The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1892-09-01

N'N-"' - 1890 w" I" PiefsNt sA'a ~
ducts
Cat this cot sad keep II for references
10 etlisbten The muswumps.
.ma wsrkiss ns..
Bling Of the EquinoI House the other
day and noticing several old account book,
We asksd the proprietor Why be Gas keep,
ms them 20 carefully
They tal story, said Mr.. Owls. "tba,
every American ought TO know These
ser. the books 81 Joseph Burr. who wss .
merchsntin hsnebeti,r from 1900 TO 1928.
these belonged b my father Who ives also
. merchant here from 1922 TO ls49. these
IRE the books Of OF the Equinox Sore up
TO 1861. and taese are tue books Of the
Equinox House, extending mp to the pres.
ent time.
What Is the story. Mr.. 0rsis, these
books tell, which you th,nk 30 important
The charges 10 these books show the
prices, from 1900 to the present itme, OF
the articles OF common consumption, also
the prices Of farm products aud the price
Of ordinary labor. These books would be
taken as conclusive evidence in a court OF
Law and their record on the points named
cannot be doubted"
You have examined these books careful
ly. uow what important conclusion do you
derive from their records? "Of course
prices vary Ut different periods, but it is
entirely safe TO ssy. that for the past TWEEN
~ five yesrs, during period Of war tariff
rs our Democratic friends are pleased 10
call It the common products Of the farm
would purchase from two to SIX times ~
much, on ths svers.e, Of what the farmer
has t, buy. ~ the ssme products would
previous to 1860. and the same may be
said OF the ordinary wages OF men and
women. aud never in the history Of our
country, would . days wages purchase so
much rs 1t will TO d-y, and the same may
be said Of the purchasing power Of farm
products. Any man who doubts this
statement can call upon me and will con
vince him by these books.
See one OF these account books bears
the date lS45, please + cad from 1t the prii
oes OF ordinary articles Of trade
Cotton cloth II 2 cents, sheeting 10
cents, calico 81 cents, silisia l6 2'3 cents,
cam brio l2l'2 cts, bsr soap - IL cts, lini
seed oil sl.25. rsisins % cts, per pound
eipghsm "a cents, Turks Island salt 81. 90 |
per bushel. axes $3.50. body cord wood
81 so, nails cents, quirs paper 20 cents,
those are fair samples Of prices Of that
Was there any material decline in these
! rices up to 1862?
II had the Equinox store from 1866 to
1861 and for some articles the books show |
the p rices to have been shout the same up
to that time. Cslicos had fallen to IL 1'2
cents but cotton cloth wss still 10 and ~
cents, and kerosene Sl.00 per gallon. buti
ter II liz cents. cheese s and sugar 10 to IL
cents"
What do the books show in regard to
wsges2
Previous to 1860 ordntry wages we're
from seventy hve cents to one dollar. the
latter price for the We y best help. In
1853 Mr.. Truman Perkins carpenter will
tell you, paid him 81 .25. and that was
The price up to 1904 it was for long
day." now I pay HIM SO 90 for 10 hours.
What did you pay your walters and 9TH
or help?
Men from 10 to ~ dollars per month.
with board. girls from 6 to 10. now pay
men 80 and girls from ~ to Is dollars. ]
lee on this book that Thomas G. Staples
~ss hired fer II months ct Sl2 per month.
Those who remember Mr.. Staples will
'gree that he was an extra hand.
These books yen say show that the pri.
ces OF wages aud nearly all farm products
have intr, ssed do they also show that the
prices OF what may be clsssed as necessa'
Ties Of life have decreased?
Il might say everything Of that nature
ard n OFT OF tn, N to wond, r'ul degree"
To WIS, do you attribute ii i, fall In
prices?
Mainly to tue protective tariff
But our Denocntc friends claim that
he obi ect of ! roleciive tariff is 10 raise
prices aud that 1t does raise them.
Toe primary Object OF protective tar
fl is TO preserve the American market to
Americans and ii may or msy not raise
prices. Ii ensbles our people t, axe our
,wn goods without sending our money
.broad for them. Oar manufacturers,
tinoii ile Lone nsiktt. ID, beat in the
World. secure again cheap foreign comp,.
Iition know about how much they can sell
Ind can figure tr,ces doEn to the closet
possible msrsiu with eight chance OF Toes,
While with ftreigu competition they were
never sure Of the market nor 1t what prii
zee they might be compelled 10 sell their
FOODS and therefore must cslculste sesinst
sree chances OF loss, Their business 10
low more sure aud they ere willing to carr
= IT on 81 ntrro~er margin OF profit.