Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-09-11
Then and Now.


EDITOR BLADE: Sometime ago you no.
ticed communication in a Democratic
paper, from q laborer, contrasting the
prices of certain things in 1859 and 1868.
and showing their relation to prices of
labor in those years. This is all very we'll,
and against that kind of argument it is
not necessary to offer any other answer
than few shots from tbe same locker
I, too, have q chapter of contrasts to
offer, and select, as one of my points of
comparison, the years embracing the
winter of 1889, and, the other, this year
1868 I select the year 1889 because
it is a central point of a term of about
forty years preceding the Democratic re-
bellion, and the price of labor that year
was about an average of the price for the
whole period. And, besides, the Demo-
cratic party was in the full tide of success,
flushed with victory, carrying everything
before itwith high hand, and putting
into successful practice the favorite dogma
of the party, = To the victors belong the
spoils." Martin Van Buren was in the
midst of his Presidential term; Wilson
Shannon, of odorous memory, had been
elected Governor of Ohio, and everything,
from Dan to Beersheba, was as intensely
Democratic as the most radical of the
"unterrifed" could wish.
Then, the wages of common laborer
was seventy five cents per day, he board
ing himself-or fifty cents per day, the
employer furnishing board--and many
day hath this deponent swung the scythe,
and wrought in the hay and harvest field,
from { carly morn till dewy eve," for fifty
cents a day. Mechanics, then, as now,
obtained a little higher vages-about a
dollar n day.
In 1S3S-39, laboring man could buy a
barrel of superline flour for the labor of
Twelve to thirteen days. in 1868 it will
cost him the wages of five or six days.
Ttep, he could buy barrel of mess pork
for the labor of thirty days: n0ac, it will
cost him fourteen days labor Then a
dressed hog of 200 lbs. would cost him 81
days labor; noao he must expend the
wages of ten days to purchase the same
article Then the laboling man could buy
dress pattern for his wife, of eight yards
of Merrimac prints, for the labor of three
days nom, in order to procure a pattern
of the same kind Of goods, little larger,
it is true, (our wives have grown since
then) say twelve or fourteen yards, he
finds it necessary to invest the proceeds of
the labor of one soitole day. OF the taxes,
the taxesl the ,bloated bondholders, and
all The tribe of cormorants who have fas-
tened themselves upon our vitals, and are
stcking the very life blood from our veins
WHO shall deliver us from their terrible
fangs? But, in 1888, one days work
would procure five pounds of good brown
sugar, now he must be content with twelve
pounds. '..,,. .rtf.y r.N
In 1888, one days labor would purchase
four pounds Cf loafOr crushed sugar; now
it will only purchase eleven pounds.
Then one days labor would purchase
four pounds of Rio coffee, noao it will buy
but seven Then the laborer could buy
pound and a half of tea for the labor of
one day, or if he was very fastidious in
his taste, and must have the best, one days
labor would buy him half pound; now
the days wages will only procure one
pound of the one or two pounds, of the
other. Then one days labor would pur-
chase three to six pounds of butter; now
it viii buy but seven or eight pounds.
Then reasonably good suit of clothes
would, cost the labor of about forty days;
now such suit win cost fifteen, Then the
labor of four days would purchase pair
of good substantial thick boots; now it
will require three days to accomplish a
like result. Then the labor of eight days
would suffice to purchase pair of fine
calf sewed boots; now it will require six
days. Then the labor of twelve days
would buy keg of 10d nails; now they
viii cost two days and half 93 sag
In 1885 the laboring man paid no taxes,
unless he had taxable property. But how
is it now? F.oo... IN fa.,sa
viii some ",black Republican, Lincoln
hineling answer?
.1l a S,3NJ - iif ANOTHER T,ARoREp