The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-10-19

o.
alton of the new tariff has been Of
uch nature as 10 amaze tho free
trader II was his theory that protcc-
ton had no effect whatever upon prices
Of foreign products. and that removal
or partial removal OF protection would
not tend TO lower such prices, but that
il artificially advanced prices Of manu-
| featured goods. ana that even partial
removal OF these burdens would render
such products cheaper for farmers and
all other consumers Theories are
pretty until they are tested by facts
The democratic tariff went into effect
August IS, and on the LIST Of September
the aggregate cost OF several hundred
articles included in the American list.
quantities being proportioned TO actual
consumption. was ss4, 70s. but on the
Sd Of September 1895. thc LIST being
Sunday and the cd a holiday, the Same
qualities of the same articles cost ST.
3il--a decline Of more than per cent.
Prices fell, yes. hut the fall was In
prices OF farm products, while manu-
featured products scarcely changed.
Taking the prices for September and
September 3, the aggregate for farm
prophets was $f0.73l in 1894. and fell
TO S3s, $40 in ls05--a decline nf i7.5 per
cent but az the same dates the price
of all other products war si4.007 in
1894, and e3,735 in iso5.-a decline Of
only three-quarters OF per cent.
This may seem incredible TO free
trade theorists, but there Is nothing
amamazing in il. Prices of manufac-
tnrcd products had been reduced. I'm
expectation of n worse tariff than was
actually passed, so that they really
were lower when the German bill went
into effect than they are to-day for
many products. The entire effect Of
the bill, and in some products moro
than It's entire effect. had been antici-
pated and discounted, alike In prices
of manufactured products and in wages
of labor That was the direct cause OF
the terrible prostration in 1853 aud
1894. Sugar had been advanced in ex-
pectation Of the new tariff SO that
crushed sold at 5s cents, but IL has
now declined TO AZ cents, though since
September IL has advanced to AZ
cents. Whisky had been advanced 10
ei.33 by the ring, which was bank
ruptod by the dishonest fAvors il had
purchased, and the produce is now SELF
ing at Si.22. The average OF eleven
quotations OF iron and steel products
Is now nearly 50 per cent higher than
a year ago. Wool costs substantially,
the same for low qualities as year
ago, and while some wooden goods are
a little lower. lew others are higher.
Il 81. -
leather have advanced, and nearly all
cotton goods because cotton has been
higher. Thus in the aggregate tho
prices of manufactured products arc
almost as high as year ag'1.
But with farm products the case il
different. Cotton Is higher because
the crop is short, but 7,00a.000 bales at
present prices would DO worth $780,
600, 900 less than 10000, 600 bales ut last
years price. Wheat also Is higher, but
with short crop and similar results
Corn is 20 cents lower with a large
crop, pork 81 lower and lard 2l cents
lower. Beef Is a little lower, and
vegetables, dairy products. eggs, oats.
beans and peas. The farmers OF the
Atlantic coast and the Canada border
must compete more severely than be-
fore with imported products, and hops
are 80 per cent. lower. The farmers
lose both ways, by short crops and by
extremely low prices for the crops
that are not short. This 10 not wholly
or mainly because OF foreign COMPETE
ton, though that has played its part,
but the larger fact is that the people.
having lower wages than in former
years Of full crops, do not consume az
much, or IL Is much, cannot pay AZ
good prices.
IL is true that the comparison is not
Just in one respect, as all the demo-
cratic comparisons arc not, because the
depression OF wages and prices before
the new law went into operation was,
in fact, the effect OF the declared pol
icy OF the party now in power. But II
we look back 10 the last year of full
prosperity under the Mckinley tariff.
we fiild these changes In three years:
Manufactured products. s.4 per cent
lower on the whole; wages, notwith-
standing recent partial advances, still
from 10 10 Is per cent lower, and farm
products taken as whole 1915 per
ttnt@ ioWtAs - Ahtb NJ aAhtfn VIII Hah
these three facts together they will
see that the people do not spend moro
than they earn, aud II wages are low
the farm products get more than two
thirds OF the decrease, and manufac.
Lurcd products less than ono-third.
The farmer is dependent. TO an extent
which few realize, upon the ability Of
The people 90 purchase without delay.
The manufactures. as a rule. can store
his products. work shorter hours on
fewer hands, and waltz. y. Trib.
unc.
He Wants 10 Know.