St. Paul daily globe., 1895-11-18
AMONG THE PRICE LISTS

Ihe' September report of the sta
tistician of the treasury-corrected
TO November-yvith it's statement of
weekly prices during the year, shows
interesting changes in the prices of
some products. Notably first is the
decline in the price of pig iron and
steel billets. 1t was apprehended
that the rise that sent the price of
pig iron from $40 to $17.5O a ton was
more speculative than substantial:
and the reaction that, since Sept. %
has sent the price down dollar a
ton, is confirmatory of that feeling.
Steel billets, too, that rose rapidly
IN the summer to $25 ton, have
reeeded to $21.50. The strength of
the rail pool is shown in the mainte-
nance of rails at $2S, while their raw
material, pig and bil1ets have de-
cHned. The new tariff operated as
a check to advances, and, when prices
were moving up with rapid strides.
trade papers warned the mill men
that they were nearing the import
point, and, unless a halt were called.
the experience of 1873 might be re-
peated.
Wheat is the only one of the cere-
ais that shows an advance over
prices year ago, being SO cents, as
against So. Corn and oats have
felt the impact of the great crop, ex-
ceeding the capacity for consump-
ton, and their prices have fallen off
largely. Pork products, too, have
declined. Lard is $3.50, as compared
with $7.35 year ago, and mess pork
is 1915 a barrel, against $3.50 last
year. But beef holds it's own with
the prices of last year, while cotton
has scored a remarkable advance.
from 5% to GIG cents. All grades of
wool hold about the same prices they
did a year ago, the advance. being
from II to 1 cent a pound The pre-
dictions of the protectionists that,
if the duty on tinplate were reduced,
the Englishmen would reduce the
price until they had destroyed the in
fant industry in this country, when
they would run the price up to ex-
tortionate figures, fail to materialize
in the price lists; the decline for the
year being but 10 cents a box. The
reduction in price was the equiva-
lent of the reduction of tax, and the
decrease has Injured solely to- the
consumers.
The table showing the percentages
of the various forms of our cur
rency paid into the customs in New
York city confirms the general I'M
preston of restored and stable con-
fdence. This table is financial or
monetary barometer whose readings
tell it's fluctuations accurately. With
every indication Of the approach of
free coinage there came an increase
of receipts Of the form of money least
desirable, and with the recession of
the probability no discrimination was
made. In January, '94, the silver
certificates were 1913 per cent of the
receipts; in June, '94, they had risen
to S9.6 per cent. In January, '95,
they had fallen to 40.6 per cent, and
by October, '95, they were but "a
per cent. Greenbacks, that were
but 6.S per cent in June, '94, were 74S
per cent in October, '95, while the
"Shermans, that were 11.S per cent in
January, '94, have fallen to 1 per
cent in October. No more certain
indication of monetary, and, by con-
sequence, of industrial conditions, is
afforded than in these figures. They
show that all apprehension of any
change in the value of any of our