Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-03-18
BROKEN PROMISES.
Higher Prices the Actus, ooedisioa = rHd-
strcct's Review of Condition Gtscs the
Lie Direct t- Ev~ry Free Trader's
Promise of Chcapne~s-

The effort OF congress- will be to reduce
the burdens % the people. not increase
them; TO cheaper living. not tn render IL
more costly.-N. Y. World. November IL.
lSs2
This IN n sample Of the democratic
promises of lSa2. Every paper and
every politician that favored free trade
was. at that time. spreading broadcast
the widest statements as to the won
dcrfui chcapncss OF goods that would
follow their success in the national
elections. We have shown. from facts
compiled by Dun's Review. that prices
IN cotton goods, woolcns. silks, iron
manufactures. boots and shoes were
all higher at the end of 1895 than at the
opening of that year. But Bradstrccts
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 frec-tradcr's promise of
'cheapness:"
Among food products which are higher
than ON April I. 1895. are wheat. eggs. but
ter. milk. molasses. mackcrct. sugar. peas
apples. peanuts. and raisins; az compared
smaller. consisting OF eggs. butter. cheese.
mackerel. milk. molasscs. sugar. peas.
rasins and currants. while as compared
with quotations for October 1. 1876. higher
prices for food products include those for
wheat, flour. hccves. sheep, mutton. eggs.
butter, cheese, moiasses. mackcrel. sugar.
rice, peas. apples. cranberries. peanuts.
raisins, and currants. Indicating much
more extensive advance Ia quotations for
staple food commodities during the past
three months than had been presumed
from some market reports.
This list comprises pretty nearly
every commodity that the average
family needs for it's daily existence.
much more extensive advance in
quotations for staple food com
modities" is not quite the same as the
promirc 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, HaN. print cloths. eastern shectings.
Ringhams and southern shcetings. and the
list n practically the same for those higher
to-day than on July 1 last. the exception
being southern sheetings.
Besides the advance i'm the prices OF
articles of food, there has also been
much more extensive advance i'm quo
tations" of wearing apparel and house
hold articles. Now for the products of
the mines:
| Quotations to-day as contrnsted with
July !. 1855. show advances for iron ore
No. southern pig iron and lead. and as
compared with prices on April I. 1895.
| present quotations show advances for iron
ore, eastern anthracite. No. 2 southern pig
Bcsscmer 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. rs the following shows:
Circular prices for bituminous coal
| southern and Connellsville 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 II
| true when prices are compared with quota
| tions on April I, 1895. Crude and refined
petroleum.. castor oil and turpentinc are all
higher to-day than they were on October
| j, but as compared with July the list for
| those which are higher to-day Includes re-
| nncc petroleum. cottonseed oil, castor oil
and turpentine. and as contrasted with
prices on April l. 1896. higher prices to-day
are those for crude and refined petroleum
naphtha. castor oil and rosn.
Even the sick man has to nav more
money for his castor oil. Other drugs
and chemicals are dearer, too.
Leading drugs and chemicals have nd
vanced sharply during 1895. as Is shown by
! higher prices for alum, bicarbonate soda
| borax, carboiic acid. caustic soda, nitric
and sulphuric acids. phosphate rock. alco-
| hol, opium and quipIne than on October 1.
| ana this Is true also as contrasted with
| July i, with the exception OF phosphate
rock and alcohol. a similar statement
may he made with respect 10 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 and glass
were TO 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
| tnnn they were three months ago, and fine
| like ~ true as compared with six months
| ago. with the exception Of hemlock and n
| similar statement may be made I'm refer
| ehcc 10 nine months ago with the excep-
! tion or the quotations for brick and for
! hemIock.
! We might enlarge the list. But IL is
not necessary. Friends of protection
have proof enough that the democratic
cry cf "cheap prices" was q fraud. Al
most the only "cheapening" has been IN
wages.