Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1886 — The Workmen Talk Tariff—--A Republican Journal Surprised. [ARTICLE]

The Workmen Talk Tariff—--A Republican Journal Surprised.

Pennsylvania is the protectionist State, and Philadelphia the protectionist city, par excellence of America. Therefore, when the workmen of Philadelphia proceed, as forty thous nd of them have done, to memorialize Congress for a revision of the tariff, : t is high time that political parties began to consider the flap-doodle and sound sense as article of mental diet. The workmen have been told for many years that protection was the cause of high wages. It never was, though many good people believed it to be so. Neither high nor low tariffs affect wages. Wages were very high in America because there was more work to do than there were workmen to do it; they are now lower because the quantity of work is not in excess of the number of workmen. The indirect effect of tariff reform would be to increase the rate of wages, or at any rate to prevent further decrease, by extending the scope of markets and thereby increasing, the demand for labor. Its direct influence on the price of labor would be just nothing at all. All oljher conditions beiug equal, the price of labor has been lower in countries which have high protective tariffs than in those which have low tariffs. Wages are higher in free trade England than in protected Germany or France. But they are also; in some eases at least, lower in protected Ameriea, than in free trade England. It has long been known that America* wages in unprotected industries Were higher than in protected ones, ana that under our SWgktfin of protection wages were lifting as steadily as they were rising in countries whose tariff laws Were sueh as to make open markets, but the evidence offered by 40,000 workmen of Philadelphia in proof that American textile labor had fallen to the English price is in the nature of a surprise.— Indianapolis Times.

Mr. Halstead wants to know if Mr. Tildas is not eligible tothe Presidency. The Republicans didn’t seem to think so when he was elected A Plano, liL, man succeed so hard thp other day that he fraotnred on# of hit ribs.

Quinine. —Some years ago when the tariff on quinine was removed the protectionists made merry because the price did not immediately decline. Its manufacture in this country was a monopoly enjoyed by one Philadelphia firm, and its price ranged between $4 and $3 an ounce. While the Philadelphia concern was amassing a great fortune and contributing liberally to Republican campaign funds, the ague-smitten people of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys were slowly getting the r eyes open to the fact that the tariff, ostensibly levied to protect an “infant industry,” was making a remedy which should have been plenty and cheap unnaturally scarce and dear, and they agitat d for the removal of the import tax. Their demand was so just and the monopoly against which they complained was so outrageous that even the pigiron men could not resist their appeal, and the tariff on quinine was removed. .At first there was no decline in the price end this fact was cited as proof that tariffs do not increase the cost to consumers of the necessaries of life, but in the course of time the monopoly began to sag in the middle and since then the tendency of the quinine market has been downward. A dispatch fre m New York notes the fact that transactions have recently occurred there on the basis of 53 cents an ounce.— The Philadelphia concern is still in the business.—Chicago Herald

Legal Enterprise in Dakota. —“I sent you an account of $25 for collection,” said a man coming into the office of a Dakota lawyer. “Yes, you did.” “What success have you had?” “Sued him last week and got it.” “That’s good. Give mo the money and tell me the amount of your fees and I will pav you.” “My fees are 50. I have given you credit for the $25 collectedpay me another $25 end we’ll be square.” “What!” gasped the nian, “I don’t see where I make anything by collecting the debt.” “Nothing, my dear sir, from a money point of view, but you have the satisfaction of knowing that a dishonest man has been brought to justice! You can use your own pleasure about paying that $25 now; I took the precaution to commence suit against you for the amount this morning.”—Estelline Bell

The National Greenback Labor Central Committee will meet at the Court House, in Bensselaer, Ind., on Saturday, the 26th day of June, 1886, at 2 o’clock, p. m., for the purpose of placing in nomination a t ounty Ticket, and to transact auy other business which may properly come before said committee. v A full attendance is requested. W. E. Moore, Chairman N. G. L. Com. Ex-Sheriff John W. Powell ha* leased the Halloran Lively and Feed Stables, and respectfully solicits a liberal share of the public patronage. The new display of Goods, selected and bought by such a combination of experience and taste as Mr. and Mrs. Lndd Hopkins m Sy justly claim to have, will certainly tell at the prices offered.

It it a notorious fact that Leopold gives greater bargains than any other house. in town. Call and examine £ot yourself. To make it generally known to all‘interested, will say that the Furniture and Undertaking business of th« Pate W. J. Wright will not be digoontmued, but will be conducted by Park Wright, who hopeeto retein his father’s friends hie friends, and secure the patron•age of many more bysquare dealing with all Pins Wuxobt. «' l ’j • • • .