Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-10
THE FALL OF PRICES AT HOME.
Not an Encouraging Outlook for
the People Who Toll for Wages.

philadelphia Telegraph
The Telegraph has already referred 70
the enormous depreciation or prices IN
England during the last twenty years a
similar depreciation, II appears, has oc-
CURED in the United States since bf5'
since which year, says the report OF the
Chief of the Bureau OF Statistics, there
has been no such sudden ana great IAN
in prices Of exports and imports as that
which has taken place during the last
eighteen months. One significant fact IS
shown which should receive some atten-
ton from those persons who stun thlnK
that the tariff agitation and legislation or
1894 was good thing for the country; II
is that dutlable goods were so greatly
affected by the uncertainty OF tarif legis-
lation that the calendar year 1894 appears
almost disastrous in its total. the differ
ence being $780, 900 in favor OF the cal
endar year 1891 Here, as In England. the
prices OF commodities. and especially OF
many OF the most important necessaries
Of life, have largely deprecated since
ties show a difference in price between
1887 and 1873 equal TO f3 per cent, and
1t is stated that this difference now
amounts to 80 per cent"
In England the wage-rate has apparent
ly tended TO increase in the two decades
last past: In the United States II has sim
ilarly increased since 1873. but not In like
proportion. Ii decreased in some indus
hard times In 1894 that the standard OF
wages was very generally lowered. II is
questionable II. all things considered,
wages. except those OF skilled, competent
artisans, will ever again be as high IS
they have been. Immigration, largely
composed Of the cheapest labor Of the
Old World. Is 80 great In volume as 10 be
certain to seriously affect the domestic
wage scale. The contract-labor law itself
Is disregarded and evaded, evasion being
so easy and the profits Of IL 80 great.
When the tinplate manufacturers largely
reduced the wages of their employees at
ter the passage OF the Wilson tariff bill.
II is charged that the employers sent
their agents to Wales to bring men over
to take the places of the old hands who
had struck against the reduction: and
the charge seems TO be well supported by
evidence.
In the mining districts, and in the
great iron and steel-works all the
cheaper sort OF labor Is performed by
land, and Russia, the imported workmen
being OF the lowest class of foreigners
OF class that will accept cheerfully
wages upon which life cannot be de-
ceently and properly maintained. The tex
Tile manufacturers have filled their mills
during the last decade with immigrants,
many Of whom are skilled factory ope-
ratives, knowing how to spin, card,
weave, ard dye They come OF genera
uons or foreign operatives, and they
work for one half the wages that have
been paid in this country TO their pre-
decessors. With regard TO wages, II is
simply the law OF demand and supply
mat decides what the scale shall be.
Labor organizations may do, and have
done, something 10 kew up the wage
rate, and In some instances to increase
II, but they cannot hope, except In those
trades the personnel OF which they very
generally control to succeed against. the
enormous influx OF cheap foreign labor.
or course, all workmen profit by the
lesser cost OF the commodities OF life
raging 90 per cent. less for them now
than they did twenty years ago. they can
afford 10 suffer some reduction Of wa ges,
as the one balances the other. providing
the wage-scale does not fall too low.
as 1t certainly has fallen too low In those
INDUSTRIES In which the low-priced labor
or Europe has obtained n footing and
crowded out altogether the better-paid
ana more respectable and worthy rtpre-
sentatives OF labor that preceded them.
Another thing which has had much TO
do with the reduction Of prices and
wages during the last twenty-five years
is the Invention, and use OF iabor-saving
serious factor with which even skilled
labor has had to do, and the end is
not yet. Over-production Is certain to
follow whenever hand labor is super
seded by the man-savfng machine, and
lower wages with