The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-08-11

In addition to these, the following
trades are organizing strikes, or have act,
ually begun them, Coach-makers, der.
rickmeu. bakers, housesniths, clothing.
cutters, upholsterers, tailors, and coopers
Most of the mechanics demand return
to the pay of last years busy season,
though few have struck for an increase
upon those rates.
In connection with this subject, it may
be noted, that while the. wages Of the
working man have not been very large
ly increased, he finds that he has to pay
double, at the very lowest, for every ar
ticle of consumption. There are favor.
ed classes in league with the Radicals who
reap these large profits. The laborer
does not get them. His supplies of bread
meat, clothing, groceries, necessaries.-
to say nothing of schooling for his chill
dren, or cemforts-are far less than they
were ten years ago, when he did not
work any harder than he does now. New
er was there such costly luxury for the
people of the country as Radical rule.
To have the "trooly loil" in place and
power is, doubtless, fine thing; but then
everybody has to sweat for the indul-
gence. Anterior to the advent of the
Radical party we had the cheapest Gov
ernment, probably, in the world. Eighty
millions of taxes per year was consider
ed a high tax bill. Now we pay the FIVE
hundred millions per annum, and have
been doing so for three years past; and
yet the debt is not being reduced. The
country is not enriched. No great works
of internal improvements, like those Of
France, are constructed, to return in
some degree to the people this expendi-
ture. What becomes, then, of the four
hundred million dollars of Federal tax
es, to which must be added the enor-
NOUS State county and municipal taxes,
to say nothing of the large sums which
60 indirectly to the manufacturers by the
enhanched prices of their products?-
Never was there such drain and bur-
den upon the industry Of q people, and
like ell such burdens, the strain falls
hardest of all on the poor; then on the
mechanic, wEo is able, perhaps, to get
bread, but Obliged to sacrifice many of
the comforts his family enjoyed in for
mer years; then on the shopkeeper and
business man, cramped and uncomfort-
able about his affairs, uneasy for fear lest
in this protracted condition of affairs he
may be forced to bankruptcy, groaning
under his tax bill; and lastly, like feath-
er upon the pampered interests, to en-
rich which is the great and paramount
object Of the Radical party. The great
revenues we have referred to above go
not to enrich the whole country; they
flow into comparatively few hands
probably not over twenty thousand per-
sons in all. The military satraps Sin the
Southern States live grandly, as BELTS
absolute power, but all at the expense of
the Northern taxpayer. Congress, with
its absolute power, runs up yearly an
enormous bill for the luxury Of Its MEM
bers, coined out Of the blood and tears
of the poor. Then there are the large
bondholders and the national banks, the
class interests, and the various "rings"
which, anterior to Radical rule, hardly
existed. These men are oil accumula.
ting immense fortunes; theirs is sue
cessful conspiracy against the property
and industry Of the country, and We are
bound to pronounce it successful one.
For every one of. these pamperad and
silken creatures, there are just one hun.
dred !aborers and mechanics who work
long hours to maintain their families
with bare bread, and yet more hours to
furnish the luxury which, Radicalism
guarantees to the successful robber OF