Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-08-07
REPUBLICAN CHUCKALUCK


The intellectual activity or the ne
publican party, when not manliestlhR
itself in writing platforms on all sizes
of every public question, Is largely ue-
voted to showing how the Democrats
have cut down the prices Of all prouucts
and Frustrated business. Much OF THIS
is confined 10 mere assertion, OUT &C
casionally it becomes specific, arrays
ponderous columns OF figures, ana
crusnes the intellect with a multitude
OF details, which, while they may be
wholly irrelevant, are expected 10 DC
very lmpo sing.
The New York Tribune has an article
on this question in which 10 quotes al
length the prices OF lion and steel manu-
features for series Of years. We are
somewhat confused Dy the TrtbuRC'S
figures for the reason that we can not
exactly collect from It's remarks whether
10 regards the decline OF prices as
good thing or an evil. Perhaps we
would do better 10 assume that IL thinks
q decline OF prices is all right when
caused by Republican legislation, but
great disaster when it occurs under
Democratic administration.
Taking the trst item In one or the
Trj5uuc'S tables, which is one grade OF
pig iron, ne fad that il brought The
following prices az the times named;
July, 1856, SlS.25; October, 1890, Sli.5O;
October. lSg2. SIS; July, 1898, Sl4.5O'
April, 1894, $3.50; July, 1894, Sl2 50
This is interpreted by the Tribune as
showing that there was no general re-
ducti0u Of prices until the passage OF
the Mckinley Din, which was 10 October,
1890 From this 10 would appear that
the Tribune thinks the fal. of prices was
q good thing. Let us look at 10 on that
idea From 1890 TO 1892, under the
Mckinley bill, the price declined s.
ton. From 1892 20 1924, under the
Democratic administration, II declined
So SD. Now Democratic atmin!stra-
tloais supposed By the Tribune 30 have
q maiisu influence on business. In some
MYSTERIOUS way, whether there is any
change Of the law or not. But Qs the
Mckinley BIN was, according 20 the
Tribune "the sost aud brsveSt tariff
bill ever passed" It's operation in re-
ducing prices 80 in two years must have
been baaeEcent. We are bound 10 be-
lieve shat, Tor the Mckinley law was
specifically warranted ITO scatter plenty
over a smiling land" by the simple pro-
cess Of increasing the taxes. In the
case OF Dig iron, 20 be sure. 10 did this
without any change 10 the duty, but
this only illustrates more tOrcbly the
magic elect OF Republican legislation,
which is just as et.caci1uS In putting
down prices, or putting them up, II you
wish them put up, whether any change
is made In the existing law or not.
This is all clear enough, but beyond
this we get into difficulties. 1t is plain
that the reduction of the price OF pig
iron from $3.50 in October 1890, 70
So In October, 1892, was q blessing,
because the Mckinley bill did il. The
figures show 10. From July, 1856, 70
October 1890, four years aud three
months, most or which was under a
Democratic administration, pig iron de-
Clined seyenty-dye cents. Then the Nc
Kinley bill was passed, and, nOtwith-
standing that no change was made in
the duty, prices were cheapeaed - IN
two years. Then Grover Cleveland vas
reelected, and in a year and q half
prices won't down So This must
have been a disaster, for it occurred
under a Democratic administration, or,
east after the election Of Demo
CNa,ic President But IL the Mckinley
oil started the decline. and the cheap
gning Of iron was a good thing, how was
4, a disaster when il declined trife
-rA-S.Stt under Democratic administra-
ZION?
While the McKinleyitss generally con-
NOD that It is high protection that
ses every thing 10 get dirt cheap I'M
der & Republican administration, here
comes Senator sherman and SAYS il was
the reduction OF duties on iron and steel
r. the Mckinley bill that caused the
trouble. A few weeks ago he made
speech attributing the Homestead
trouble to the reduction made by the
Mckinley bill In iron and steel duties.
From these views taken together we
must infer that high duties make pro-
tec.ed commodities cheap, and when
they do il is a blessing; that the reduc-
tiou Of duties also makes commodities
cheap, and when IL does IL is curse. .
lisa pity that we cannot ind out
from the Republicans whether prices
should he high or low. III they would
inst take she responsibility for cheap
wheat and cheap wool as cheerfully as
they claim the credit FOR cheap iron and
steel, il would simplify the problem
amazingly. Until they come 10 some
1lusrstaDding about il, one cannot tell
huw the figures showing changes OF
prices ought 70 De interpreted. On the
face of the TribUHc'S figures it appears
that the reductions which began under
the Mckinley bill were simply cOntin-
ued under IL, only that the cheapsning
process went g little faster after the
Republican panic OF 1898 struck down
the business interests of the country.
II cheaDening commodities is the bust
ness OF protection, IS is asserted, the
beniticent process seems 20 have gone
on best under the present admiaistra.