New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-27
PRICE THREE CENTS.


articles OF general consumption retail in every
part OF the United States the first Of each month
from June. 1850. to September 1891. This
braced period of seventeen months prior to the
passage OF the 1890 and eleven months subse-
quent tn that date.
1.-The quotations were In al cases secured from
actual sales taken from the books OF merchants In
seventy different cities and towns In the different
states and Territories The places at which quota
tons were obtained selected with the view Of
covering the entire country geographically, and in
cluded typical commercial manufacturing and agfcul-
tual communities. The prices were secured by the
trained experts Of the Department OF Labor with the
greatest The list OF 2l5 articles which
monthly prices We're thus obtained carefully
lected by the unanimous action OF the committee with
view of covering every possible expenditure Of Q
family in the average condition OF life; that is, with
an income OF $500 TO 81 900 per annum.
"The results OF this comprehensive and exhaustive
inquiry contained in the report recently made by
tho Finance Committee This report covers $500
printed pages and contains more than 100000 diff
ferent quotations. The Inquiry thoroughly nom
partisan, and every possible taken to give
to 1T character which would entltlc the results
secured TO the highest weight OF authority. This
Investigation clearly establishes the fact that de-
cline instead OF advance has taken place In the
prices of the necessares Of life and the resulting cost
Of living since the adoption Of the act Of 1890.
FIGURES OBTAINED IN THE INQUIRY
"The articles which prices were obtained were
divided into tile following groups 1, food ., clothes
and clothing g. fuel and lighting; 4, housefurnishng
goods ), drugs and chemicals, o, metals and imple-
meDts :, lumber and building materials. The per-
cenage OF decline in the various groups embraced In
the schedule shown by the following table, prices
for june July and August 1889 being taken as q
basis for comparison and represented by the num-
Der 100, changes being shown be percentages OF that
number:
"Group: Food. 10O.53; clothes and clothing, 996o;
fuels and lighting, $3.50, metals and implements,
9749; lumber and building materials, $685. drugs
and chemicals, 95.06; house furnishing goods, 99.s3;
miscellaneous, 1OO.52; average, 1896.
"The Finance Committee also investigated for the
period the OF wholesale prices at the great
distributing centres. While this investigation disclosed
greater fluctuations in prices selected, the general
suit the same, the fall in wholesale prices running
substantially parallel with that OF retail prices. 1t
Will be observed that the greater percentages Of de-
cline In the groups Of manufactured articles, where
It contended chat the greatest advance had taken
place.
In addition to the inquiry stated above, the COM
nttee caused retail prices Of the different articles
included in these lists be taken May 1, 1892, at
three OF the points at which the original inquiry was
made namely, Fall River, Mass, Chicago and Du-
buque Iowa The result Of this latter inquiry shows
that still further decline in prices and in the cost
Of living had taken place between September 1, 1891,
and May 1, 1892 clearly establishing a continuance
OF tendency lower prices and TO lower cost Of
living.
THE NET RESULTS ARE LOWER PRICES.
alt is shown as net result OF the investigation
that prices and the Of living based on the eN-
penditures of a family in ordinary circumstances, had
declined 34 per cent in May, 1872, compared with
tie perioi prior 70 the adoption OF the Tariff act OF
1890.
1T Is difficult to how the results OF this thor
oughly exhaustive Inquiry could be surprise 10 any
one unless he should be professional tariff reformee.
1t has. believe, been for many months apparent 70
tho great OF the people OF the United States A1
none OF the Democratic predictions In regard to higher
prices and greater OF living the result OF tn,
| tariff legislation Of 1890 had been fulfilled. There
| can be no longer any question TO the course 81
prices for the period covered by the committees M
yestieation Even the Democratic PLATFORM which
undertakes to eumeIate the evil effects OF the act OF
1890 abandons the claim that It's adoption resulted In
increased prices and greatly surprised to hnd
that the cry Is now being revived for the campaign OF
1899. do not believe It IS possible, however, to DO
ceive the American people twice with the same MS
statements in regard 10 the same subject.
1T is true that TIE percentages of decline CT prices
and cost Of living and the advance In wages as shown
BY the report are large Movements OF this kind,
from the nature Of the case. are always slow. The
price OF single article, even group OF articles.
may change greatly, the wages In single occupation
or group OF occupations may advaice or decline
rapidly and still the average Of all the great mass u
prices wages not b. changed peEcepibly. slight
change IN the total average however. makes great
difference In the aggregate result. The decline In t0>
cost OF living from June, 1889. TO May. 1892. as
shown by the report OF tho Finance Committee. WAS
3A Ger cent The advance IN wages as shown by the
same report 10 OF per cent. This makes en-
average advance in the purchasing power OF wages of
4l5 pur cent. Assuming $500 aS the average ncoiie
OF the families Of t. country. this would be eluvaont
to- say, 10 per family aggregate saving for
1900 900 families OF S:2J. 100000 Tor each year.
A VAT SUN ADDED 10 THE NA1ION'S EARNlNGS'
The addition OF this vast sum annually 70 tio
National earnings ard wealth is an achievement WHICH
speaks with eloquent voice than can coai-
maud In behalf Of policy under when such results
are possible II is significant that while the cost of
living In the United states declined for the period
covered by the investigation Of the Finance COM
mlttee the cost Of living in England Increased le
per cont. If the conditions had been reversed our
Democratic friends would have Insisted that this was
the direct and logical result OF the revenue systems
| am curious to see what explanation they viii now
make. The result is unquestiOnably very surprs-
ing one to them, and which they will have dif-
ncul,y I'm explaining away. While the attempt 70
compare average retail prices In England and the
United States Is not satisfactory am convinced that
for family buying the quantity and quality OF
articles retail in the two countries. the cost OF Nv
ing would not be higher IN America lhese reauve
conditions however do not exist, the scale OF liv-
INK for the masses OF people In the pectve countries
Is vastly different
AT no time In our history have the earnings Of the
American people been great, measured by theS
power to purchase the comforts and necessaTies OF
life, rs they are today. Measured by the sano
standard, they are vastly greater than those OF any
other people In the world.
After an exhaustive analysis of the figures -
10 the increased cost of articles under the Mchin-
ley tlrif, prepared by Mr.. Mckeever, OF New
York, and used by Mr.. Vest and an elaborate
exposure of their observation-disclosures, Senator
Aldrich con iuued:
Alter having attempted TO show that the rates
IN fI. MI Ind Increased the