The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-08-20
WAGES Low, PRICES HIGH.
Senator Carlisle Discusses the Report on
Retail Prices and Wages.

Senator Carlisle Discusses the Report On
Retail Prices and Wages.
The senate committee on finance has
just published a part Of its report on
prices and wages to show the effect OF
the Mckinley tariff act upon industry.
Senator Carlisle was Oh this committee
and took occasion during his speech OF
july 90 TO draw some conclusions from
the statistics obtained. Hi showed that
the tariff act of 1890 had interfered with
the natural tendency to II decline in the
prices of commodities and to n rise in
the rates of wages. and that it made it
harder and more expensive for the
masses Of the people Of the United
States to live. He showed that the prices
of commodities N the United States
(whether by wholesale or retail had
been enormously Increased by the pas
sage Of the Mckinley act, and by the
agitation which had preceded it. and
that the EOS Of living in the United
States had increased during the period
covered by the investigation more than
1881. 200. 900. He showed in the second
lHItt lIldl TIE IdlPS VI NuStN III HIlf'fi
unprotected industries in the United
States had increased during the period
covered bv the investigation, while the
rates of wages in fifteen of the highly
protected industries III tn" United States
had fallen since the passage of the Me
Kinley act. The fifteen general occu-
pations in the unprotected inhustrlc~
were bakers. blacksmiths, bricklaycr.,
cabinet makers. carpenters, common
laborerS. farm lahorerS. m%achinists, ma
sons, iron molders, painters, plumbers,
stonccutters. tailors and tinsmitlis.
The average increase of wagesin these
occupations had been 1j-lOO Of | per
cent. The fifteen highly protected oc-
equations were bar iron, boots and shoes.
cotton goods. cotton and wooden goods.
crucible steel, flint glass, green glass,
lumber. machinery, pig iron, steel ingot'.
steel blooms. steel rails. window glass
and wooden goods. In these occupations
the rates Of wages had fallen Csince the
Mckinney act) III average Of 50 100 of !
per cent, rs against Il rise of i5-lWO Of |
per cent. III the fifteen unprotected in
dustrics.
Mr. Carlisle then went into ii detailed
statement as TO tn" cost of imported
goods and rs 10 tin plate. ON the latter
point he quoted MIR. Aldrich rs saying
that the p"oi,ie of the United States had
paid to tic Welsh tin plate manufacture
crS IN 1891 - cents per box more than
they had been paying before that time.
That was undoubtedly too true. The
Mckinley act had been "a bonanza TO the
Welsh tin plate manufacturers. 1t had
cuabled them to take from the people Of
the United States many millions over
and above their normal profits, The
Mckinley act had paid. not to the i'm
porter. not to the government. not to the
dealers, Int directly TO the Welsh tin
plate manufacturers 81. G29, 90. or more
lian bali the value of the plant Of the
50S lin plate works of Wales. The Nc
kinney act "a, to tin plate had proved 10
be. not for tse benefit of the American
consumer, but of the Welsh manufar-
tuners.
In his closing remarks he exhibited
Two samples of wooden goods exactly
alike. except aS to color, manufactured
in Canada. Canada, he said. was IA pro-
tected country. but admitted wool free
of duty. These specimens sold in Can
ada for !2I cents u pound. but could no
he made IN the United States for less
than 10 cent?. This showed what on
manufacturers could do if they were
given fire." wool to work with.