The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-09-04
THEN AND NOW.

pondent who sets forth the contrast
between times of Democratic rule and
the present, and shows that matters
are not in as terrible q condition as
the Democracy would like to have
us believe. 1t is as follows:
n Sometime ago you noticed a CON-
munication in a Democratic paper,
from laborer, contrasting the pri
ces OF certain things in 1859 and 1865,
showing their relation to prices of
labor in those years. This is all
very well, and against that kind OF
argument it is not necessary TO offer
any other answer than q few shot.
from the same locker.
u |, too, have q chapter of contrasts
to offer, and i select, as one of m,
points of comparison, the years EN-
bracing the Winter of 1889, and
the other, this year-1S6S. select
the year 1889 because it is a GEN.
tral point of q 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 Democratic party was in
the full tide of success, flushed with
victory, carrying everything before
it with a high hand, and putting into
successful practice the favorite dog
ma of the party, "TO the victOrs be-
long the spoils." Martin Van Buran
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 Dem
Oeratic as the most radical of the
"unterriiied' could wish.
Then, the wages of q common Ia
horer was seventy-flve cents per day,
he boarding hlmself--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 ''early morn till dewy eve," for
fifty cents day. Mechanics, then,
rs now, obtained a little higher
wages-abOut dollar a day.
In lS3S-39, a laboring man could
buy barrel Of superfine flour for the
labor of twelve or thirteen days; in
1868 it will cost him the wages of
FIVE or six days-Then, he could buy
a barrel OF mess pork for the labor
of thirty days; mow, it will cost him
fourteen days labor Then a dressed
hog Of 300 lbs would cost him u
days labor; nO,c he must expend the
wages Of ten days TO purchase the
same article. Ihea the labOring man
could buy a dress pattern for his
wife, of eight yards of Merrimac
prints, for the labor of three days
no,o, in order to procure pattern OF
the same kind of goods, a little lar
ger, it is true, tour wives have grown
since then say twelve or fourteen
yards, he finds it necessary to invest
the proceeds of the labor of on ,ohOle
day. o! the taxes, the taxes the
bloated bOndholders, and all the tribe
of ofcormorants who have fastened them
selves upon our vitals. and are suck
ing the very life blood from our veins
who shall deliver us from their ter
rible fangs? But, in 1888, one days
work would procure five pounds of
good brown sugar, now he must be |
content with twelve pounds.
In 1888, one days labor would !
purchase four pounds ofloaf or crush
ed sugar now it will only purchase
eleven pounds. Then one days Ia
bor would purchase four pounds of
Rio coffee, no,0 it will buy but seven.
IHen the labor could buy a pound
and a half of tea for the labor of one
day, or, if he was fastidious in his
taste, and must have the best, one
days labor would buy him halfpound;
now the days wages will only pro-
cure one pound OfOne, or two pounds,
Of the other. Then one days labor
would purchase three to six pounds
Of butter I; now it will buy but seven
u ucil u
good suit of clothes would cost the
abOr of about forty days: now such
1 suit will cost fifteen. Then the Ia
Dor of four days would purchase a
pair of good, substantial, thick boots;
now it will require three days to ac-
,omplish like result. Then the la
Dor 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
,uy keg of 1Od nails; now they :
will cost two days and half.
In 1888 the labOring man paid no
axes, unless he had taxable property. +
3ut how is it nOw2 o
Will some black Republican, Lin
.oln hireling answer2 1