Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-28

IL . our opinion that neve IN the history Of
this country was il as dificalt for the masses Of
the people 10 make both ends meet. on the great
question Of living, as At present. IL - true that
the wages Of labor and salaries have. to some ex-
tent, adVsnced. bLt bear 10 proportion 10 the
stupsndOus increase 10 the price OF ell kinds Of
necessaries-of rent. OF food, o: fuel, OF provis-
ions, OF groceries, aud dry goods. Is - only By
dint OF the closest economy, and by the denial of
articles that sere formerly considered essential,
aud the deprivation Of which IS lelt as a great
hardship, that the wolf OF penury can be KEPT
from the doors Of the masses. Meat, tea ard
coffee have now taken the place as luxuriss to
millions who formerly regardes them as par,
necessaries. Money goes but little way Ia the
marke, house and IN the dry good store. As 10
rents ~ all the large cities and towns of the coun-
try, they are simply mOnstrous. Where to hud
shelter and raiment for our overcro~d ed
population has become a fearful question.
While Il is daily becoming more Diff
cult for the masses 10 hnd The means Of ex-
istence, the wealthy never found il go easy as 10
be eItravagsnt as now. Our hdctuating paper
currency gives them the opportunity TO embark
in speculatiOns and in adventures almost certain
TO DE lucky, BY which they accumulate their
thousands and millions OF dollars. Their pro
peTty, invested in bonds. is exempt from taxa
ton, and the whole burden of supporting the
State and local governments, ia lightened from
their shoulders, and transferred to those of the
lsbOriug poor. Daily is the chasm between
wealth aud poverty becoming more and move
marked. The tendency OF the times, AID the
policy of those IN power, Is 10 make the rich
richer. and the poor poorer.
The contrast between the wealthy and shoddy
aifstocracy and those in INDECENT circumstances
clearly rivals, il it does not excel, that 10 be
seen IN the Oldest aud proudest OF the European
capitals. To the few, the war has really been a
harvest OF gold, while TO The many it has brought
tears OF hooking penury and misery.
Wendell Phillips long ago declared that the
laooring man would hereafter have 10 work two
hours more each day. 10 consequence of the
changes OF the war, and even with that extra. he
has TO content himself with a far inferior living
de told us. too, that we shall never again see
the Old former republic into which We were born
These sayings are pregnant with truth, aud they
show that those who produced the present state
OF things were aware in advance of what would
be the result of their exertions.
Que great cause of the lIigh,iul expense oil
living and its sttendan, evils, is the enormous
taxation 10 which The people arc SUBJECTED, aud
"hicn now exceeds probably anything ever known
10 modern times. Tue taxes are upon every
thing tangible or Intangible in embryo, or in
being. They are direct and indirect. lt Is safe
to say that the taxes Increase the cost OF living
at least one quarter o. the three dollars which
tho mech mic receives tor his DAYS wages, abou,
seventy five ceats goes In some torn TO The tai
g%atherer. Is It any wonder that when such i'm
mcnse sums as four or five hundred millions a
yssr are wrested from the people. that it is hard
TO make the credit balance the debtors side of
the account?
While the times are thus oppressive to the
poor-t) those with hxei salaries and limited
means-we hear from successful Shoddy that
they were never so good beloIe. He can afford
to buy jewel s and laces of the most expensive
character, while the lsborer is piucbed TO hnd
the means for his rent. his fuel. hs meal and mis-
bread Cincinnati Enquirer.