Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-09-27

| MN lbh tubll-....H s,OTc - 10 SIC
| Lard .s....,,....s'......sll l2c
luIk.,.. .....................lO lac
| Pork, salted........... ...O9c l2C
Hams. snOked............l0c lac
Iouguc......,. ........... l4c l6c
shoulders .''.....s........ lOC lOc
| PORK, sausages .......'...lOc Hc
SO far rs the average price OF these
several articles ls concerned, IL is even
lower than that given here, but we do not
need to subIoin it as our position is
proved by the figures copied from the
News, with the necessary corrections to
make 1t agree with the facts. This clears
up tho several propositions put forward
| by the News and this far the matter seems
TO turn in our favor.
"Drugs, paints" Is considered by the
News next. In this case the News made
the greatest OF mistakes, for instead OF
consulting the oldest house In the busi-
hess ii consulted one OF the youngest.
Starkweather & Williams were quoted as
authorities for the figures givon. But the
singular part about this is that the firm OF
starkweather Il Williams wasn't in ex-
istence in 1857. In fact tho members OF
that firm were hardly out OF their swad-
| ding clothes and they knew no more
about the prices Of drugs In 1857 than the
| editor OF the News himself, much less
about the prices for ten years previous to
this date. The quotations then OF the
prices Of drugs az given by this firm are
utterly worthless except as they touch the
prices OF day. What is more the News
can't find any substantiating figures In
any OF the authorities it has quoted. It's
| figures in this case are but trash.
But although we have examined this
list, we are at a loss to see how drugs can
be classed as necesssries, or can be taken
| into consideration In discussion OF the
| cost OF living. What has copperas, or
| logwood, or nitric acid, or cochineal, or oil
of vitrol got to do either with necessaries
or the cost OF living, DO you use any Of
these things on your table, DO you use
| copperas in your tea, or logwood in your
| biscuits, or cochineal in your cakes7 Oil
| OF vitrol IL used, we believe, by the News
and is considered as a necessary OF life,
but OF herwise we believe 1t Is not classed
| as such.
The next list given is that of dry goods,
and here, undoubtedly, there Is discrep
ancy in favor OF 1892.
But why shouldn't It thus be' Let no one
be 50 foolish though as to suppose that
the lowering OF the price on vast guam
tity OF articles in the line of dry goods is
due to the tariff. The cheapness OF most
| things comes not from the tariff but from
| improved machinery, skilled labor, new
methods OF production. This is an age of
| progress and 1t would be foolish to sup
pose that we had made no advance In
| these matters during period Of almost
fifty years. A glance at the shop windows
on every hand shows the cbeapness OF
everything in this line. But the cheap
ness comes not from the tariff but in
| spite OF it. Give American labor and
skill fair field today and they will make
such strides as will astonish the world.
In regard to tailor made clothes, from
the News own account the advantage il
In favor OF 1850 90 by almost one hundred
per cent. and when 1t comes to talk abou,
ready made clothing one could buy then
just AZ cheap then as now and tho earlier
date was in that period when the industry
Of having ready made clothing had jus
come in vogue. The man OF that periot
dressed just as cheaply with his ready
made suit as the man of today, and tn,
country squire with his tailor made sui
was better of by far than the man OF
today. 1t is in house rent, clothing anC
food that three quarters OF what a maj
earns goes and with higher rent than eve
before in the history OF the country, NOR,
to pay for his food and sometimes twic,
as much for the suit OF clother he puts or
his back, it appears to us at least that the
man OF 80 was better of 80 far as the cheap.
ness Of necessities is concerned than he IL
today. The same thing can be said o'
e a e4 N ~ n II