The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1892-07-27
A QUESTION OF PRICES AND WAGES.

n QuEotLON Of FnlOES ANIL WAuEos
Senator Aldrich, of Rhode Island, pro-
poses, in the course of day or two, to
open on the floor of the United States
Senate the discussion of the report recent
ly made by him from the Committee on
Finance In regard TO the effect of the en-
suing tariff laws upon the imports and
exports, the growth, developments, pro.
duction and prices of agricultural and
manufactured articles, at home and
abroad, and upon wages domestic and
foreign. 1t is likely that his remarks and
those which they will call forth will be
more interesting and more profitable thar
most of the debates 10 which men invinci
bly, determined TO disagree discuss eco
nomic problems.
The report presented by Senator Aid.
rich, and signed, not by Republicans
alone, but by Democratic leaders Senators
Harris aud Carlisle, essays to present
facts, not to frame theories or devise ar.
guments to explain them. At the very
outset of the work the committee decided
simply to secure statistics, without any
expectation that 1t would be possible foi
its members 10 agree upon their political
or economic bearing. Commissioner Car.
roll d. Wright, of the Labor Bureau, was
instructed to collect and tabulate the des'r
ed information, It having been at the out
set agreed that only figures which could
be regarded as authoritative should be Sc
cured, and that the inquiry should be ex-
tended to such agencies and governed by
such methods as the committee of Demo-
Gratis and Republicans unanimously ap-
proved. Under this agreement it was
| decided to investigate prices and wages
on the first OF each month for the period
from June /. 1889, to September 1, 1891,
inclusive. Such inquiry 1t was decided
would fairly show the operations of indus
| try under the Mckinley bill. For more
general purposes wholesale prices and
wages from 1910 to 1891 are made sub
| jects OF inquiry, which Is still going on
| but from which definite reports have mol
yet been presented. Already Commits
sioner Wright has had 1928, sos individ
ual quotations and 40, $50 series OF quota
lions tabulated.
1t 10 to the first subject of inquiry, thai
10 regard to prices and wages from 1886
to 1891, that the partial report presented
applies. The average prices and rate oil
wages during June, July and August OF
the former year is taken as the base Of
comparison. The committee announces
that on September l, 1891, the cost of liv
ing of family In ordinary circumstances
was "A OF one per cent. less than it wal
on September l, 1889.
This Is not great reduction. II would
mean that family living at the rate O.
$500 year on September /, 1899, wa,
able on September l, 1891, to live will
equal comfort at the rate OF $796.68 {
year. A very small fuctuation this is, blu
| 1t is decrease. That this was not du
to cheaper agricultural prices is shown b,
the committees report that the averag
price OF agricultural products Except fax
seed) was 1888 per cent. higher Septem
Der ], 1891, than on the same date tw,
years ago previously.
In fifteen general occupations seecte'
by the committee wages were thirty-fou
and three-fourths OF one per cent. highe
| on September l, 1891 than two years be
fore. These occupations were those o
bakers, blacksmiths, bricklayers, cabinet
makers, carpenters, common laborers
farm laborers, machinists, masons, iroI
moulders, painters, plumbers, stonecut
ters, sailors, tinsmiths. Wages 10 mum
Der OF special Industries Ia which stats
tics were secured were 81 OF one pc
cent. higher. Again this is an inconsid
cradle increase, scarcely an advance Of
cent for each working day for man EN-
| ployed the year round at 50 a day, half
cent day more for man earning $l.5
a day. Yet 1t is an increase, and not
reduction.
II is encouraging, too, TO learn that |
the cities Of Fall River, Mass; Chicago
ILL.,, and Dubuque, Ia, where the inquir
was pursued until May /, 1892, Il shove
futher decline In the cost of living j
May, 1892, as compared with September
1891, Of g. per cent, and as compares
with 1889 of ga per cent.
Statistics OF this kind are valuable, bu
their fair application to the study OF eco
nomic questions Is not always an cas-
matter. Into the fixing of the cost OF llv
ing and the rate OF wages enter thou
sand and one subtle and elusive infiuen
ces. Mechanical invention, speculation
the weather, strikes, lockouts, organiza
lions OF labor and capital, corners, trans
portation charges-all play their parts
| The tariff is only one element 10 worl
prosperity or hardship. To 1t its advo
Gates attribute all the beneficent results
which come from the energy OF man ant
the gifts Of nature. Against 1t its oppon
ents charge the consequences OF storm
and draught and fire aud food and folly
aud original sin. Tho tariff of al
the Mckinley bill--is, according to the
observer, Ormuzd or Ahriman, good Of
evil enacted as law, the supreme benefac
tor or the arch enemy OF our division o
The human race. --Nepark Eyening Nescs
(Dem.)