The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-03-21

Higher Prices the Actual Condition Brad
streets Review Of Cenditioa Olives the
Lie Direct 90 Every Free finders
Promise Of Chsspnsss.

The Ebert OF congress win be 70 reduce
the burdens Of the people. not Increase
them; TO cheaper living. not to render II
more costiy.-N. Y. World. November II.
This ID = sample of the democratic
promises of 1892. Every paper and
every politician that favored free trade
was, at that time, spreading broadcast
the widest statements as to the won
derful cheapness of goods that would
follow their success in the national
elections. We have shown, from facts
complied by Dun's Review, that prices
IN cotton goods, woolcns, silks, iron
manufactures, boota and shoes wero
oil higher at the end of 1895 than at the
opening of that year. But Bradstreet's
has examined this subject OF cheaper
prices" even more extensively and. in
its issue of january II. 1896, gave such
interesting facts that we quote them
more fully because they give the lie
direct to every free-trader's promise of
'cheapness;"
Among food products which are higher
than on April 1. 1886. are wheat, eggs. butt
ter. milk, molasses. mackerel. sugar. peas.
AIfIttts HtAnutnf anu fAttlnHs M unNItN
with six months ago the list IL found TO be
smaller. consisting OF eggs. butter. cheese.
mackcrel, milk, molasses. sugar, peas,
resins and surrants. while as compared
with quotations for October 1. 1895. higher
prices for food products include those for
wheat nour. beeves, sheep. mutton. eggs.
butter cheese. molasses. mackerel. sugar.
rice, peas. apples. cranberries. peanuts,
raisins, and currants. indicating a much
more extensive advance la quotations for
staple food commodities during the past
three months than had been presumed
from some market reports. y.
This list comprises pretty nearly
every commodity that the. average
family needs for its daily existence.
A much more extensive advance In
quotations for staple food. COM
modities" Is not quite the same as the
promise of cheaper prices" But let
us look at the clothing list:
Quotations for textiles. raw and manu-
featured. which are higher than they were
on April last. include cotton. wool, hemp.
silk. fax. print cloths. eastern sheetings.
Einghams and southern sheetings. and the
list Is practically the same for those higher
to-day than on July last. the exception
being southern shcetings.
Besides the advance in the prices OF
articles of food, there has also been a
tmnch moro extensive advance In quo
tntions" OF wearing apparel and house
hold articles. Now for the products OF
the mines;
Quotations to-day as contrasted with
July 1. 1885, show advances Tor iron ore.
No. southern pig Iron and lead. and as
compared with prices on April /. 1895.
present quotations show advances for iron
ore. eastern anthracite. No. 2 southern pig.
Bessemer pig. steel billets. rails and beams.
copper, lead and quicksilver.
More money has TO be paid. too, for
articles made of iron. lead. steel and
copper. Fire and light. as well. are
more expensive. as the following shows:
Circular prices for bituminous coal.
southern and Conneisvilie coke are higher
to-day than on October last and as COM
pared with July last. when an advance for
anthracite coal must be added. The like IL
true when prices are compared with quota
tions on April I. 1896. Crude and refined
petroleum. castor oil and ttirpentne are all
higher to-day than they were on October
I. but as compared with July the list for
those which are higher to-day Includes re-
nned petroleum. cottonseed oil. castor oil
and turpentine. and as contrasted with
prices on April l. 1895. higher prices to-day
are those for crude and refined petroleum.
naphtha, castor oil and rosin.
Even the sick man has 10 pay more
money for his castor oil. Other drugs
and chemicals are dearcr. too.
Leading drugs and chemicals have adj
vanced sharply during 1896. as In shown by
higher prices for alum, bicarbonate soda.
borax, carbolic acid. caustic soda, nitric
and sulphuric acids. phosphate rock. alco-
hol, opium and quinine than on October 4.
and this In true also hs contfasted with
July i, With the exception OF phosphate
rock and alcohol. A similar statement
may be made with respect 20 prices nine
months ago. excepting with reference TO
those for phosphate rock. alcohol and
opium.
Not much inducement Is offered.
either, for the wage-earner who wants
TO build a home for his family. With
free lumber he Is promised ''cheap"
house. Lower duties on nails ard glass
were 70 help every man TO own his own
castle. Those were the promises. These
are the facts:
Among building materials. brick, nails.
glass. pine. spruce and hemiock are higher
than they were three months ago. and The
ago, With the exception OF hemlock, and
similar statement may be made In refer
tncc TO nine months ago with the excep-
tion Of the quotations for brick and for
hemlock.
We might enlarge the list. But IL In
not necessary. Friends of protection
have proof enough that the democratic
cry OF cheap prices" was fraud. Al
most the only "cheapening" has been In
wages.