The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-08-09
THE FALL IN PRI Es,

A reader wants 10 know II it is true,
as stated by free silver agitators, that
values have heen gradually falling in
all foreign countries that have adopted
gold basis, and that the adoption OF
same is the cause?
The argument is one OF ignorance,
Fifty years ago railways and steam
navigation were in their infancy
steamships were used only for passen-
ger and mail transportation; freight
was carried across seas by slow sail-
ms vessels. Railway freishts We're
very high. Special machinery for max
ing articles was unknown. For in
stance. shoes were cut out and made
by hand. One man made every part
and put the shoe together. Now doz-
en- different machines are employed.
One makes the heels, another the sole.
and SO on. The man who attends to
the one machine knows nothing about
the rest Of the work Of making
shoe. Instead Of little shops in every
sown which make the shoes fcr the
people there. they are made by the
thousand, in great factories. The use
Of machinery, and the division Of la
Dor. enables them to be made much
cheaper than by the old method. Here
is the reason that shoes are cheaper
now than they were twenty years ago
without reference TO the currency.
Now the oceans are filled with freight
steamers, which transport freight
quickly; and their competition has re-
duced rates until ocean freights are
cheaper even than railway treights.
The railways form a network over all
civilized countries, at rates far lower
than ever before. What is the result
Of this enormous extension Of trade
Ifacilities-which has nearly all taken
Mace since 1870?
First, II has reduced the cost Of his
raw material TO every manufacturer.
for freight rates are a part Of that
cost; it has thus enabled him % sell
his goods cheaper. The cheapening Of
freight has enabled these goods to be /
sent everywhere and sold to the con
sumer at a lower price.
The cheapening Of ocean freights has !
made it possible TO send wheat from 1
Australia, South America, South At /
rica and India to Europe, TO compete !
with wheat exported from this coun-
try. This possibility caused millions Of /
acres in those countries 10 be turned .
into waving grain fields. Meantime.
the great Northwest Of the United
States has been settled up. and vast
areas Of prairie turned into wheat
fields. The result is, that more grain
is raised than there is a market .or,
and the price has gone down to i point
at which farmers, the world over. al
complaining that there is no money IN
wheat
The chief fall in prices has been in
staple manufactured articles, and il
grain. The reasons for this fall are
those given above. The question Of a
gOid oasis or silver basis mas nothing
whatever to do with it. England has
been on a gold basis since l.'s. auI
everybody knows hr~ ~ .sr =s+
have prospered.
If the cause alleged by the silver ad-
vocates were true, the decline in prices
would affect all articles, and especially
the price Of labor. But wages are hlS l.
er, both here and in Europe, than 'L.y
were in 1873. They were higher n lss2
in the United states than ever before.
The facts here given cannot be dis
puted, and the argument Of de,line
IN prices is simply intended 10 catch
votes among unthinking or uninformed
people. 1t has absolutely no basis in
truth.