Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 May 1892 — THE VOICE OF THE PRESS [ARTICLE]

THE VOICE OF THE PRESS

Any man of common sense knows that tile duty of forty-nine and one-half cents a pound and 60 per cent of value levied on woolen clothing by the abominable McKinley tariff mnst enhance its cost Our merchant tailors admit that when a'returning tourist brings home a suit o t clothing without paying duty he “saves more than one-half of its actual value.” Poor people, and even people in moderate circumstances —the great mass of Americans—can not go abroad for their elothing. And they are compelled by the McKinley act either to wear shoddy or to pay 50 per cent, more than its value for honest wool clothing. This is only one of a thousand wrongs and swindles which the Democratic party is bound to correct.—Shelbyville Democrat. , Yes. your taxes are higher in spite of the increased appraisement of property. Under an economical and honest administration of our county, township and municipal governments, the amount of tax to be raised would be the same whether property were valued higher or lower. If appraised lower the rate should be higher, if appraised higher tfae rate should be lower. Do you see’? The appraised valuation of property in Wayne county was increased over the former valuation $2,420,000. To raise the same amount of taxes as heretofore would permit a much lower tax rate. On &e contrary our tax rate has been increased, just the opposite of what should have been. Do you see?— Richmond Sun.

The Republicans of Indiana are in a pickle over the head of their state ticket. They recognize the fact that the Democrats have nominated one of the strongest men in the state. They now realize that Parson Chase has a strong grip on the nomination. If successful, they are aware that it will cost many votes in certain localities and with certain elements of their party. The preacher in politics is considered and is, in fact, out of place. On the other hand, if they push him aside, they will lose strength in certain quarters. The leaders are in a quandary, and well they may be. They are in an embarrassing situation. Not to put too fine a point on it, they are in a hole.—New Albany Ledger.

Democrats who wish-tosee their party successful can do nothing, better to advance that end than to at once look about them and see where there is a mail who does not take a newspaper. When they find such a man they should never Jet up until they induce him to subscribe for some good, reliable, and well conducted Democratic paper. A local paper is best calculated to interest such a non-reader because it speaks of many things that will command his confidence, and if it is well conducted politically, it will surely have a favorable influence on him in time. There is no better way to advance the interests of the party.—Greensburg New Era.

The tax duplicate of Adams county for the year 1891 amounts to $138,423.46, while for the year past it amounted to $109,818.48, making a difference of $28,604.98, showing the increase in valuation in property or the listing of property that had been withheld from the assessors. While the main part of the excess ovdr last year came from the corporations, such as the railroads and telegraph companies. The railroad companies pay $6,624.18 more than they did hist year, while the telegraph companies pay $11.50 more than last year.—Decatur Dem ocrat.

The new election law requires voters leaving the state to be absent a few months to' register at the county clerk’s office. If they fail to do this they loose their votes. Republicans are registering right along. Democrats are not. Young men going away to work for the summer must register before leaving or they will loose their votes. We have a number now gone who should return and register. Democrats everywhere should see that all who intend going away register. It is the duty of committeemen especially to give this matter careful attention.—Bloomfield Democrat.

When the Democratic legislature, a year ago, passed the new tax law the Republican papers all over the state, following the lead of the Indianapolis Journal, said that the law was passed in the interest of rich corporations, and against the farmers especially. This hue and cry has been kept up ever since, until the “rich corporations” brought suit to test the constitutionality of a law ■which was said to benefit them, made these papers appear too ridiculous.— Columbus Herald.

The people have had a taste of free sugar. They like it. They hate the r obber tariff tax and will never again suffer it to be placed on sngar. It is the same with all the necessaries of life. The tariff should be removed from every sueh article. Especially should it be taken off of wool, binder twine, lumber, salt, coal and iron. The people are rapidly becoming educated to its monstrous wrongs. The high tariff taxes will have to go.—Anderson Democrat. In 1890 there was $13,613.62 in taxes paid on railroad property. In 1891 it was increased to $34,418.51, making a total increase on railroads alone of *2£L-

884.83, whii his d> juu mole uiun Uie entire increase on the state tax. Then too we have the fee and salary law another infamous Democratic measure—which will save to this county about $10,009 a year, which formerly went into the officials’ pockets.— Winchester Democrat. The railroads and other corporations that resisted the collection of tax under the new law have received a black eye from the supreme court. The railroads relied upon the fact that they had not received notice. The court held that the law itsseif is sufficient notice. The tax dodgers can not escape.—Washington Democrat. One of the amusing things witnessed in some parts of the country is the agitation of the fanner’s interests by men who never ran a furrow or planted a crop and who have no practical experience in farming. We could paint out many such persons, but the good common sense of the people in general recognize the ridiculous light in which such agitators place themselves, and render an exposure unnecessary.—Frank-, ling Democrat.

It is just as respectable to work in a factory as to work in a dry goods shop, and a woman who earns an honest living in either place is immeasurably more worthy of respect than one who needs to earn a living, but prefers to remain dependent rather than risk forfeiture of her rig ht to be “classed with ladies.”—Connersville Examiner. As to the Democratic tax law of which Republican sheets' are now saying so much, we promise to discuss this question exhaustively before the November election. We shall not in such discussion deny that it is a Democratic law framed by a Democratic legislature.— Lake County News. Last year the railroads in Delaware county paid taxes to the amount of $10,476.31. Tljie year under the new law, these same roads will pay $23,326.87, or $12,850.56 more than last year, and yet Republican papers say the law is in the interests of corporations.— Muncie Herald. If high tariffs make high wages, why are wages not higher in protected France and Germany than they are in free trade England ?' England pays higher wages than either France or Germany. Why is this? Will some protection organ be kind enough to explain ?—Morgan County Gazette. Parson Chase has ordered out the state bloodhounds to trail a fugitive in Jackson county. The fact that Parson Chase is governor of Indiana instead of Alabama alone saves the Republican press from going into hysterics over “another southern outrage.”—Kokomo Dispatch.

Ex-soldiers p,re not required to work a poll tax on the roads. The law was passed by the last legislature. Republican editors, however, insist that Demcrats are unfriendly to the soldiers. — Auburn Courier. While the railroad monopolies are fighting the tax law, assisted by the Republican press, the farmers are quietly waiting a time to knock out the boodlers again.—Crawford County Democrat. Republics should not be paternal, for paternalism is favoritism, and favoritism breeds corruption.—New Castle Democrat. Protection and “free Trade.** Writing on the relative conditions of workingmen in Paris and London, the Paris correspondent of The St. James Gazette says that the’ former are far worse off than the latter. Not only are their wages less than those of the workmen in the English metropolis, the cost of living in Paris is algo nearly one-third more than it is in London. AH the necessaries of life, as bread, wine, sugar, etc., are heavily taxed. The correspondent rebukes those political economists who, taking for their text the latest statistics showing the falling off of,the French population, have of late years been preaching to the workingmen upon their lack of patriotism in not having larger families. He says the truth is that in Paris an ordinary working couple can not bring up even two ordinary children unless the woman has some regular occupation as well as the man, and he concludes with the observation that, considering all the difficulties the working people of Paris have to contend with, the wonder is that they accept their fate with such good temper and generally show such a philosophical spirit in trying to make the best of it.

The last day of March ended the first year of free raw sugar under the McKinley act. During that period the importation of sugar not above No. 16 Dutch standard, as compared with that of the twelve months preceding, was as follows: Pounds, 1892. Pounds, 1891. Beet 614,775,181 565,056,860 Cane 3,235,080,334 2,206,807,602 Above No. 16... 16,094,195 Hawaiian....... 333,630,332 Total 3,865,949,710 3,105,494, jg 4 This shows an increase of 760,454,916 pounds, or 24 1-2 per cenfc in the importation of sngar during the first year after raw sugar from all countries as well as from the Hawaiian islands began to come in free of tax. Consumption of 6ugar increased in slightly greater ratio, as the domestic product marketed was much greater during the free period. During the last calendar year the consumption per capita was 69.4 pounds, against 56.5 pounds in 1890, an increase of over 23 per cent. The removal of the tax reduced the price of sugar to at least the extent of the tax. These facts demonstrate conclusively that the tariff is a tax on consumers; that it involves privation, and that free trade mean# abundance. Even more remarkable results would follow the passage of the free wool bill. The comfort of the people would be greatly promoted, and they would not rest until dSe last vestige of the privation system was swept away. That is why'the proteges resist the passage of the free wool bill.— Chicago Herald. /.