Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-06-04

they might come 10 the rescue OF the poor
manufacturer ~ steel rails, whose product be-
gan 70 be made here IN commercial quantities
in 1861, at which time il commanded SlG6 a ton,
but IN lo9s had fallen TO s24 a ton. This would
enable the railway companies TO find some jus
tification for restoring their freight rates from
w OF one cent per ton per mile III 1891 THE
lowest rate in the worldl 70 2 cents per ton per
mile, the good old rates. that prevailed in
loI3. Nor would these restorers Of prices over
look the men. who. though they now
haul wheat by lake ana canal from Chicago to
New York at a profit for 4.A cents per bushel,
were In the habit OF receiving 2i.47 cents per
bushel in 1873.
Here is revealed, Mr.. Chairman. the delu-
ages" 1t fails to discriminate the individual
facts that go TO make up the average.
The Increase In Wages.
There is another serious omission in my col
leagues allegations of fact. There is one COM
modify which stands out by itself SO pre-emi-
nent that even his disdain Of details should not
nave ignored 1t, a commodity which Is the
cred, surprising in this respect wheat or cot
ton, iron or copper silver OF gold, and that Is
a given unit OF human labor. And my col.
league was somehow blind TO the fact, though
il Is exhibited in one of the tables to which he
referred, that the wages of labor have been on
che average largely increas ID in the last third
OF q century, the increase from the old 'bi-
metallic wages of 1860 to those of 1880 being
% per cent In money and 72 per cent In pur.
chasing power.
In 1852 a days work OF skilled labor would
buy more OF any staple commodity Of human
desire, more and better food. more and better
clothing. n ore and better transportation, more
and better tools and machinery, more and bet
ter heat and light, more comforts and luxuries
OF every kind. more silver and more gold than
st any time before 1873 in the history Of the
world.
Any honest and intelligent man who has the
time to study In detail any reliable table Of
the prices OF those things In the prodaction Of
which anything like the same amount of labor
must be expended have held their own or have
numerous, in the making Of which labor saw.
ing inventions and machinery have been intro
duced have greatly fallen in price. This ac-
counts for the fall in average prices, - about
which so much has been said.
Mr.. Hopkins-Your argument, then. is that
the things which ought to have been reduced
the things that ought to have increased in
price hare increased.
Mr.. McCieary of Minnesota-My friend from
Illinois has, with his usual clearness. stated
the case tersely and well.
The lower prices result from the reduced
cost OF production. There Is not the slightest
evidence that the so called characterization"
OF silver had anything to do with IL. And the
sure proof Is that the reduction Of cost Of pro-
duction has been accompanied by an increase
IN the wages OF the producer.
The Csnse and Result Of Lower Prices.
The great staples of the world are cheaper
because II takes less human labor TO produce
them. Every new railroad and steamboat.
every labor saving machine and improved proc
= VI u y AIsNN LAG Ih3D (WHICH
labor holds on the desirable things Of the
world"
And thus We see. Mr.. Chairman. that the
great fall In prices Of manufactured articles
during the last third Of q century has been in
tho main perfectly legitimate and that It's nj
innate result will be most benencent. Taken
In connection with the rise In wages, 10 meeA-
ures mans vastly increased amman over the
forces OF nature.
These wonderful results have come n the
benencent fruitaae OF mans inventive genius
In dcvising labor saving machinery, of tho
marvellous new forces which men are harness.
ing for the service Of the human family. OF the
remarkable Improvement IN modern facilities
for transportation and Of the stoppage OF the
tremendous and cruel waste Of war.
What will n days work producef This is the
trus test OF progresS. As prices decline com
pared with the reward OF human labor the
condition OF the people Is elevated. This Is q
process of natural law and q phase Of svoiu.
zion. Men struggle against 10 only because
shey do not understand IL. Like all move
ments onward. IL brings temporary hardship
70 Individuals here and there. But for the vast
mass OF humanity IL IL bringing emancipation
from want and the promise OF that golden fu-
ture when . minimum OF time Will be required
to provide for tho necessities that are simply
physical and temporal. thus leaving time and
opportunity for the cultivation OF those ele-
ments In our nature that arc spiritual and
eternal.
or GOLD AND SILVER IN THE
WORLD SINCE THE DISCOVERY or AMERICA.
from 1903 20 1885 IL from q table OF averages
complied by DIR. Adolph Soetbser. For the
years 1850 10 1894 the production Is the annual
estimate OF the bureau Of the mint