Notes

WARRINGTON, July H. After . nvs
minutes executive session, st which the
nomination Of Mr.. 6hiras - Justice Of
the Supreme Court was confirmed. ths
doors Of the Senate were opened and .
resolution calling for information ~ to
the operations of state banks since 1880
and as to national banks since 1853 was
reported from the finance committee and
agreed to.
Two House bills amsndatory OF the
laws ~ to the redemption OF stolen na-
tional bank notes and - TO receivers for
national banks were passed.
Mr.. Hale's resolution - to the relative
effects of Protection" and "Tsrin for
and Mr.. Aldrich addressed the Senate
upon IL. He was replied to BY Mr.. Vest.
In opening his speech Senator Aldrich
asserted that the tariff Question is to be-
come by common consent the leading is
sue In the approaching Presidential cam
paiRn. The radical declarations Of the
Democratic platform adopted at Chicago.
leading representatives Of the party, In
sures this result. Al no time Ia the his
tory of the country have the lines between
the two great parties upon this question
been clearly defined. The party platforms
OF 1902 declare with much greater candor
than Is customary in papers OF this kind
the doctrines OF their respective parties.
The Republicans enter the campaign dis
tinctively favoring the continuance OF the
protective policy and announcing defin-
itely the principles which should control
tariff legislation, while on the other hand
the Democrats denounce protection as
fraud, declare the unconstitutionality OF
protective tari6 duties, and make special
and vicious attack upon the Tariff act OF
1890 as the eliminating atrocity OF tariff
legislation.
The Democratic platform is in many
the previous official utterances OF the
party. At no time In the history OF the
country. except In the course OF the move
ment for notification. has any attempt
heretofore been made to make the doc
trine Of the unconstitutionality of pro-
political creed. The steps by which the
Democracy have reached the radical posi-
tion they now occupy have been very
gradual The Democratic platform OF
1884 and 1888 were 80 constructed as TO Sc
cure the approval Of a large number Of
Incidental protectioinists who held a
place, nominally at least, In the Demo-
cratic ranks; but in the platform OF 1899
all DISCUSSES are thrown off |; for the first
time the party Is arrayed in emphatic
antagonism to tariff rates which contain
any element of protection.
This clear alignment OF parties greatly
simplifies the discussion Of the question.
II removes all opportunities for possible
differences of opinion in regard to the Re
publican plan of campaign. The friends
OF protection will wage aggressive war
fare upon the revolutionary doctrines
which. although long secretly cherished
by Democratic leaders, are now for the
a Tho at
upon the indefensible Democratic posi-
tion must be vigorous and persistent.
The speaker acknowledged the Senator
from Missouri (Mr. Vest) to be the leader
of his party in the Senate, AMI took the
speeches oil Mr.. Vest on June and % as
fairly representing the line Of argument
of the Democracy In the campaign. The
report of the Subcommittee OF the Com
mittee on Finance which was covered In
these dispatches last week, was analyzed
and its details explained at considerable
length by Mr.. Aldrich. The Senator
said (: 1t is shown as net result OF the
nvestigation that prices ana the cost OF
living based on expenditures Of a family
in ordinary circumstances had declined
34 per cent. in May, 1892, as compared
with the period prior to the acceptation
OF the tariff act Of 1890. 1t Is difficult TO
see how the results of this thoroughly ex-
haustIve inquiry could be surprise TO
anyone unless he should be professional
tariff reformer.
It has, l believe, been for many months
apparent to the great mass Of the people
OF the United States that mono OF the
Democratic predictions In regard to higher
prices and greater cost OF living as the
result Of the tariff legislation Of 1890 has
been fulfilled. The decline In the cost of
living from June, 1880, to May, 1892, as
shown by the report OF the finance COM
mittee, was "a per cent. The advance In
wages, as shown by che same report, was
rs Of one per cent. This makes an
of wages OF 4. .l5 per cent. Assuming 5000
as the average income OF families OF the
country this would be equivalent to S25
per family. or an aggregate saving for
is, ,OOO, 200 families of tS25, 900 900 for each
year. The addition Of this vast sum an
nually to the national earnings and
wealth is an achievement which speaks
with more eloquent voice than / can
command i'm behalf OF a policy under
which such results are possible.
II Is very significant that while the
cost of living declined for the period COW
cred by the investigating Of the dnauce
committee. the cost OF living In England
had been reversed, our Democratic friends
would have insisted that this was the di-
rect and logical result OF the rival revenue
systems. l am curious to know what ex-
plantations they will now make. The re-
suit of this question Is very surprising
Que TO them. and one which they will
have difficulty i'm explaining away. While
the attempt TO coupare average Otail
prices In England and the United Sta es
is not sat sfactory, I am convinced that
for a family, buying the same quantity
ard quality of articles at retail I'm the two
countries, the cost Of living would not be
higher In America. These relative con-
ditions DO not exist, ~ the scale OF living
for the masses OF the people in the respec-
tive countries is vastly different. At no
time in our history have the earnings Of
the American people been as grea,, meas
ured 10y their pvaer TO purchase the com
fort. aud necessaries OF life, ss they are
to-uay. Measured by the same standard