New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-11
JfFI,E IND WAGES.

The statement that the cost vi h''"S mas Wv
creased less than ~ per cent since 1871 WIZ"
wages were rs nigh rs they ever had p'ei 'A
cppt In a deprecated currency, seems aiihoH'
Incredible To some who fail TO cohsluer WIFI
elements are included. But facts are stupoor"'
and records of market prices cannot d. "'ci'"
10 suit anybody's theories. The same quah''''e'
Of several hundred articles. covering more 'h'i'
nInc-tcnths Of the cost Of living, winch 'oS'
500 ca two years ago. cost III tnc YER! sum.
Ncw.York markets ssh 80 last wcek-a ti'i vi
4 pcr cent In this statement the rei''Ne 'h
,ortoncc Of all articles quoted. ~ they enter
into the consumption Of the people, Is taken ii''o
account.
II is often forgotten that the prices OF '''-
were. as The Tribune repeatedly declared u"r'
Ing the Presidential campaign. about as Ia'or'
able 10 the Consumers ~ had ever Deeh kho""
I'm the country The general range had peh
shade lower for n short time In lSS''. ana HIS"
for a short time IN 1856. But. on the whoi''
there had never been Il year. ut least Wild"
half n century. III which the dollar WOULD pN
more, all articles considered, thnh III inc !''''
1Spo and that was chcapn">S CONSISTENT WIZ"
the highest rate. Of wages paid and the
| highest general rospcri;y ever attail'u' Eno''
mons production had pushed wheat and also cot
| ton down to the lowest monthly averages 'n'"
oyer recorded. meat. and vegetables and dairy
| products were on the whole abundant ami cheap.
domestic competition had reduced the prices of
| almost all manufactured products not to the
manic range nor So low that millions of the work
crs sought employment In vain. but lower IMAM
they Mad ever been in a time of prosperity
Without going into details AT length. the gen
crai statement Of senator Ahlrich's report may
En-. ain 4 npr
Of the cost II living rent about II per cent. AMI
| clothing also about IL per cent Rents have not
We, declined 10 any extent. Must articles of food
sell =, retail about rs high as In iSo2. ana some
| are higher Clothing has been reduced in cost.
| AMI II was recently shown that the averag" for
various woollcn cloths was about - per cent
| lower than In 1892 bur print cloths are only ~
| Der cent lower standard shccngs are at Tie
| same prize. ~ In 1S.,2. and though ginghams and
some other articles have declined more than ~
| prr cent. the average for cotton goods Is less
| Itu, il NIL clothing being H. per cent Of the
whole were onc.Afh lower now than IN 1892
the difference in Che cost Of living world b" only
| > per cent.
| These facts explain why The fall In wages has
| not been md cannot be- compensated by the
chcapncsS ~ products The cost ~ food depends
| largely upon arrangements for retail dis'ribu-
ton AMI largely upon the crops. Rents must in
| the end be- affected by permanent decline IN
wages, but Weld very slowly, and only after
vacant houses for n season or two nave prove"
| tha, people cannot continue 10 pay the old rates
| The cost ~ daily transportation. OF water. fu'l
and light. Of local government. ~ religion ana
societies AMI schooling. docs not vary quickly be-
cause. wages fall. The working people have 10
| bear NJ least for some time. the curiailm"n' ot
| their means II living without any corresponding
! decline IN The cost ~ living.
| What the change In wages has been may he
| roughly inferred from The volume Of business
! transacted In The first week II September last
! wear business was barely beginning 10 Recover
| from the worst of the panic. and the daily aver
age 81 payments through all clearing houses
WAS smaller by Sl2.OW.Un. or abou, - per
| cent. than II il now. But In the sam"
week ~ 1872 the daily average was Sl'S.-
| 900 oo. against SlJsOOOom last week. "A
decline NJ ~ per cent II Is not mprohahl" that
| this fairly measures the purchasing power " In"
people IN comparison with their purchasing
| bower two years ago. II this direct loss il ~
Ir,r cent. the people yet back less than third
II II IN chcapncsS II products. and at the expense
Of losses To- farmers. manufacturers. merchants
| and the millions "f workers who seek work In
vain.