Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-08-10
BELATED, BUT REMARKABLE.

- =
Observation-Disclosures is made
by The New York Evening Post.
1t is astounding, because last year
we had a long controversy with
that very newspaper, in which we
insisted that under the protection
system wages had increased and
at the same time the cost of living
had decreased, that wages had ILL
creased and the tariff had been
raised and yet the price Of things
had Administrations all of which
The Evening Post dissented.
Here is its remarkable editorial
admission in its issue oflast Satur-
day: z...
"The reductions in wages now
beginning to be reported
are to be deplored upon
general principles, but under the
present circumstances they can
hardly be avoided. 1t should be
remembered that a steady and
very dod1g-eortinued riseIin the
value Of wages has existed. There
has been some rise in money
wages at the same :l time, but the
increase Merchandising power
has been within the last twenty
years something emarkable. At
the present day a, mechanic of
very ordinary can earn a
barrel offourzby "a days work,
and althong breadis2 no longer
50 Important a. part Of the diet of
iVo rkIngs people as formerly, it is a
YER atislactor preventive of
starvation. In most other articles
of food there has not been so
marked decline in price as in the
case. Of the cereals, but there have
beenibut few advances; and if the
prices Of the great staplesso con-
sumption were<saveraged, zitwould
appear that the cost Of living had
materially diminished. The same
conclusion is reached by examin-
ing the prices of clothing. /. The
extremely low price of cotton has.
enabled the common people to
provide themselves with cotton
goods upon very advantageous
terms, and the cheapness of wool
has defeated even Mckinley in his
attempt to- make wooden goods
dear, however successful he may
have been in inpairing their
quality. The abundance Of capital
and the ingenuity Of our manu-
facturers have filled the homes Of
the poor with articles of con-
venience and comfort at marvel
ous1y small cost to the occupants,
and IN almost every respect, it
may be said, they are getting far
more for their wages than they
were a generation ago"
The reader who retains the least
memory of the campaign of last
year will not be able to find words
to express his establishment at this
admission. 1t comedies all that
any protectionist has ever claimed.
Wages steadily increasing, the cost
Of living steadily diminishing;
homes of the poor piled with
articles of convenience and COM
fort at marvelously small cost to
the occupants. An analysis Of
the statement of The Evening Post,
the ablest advocate of a tariff-for-
revenue-only, would establish the
principles of the protectionist.
Increasing duties did not increase
the price of articles; increasing
duties were associated with
increasing wages and increasing
comfort.
Now, why should there be a
change? The Post says: "The
reduction in wages now beginning
to be reported are to be deplored
on general principles, but under
the present circumstances they can
hardly be avoided" What are
"the present circumstances? Why
should wages be reduced? What
has brought about the change that
makes a reduction of wages
necessary We should like
nightly to hear from The Post in
reply.
Last year the protectionist said
land he was called campaign liar
that the success of the Democratic
party, with its revenue-tariff plank,
would cause lower wages and
would close up shops, mills and
mines. The Democratic party