Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-26
LOWER PRICES And HIGHER WAGES
Result From the Operation Of the
Mckinley Bill.
T HE DEFICIEN BILL
Action Of the House in Regard to
the Measure.
THE SENATE.

As soon as the journal OF yesterday was read
and few departmental communications were
laid before the Senate by its President pro TEN.
(Mr. Manderson) a motion was made by Mr..
Quay to go into executive session ''for the pur-
pose Of considering the nomination Of justice
of the Supreme Court" The motion was
agreed to. Within the brief space of five min
utes the doors were reopened, the nomination
of Mr.. Shiras MS Justice Of the Supreme Court
of the United States having been confirmed.
Mr.. Chandler introduced lengthy resolution
which, in effect, stated that the Grand Trunk
railroad Of Canada, a corporation with its Office
in Montreal and it's headquarters in London,
operated 1900 miles of railroad, 200 OF
which were in the United States in the states
of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois in the west
and in the states of New York. Vermont, New
Hampshire and Maine in the east; that it obtained
access to the United States by bridges over the
Niagara river, in New York state. and a tunnel
under the st. Clair river in Michigan; that .
American citizens had large mining and
other interests in Canada, against which
it was reported that this Grand
Trunk railroad was discriminating and
requesting the committee on interstate COM
merce to investigate and report whether any
legislation was necessary to protect our own
commerce at home or the interests of Ameri-
cans in Canada against said Grand Trunk Rail-
road Company.
On the suggestion Of Mr.. Alrich OR. IL
and with the consent Of Mr.. Chandler the reso-
luton WAS referred to the committee on inter
state commerce.
At 1:55 pm. Mr.. Aldrich called up the Hale
resolutions on republican protection and demo-
cratic tariff for revenue, and addressed the
Senate upon them ut great length. There we're
about forty Senators present, but the. galleries
were almost deserted on account of the intense
heat OF the weather.
SENATOR ALLIsoNs SPEECH.
He opened his speech by saying that the
tariff question was to become, by common con-
sent, the leading issue in the approaching pres
idential campaign. At no time in the history
of the country had the lines between the
two great parties upon this question
been SO clearly defined. The republicans en-
tered the campaign distinctly favoring the con-
tinuance OF the protective policy, while the
democrats denounced protection as a fraud, de-
clared the unconstitutionality Of protective
tariff duties and made special
as the eliminating atrocity of tariff legislation
This clear alignment of parties greatly simph
fed the discussion of the question. 1t removed
all opportunity for possible differences Of
opinion in regard to the republ-
con plan of campaign. The friends
of protection would wage aggressive
warfare upon the revolutionary doctrines which,
although long secretly cherished by democratic
leaders, were now for the first time openly
avowed. The attack upon the indefensible
democratic position must be vigorous
ton made by the Senator from Missouri
(Mr. Vest) to the tariff act of 1890 was that
which was urged with great force and effect in
the political campaign which Immediately
followed its enactment, namely, that
through large advance in rates il
had effected a considerable increase in the
PRICES Of the necessaries of life and greatly aug
mentee the cost of living of all classes of peo-
pie, especially of the poor.
DECLINE IN PRICES ESTABLISHED.
One of the principal purposes of the tariff in
quiry ordered by the Senate resolution of March
8, 1891, was to ascertain with accuracy whether
this claim Of the opponents Of protection
was justified by the actual re-
suits. An investigation into the cause
Of prices and cost Of living, much more expen-
sive and thorough than was ever before at
tempted, was instituted. The inquiry was
thoroughly non-partisan, and every possible
care was taken to give to it u character which
would entitle the results secured to the
highest weight Of authority. This investigation
clearly established the fact that decline instead
of an advance had taken place in the prices of
the necessaries of life and the resulting cost
of living since the adoption of the act of $780,
1t was shown as net result Of the
investigation that prices and the cost
OF living. based on the expenditures Of family
in ordinary circumstances, had declined "a
per cent in May, 1892, as compared with the
period prior to the adoption Of the tariff act Of
1880.
THE RESULT NOT SURPRISE
1t was difficult to see how the results Of this
thoroughly exhaustive inquiry could be sur
prise to any one unless he should be pro-
fessional tariff reformer. 1t had, he be-
lieyed, been for many months apparent to
the great mass Of the people of the United
States that none of the predictions in regard to
DrIe nd tar of ENin< fla
result of the tariff legislation Of 1880 had been
fulfilled.
THE MKINLEY ACT THE CAUSE.
There could be no longer any question as to
the course Of prices for the period covered by
the committees investigation. Even the demo-
cratic platform, which undertook to enumerate
the evil effects Of the act of 1890,
abandoned the claim tina. its adoption resulted
In increased prices and he was greatly surprised
TO ind that the cry was now being revived for
the campaign of 1892. He did not believe it
was possible, however, to deceive the Ameri-
can people twice with the came mis-
statements in regard to the same sub
ject, especially when the second attempt
was made after the .acts had been ascertained
and we're well known to the people of the
country. The allegations made in regard to
prices in October, 1890, were then made
with such vehemence and pertinacity that many
honest men were deluded This experience could
NV III AAs OpiuiOu Uc TopcAteu. IL Is true tQat
the percentages of decline Of prices and cost Of
living and the advance in wages as shown by
the report we're not large. Movements of this
kind, from the nature Of the case
we're always slow. The price of a single article
or even group of articles might change
greatly, or the wages in q single occupation or !
group Of occupations might advance or decline
rapidly, and still the average of all the great
mass Of prices or wages might not be changed
perceptibly.
A slight change in the total average. however,
makes great difference in the aggregate re-
suit. The decline in the cost of living from
June, 1889, to May, 1892. as shown by the re-
port ofthe finance committee, was "a per cent.
THE ADVANCE IN WAGES.
The advance in wages, as shown by the same
report, was 10 Of per cent. This made an
average advance in the purchasing power Of
wages Of Ais per cent. Assuming s600.as
the average income Of the families OF the
country, this would be equivalent
to, say, e26 per family, or an
aggregate saving for Is 1000, 900 families Of
e325, 000, 900 for each year. The addition Of
that vast sum annually to the national earnings
and wealth was an achievement which
spoke with an eloquent voice in behalf
Of . policy under which such results
were possible. 1t was very significant that while
tho cost Of living in the.United States declined
for the ueriOd covapad hv xha irw asxt~. Non o%i