Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-09-14

NY w
Mr. PHEs1DENr-Perhaps / ought to
apologize to the senate for attempting on
such day us this, and at SO late period In
the session, to occupy any part of its time
in the discussion of a subject which we all
agree cannot be disposed of; but the recent
report made by the committee on finance
in relation to the prices of commodi-
ties, the rates of wages and the cost of liv
ing in the United States has been SO
thoroughly misunderstood or so grossly
misrepresented in the public press and
elsewhere, that have felt it to be the duty
of some one on this side of the chamber who
assisted in making that investigation to
state our views of its results.
think it is the unanimous opinion of
economists and statisticians who have in
vestigated the subject that for many years,
n sll the great industrial and commercial
countries of the world, the prices of COM
modities have been decreasing and the rates
Of wages, especially in those occupations
which require considerable degree of
skill and intelligence, have been increas-
ing; of course there are very many and
very conspicuous and aggravating excep-
tions to this general rule, but they are all
attributable, in my opinion, to abnormal
and artificial conditions, created by un-
equal and unjust tax laws and by improper
governmental interference with the private
affairs of the people, discriminating in
favor of some and against others.
The Folly of Protection.
Whatever makes it easier for the people
to live decently and comfortably, what
ever makes the necessaries of life which
the people are bound to buy and use cheap
er and less expensive to the masses, is
blessing to mankind, and ! have never
been able to appreciate the wisdom of that
policy which compels men to work longer
and harder in order to procure food, raj
ment and shelter for themselves and their
families; have never been able to appre-
ciate either the economic truth or the hui
mapity of the proposition that the people
can be made happy and prosperous by tax
alton, whether the purpose of that taxa
tion be to defray extravagant expenditures
on the part of the government, or TO i'll
crease the prices which the people pay for
what they eat, drink and wear.
Mr.. President, any one who contends III
this day, as the senator from Nevada Mr..
Stewartj apparently has this morning,
that high prices of commodities are ben
eficial to the community at large, is at
war with the spirit of the age in which he
lives, at war with the genius of discovery
and invention which during the last half
century more than during any other like
period in the history of the world has
ameliorated the condition of mankind by
bringing all the necessaries Of life, and
many of its luxuries, within the reach of
every man who is willing to work,
speak of production and distribution
together, because cheap and easy distribu-
tion is just as important, both to the pro-
ducer and to the consumer, as cheap and
easy production; therefore every shackle
imposed upon commerce. every restriction
upon honest trade, every interference with
the free exchange of products in the mar
kets of the world increases prices and de.
prives the people of the benefits which
they have a right to enjoy, and which they
otherwise would enjoy, resulting from i'm
proved industrial and commercial methods.
But, Mr. President, it is unnecessary to
pursue this line of argument further, be-
cause at last it appears to be admitted by
the friends of the protective system that
cheap commodities for the use Of the people
are beneficial. and the senator from Rhode
Island (Mr. Aldrich), speaking here three
days ago as the chosen champion Of that
system, bases his defense of the tariff act
of 1890 almost solely upon the ground that
it has reduced prices and enlarged the for
eigp commerce of the country.
That was not the purpose of the authors
and supporters of that law at the time it
passed congress, as is conciuslveiy shown
by the report which was made to the
house of representatives when the bill was
presented to that body. In that report Mr..
Mckinley, Speaking for himself and all
the Repu ublican members of the committee,
said:
1--WE have lot been SO much concerned
about the prices of the articles we consume
as we have been to encourage II system of
home production which shall give fair re-
muneration to domestic producers and fair
wages to American workmen, and by in
creased production and home competition
insure fair prices to consumers"
And again, the report says:
Your committee has not sought by the
proposed legislation to further cut down
prices at the expense of our own prospect
ty, but to provide with certainty against
that increasing competition from other
countries whose conditions our people are
unwilling to adopt. We have not believed
that our people, already suffering from
low prices, Can or will be satisfied wit.
legislation which will result in lower
prices"
Its Advocates Swept Aside.
Here is a clear and emphatic declaration
by the authors Of the measure, that it was
mot intended to reduce prices, that it would
not, in fact, reduce prices, and that the
people would not be satisfied with any
legislation which would produce that re-
suit.
The theory that high prices of commodi
ties are beneficial to the community at
large, and that the Mckinley law would
increase them, was abandoned by the ad
vocates Of thao measure Immediately after
its passage, and in every part of the coun-
try they faced about and either denied that
higher prices, in fact, prevailed or contend
ed that they were not produced by the
tariff act The people, however, knew bet
ter from personal experience and observa-
tion in their daily transactions, and in No
vember, 1890, the authors of that tariff act
were swept from the house of representa-
tives by q majority of more than 100000
votes. Never in the history of the coun-
try has there been such storm of popular
Indignation against any single act of legis-
lation as that which overwhelmed the ad-
yocates of this measure in 1890, and as a
result we now have the senator from Rhode
Island and all the other friends of the pro-
tective system who have recently spoken