The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-06
MEASURING THE GAIN.
Fact Calculated tn Swell the Gronnx
of the GrOanerA.
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune
Whether business has improved and 20
what extent are questions of fact about
which a partisan who has ordinary sense
does not les his feelings dictate his state
ments. 1t is inconvenient to most men, and
harmful to the reputation of those who
have reputation that can be harmed, to
make public assertions which can be in
s.antly proved false by commercial rec
ords the accuracy if which nobody can
dispute. The assertions recently made by
Mr.. Bryan and some OF his friends In
congress are of that sort. The automatic
records which business makes for itself
Just as gas or water registers Its own pas
sage through meter. are every day prov
ing these assertions false, and either so
ignorant or so mendaeious that the man
who makes them can have no respect for
his own reputation. and little for the sense
OF his hearers.
For instance, the latest statement of ex-
changes through clearing houses shows an
increase over the same week last year OF
5s.7 per cent. That Is a gain great enough
one would suppose. to be recognized as
most significant even by the dulest minds
Ii Ii is said that part OF the exchanges are
due 10 operations in stocks. in spite OF the
increase in clearIngs through the stock
exchange, the record itself gives the an
swer that exchanges at chief cities out
side New York for last week show gain
of 2i.2 per cent. compared with last year
and ss per cent. compared with the same
week OF iSae. the best year In past history
II II is said that the returns from the four
teen largest cities may not measure the
volume of ali business. the full record for
the week ending February shows A still
greater gain. 1888 per cent. compared with
the same week In 1892. In the regular
course Of business of all kinds the actual
payments at all the cities where clearing
n
than in the best OF all past years
But the volume Of business expressed In
dollars may not rightly measure the guam
titles OF products moved or consumed The
amount OF wages and of rent paid. of set
Elements for transportation. or on contracts
for buildings or improvements finds accur-
ate expression in the exchanges: but the
change in prices must determine the sums
paid for given quantities 81 products trans
ferred or passing into consumption. This is
true. and again the everyday record OF
prices, including more than 80 quotations
ana about nine-tenths in value OF all con-
sumed. tells the story. Taking all the
articles. each In IFS due proportion 10 The
aggregate consumption. SAL VIII now buy
tn the CHIEF markets as much rs 500 would
buy in January. Is42. The best and most
complete foreign record, that OF Prof
Ssuerbeck. makes the present purchasing
power IN Great Britain 50 IA agalns; 100 in
-
means more in quantities than SIX years
ago. though the change has been less IN
Great Britain than in this country. Every
dollar paid in wages or IN settlement ~
business accounts means that a greater
quantity % products has been transferred
or gone into consumption than a like pay
ne .; Indicated IN ltS2.
Pushed 20 a corner. tae fighter for ca
ianlty says: THE country has grown In
population, and hence payments might bs
larger and yet the quantities OF food or
other things consumed rnlght he smaller
for each person" True. and the treasury
report each month puts the population AZ
2 SIS de0 against 81 SIC nss9 in February. isse.
The actual payments through nfty-nine
clearing houses doing business al both da.es
we're s-0.3s for every inhahitant In the first
week OF February. iss2. and 80 IS for each
trhab.tant for the first week OF February
isss. a surprisingly close coincidence. And
since every Si10 In lss2 would buy no more
things than SsS-57 does buy IN 1855 II fol-
logs thar the payment IF 3ust the same
sum weekly In toe ;wo years for every in
hahitant has provided for consumption or
transferred Ia business 1878 PER cent. more
products Ia quantity for each person this
year than six years ago. IL that II rct .