The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-11-20
FROM ILLINOIS.
CHICAGO, Nov. 6, L

nVWA 11AA4NVAOe
CHICAGO, Nov. 8, 1859.
10 the Editor Oft e WoRKHeMAN's ADVOCATE.
SIR As q constant reader Of your valu-
able paper, and q hearty endorser OF
#most all your views on whatever has here
fOfOre engaged the attention Of the working
masses of this country, it now behOOves US
81, both capitalists and lGborers in this great
Mississippi valley to watch and study what
Rill be for our interest in the development
II the hidden wealth, and profit BY the ex-
$erience of other nations which have travelled
fver the same road that is now marked out
tor us The question Is, will We as peo-
Sle adopt free trade, and allow our hidden
resources for manufacturing purposes, to lie
Anmolested, and draw our supplies from
Europe, where, with centuries Of expert
4nce, improved machinery and high paid Ia
nor, they say they can supply US cheaper,
end give US better article than we can pro-
huce ourselves, and give US the consoling al
formative to either degrade ourselves by
working for the same as they do, or 60 to
york and break up our virgin prairies to
taise corn for them, and they will give US
cheap cloth to keep us warm, and cheap
IRON for our hoes, plows, and hArroWs. |
give them credit for their litIle game, but
Fon't think 1t will work yet we had better
pc up and dong when we find such cham.
pions on their side as the Rev. Mr.. BlAnch-
frd, Of Indiana, and Prof. Perry Of Mas
fbusettes, hired emisaries of what is called
Tree trade league, with headquarters in New
" rk city, supported by who, as G. B. Stib-
bins, Of Detroit, said in q discussion With
Rev. Mr. Blanchard, held in Farwell Hall, in
this city, out Of &c, 900 subscribed to sup
bort that League, $50, 900 was from firms in
flew York Immediately connected with
British interests. What a phllanthropic
party these free traders are; they are actu-
sted only by the one laudable Nbject-the
Gid hsckneyed One-of the interest Of the
forkingman and the farmer, truly il they
ire serious about it, they must take Us for
tery ignorant class Of American citizens.
srant we cannot address an audience, and
quote from Commissioner Wells report any
{ning that will suit them, and construe into
Is many different meanings as the Rev. Mr..
Hatfield and Brigham Young draws views
issom the Bible or the book Of Mormon,
tbut we do know) know that l have had
5he practical experience Of both sys-
3ens, revenue tariff and protective tariff,
find think | am able to judge what 10 best
9or my interest, and so is every other uork- |
hgman in he country abe to tell that two
dollars is BITTER with steady employment
fhan one With employ ment about tWO-thirds
Bf the year. And now, workingmen, call on
sou to go back with me from the years '58 |
90 '6l, when iron, believe, had 10 per |
4ent. tariff; and | take Prof. Perry for it,
shen we had at that time an average tariff
81 1871 per cent. 0dVGLOrem on articles inn
ported about enough to keep the old ma
ahinery then in Washington, moving. What
vas tie condition Of wOrkingmen then to /
What it is now 2 Take n walk along the |
banks of the far-famed Schuylkill perhaps
.sEe might get few days cutting ice when
NE arrive We find as many lined along the
banks Of that stream rs those who are ct /
work and don't 50 ppOsA that am speak |
ing Of the lowest laDOrers. | have seen more
than one poor mechanic shivering there all
day for one dellar, aad glad 70 get it.
The writer Of this article was in Trenton,
New Jersey, 10 1860 and 1861, employed BY
'she Trenton Iron Company, when both vim
tiers these works were stopped because they
could not manufacture iron IS cheap 40 i'm |
ported iron was in New York, and about two |
hundred men were thrown out OF employ |
snent. How was it that in England their mills
and furnaces were in full blast, running night |
and day, supplying the American market p
pudding from 10 to IL shillings per ton.
After we got on our tariff, mills began to
brisk up here, ard wages advanced, with
steady employment. How was it their mills
began to slack up, and wages began to come
down and how is it to-day that wages for
pudding are from five to six shlllings per
ton, and work half time, while mere we have
rebled our producing capacity, opened up
mines, cut railroads into them, advanced the
price Of property for miles around wherever
there has been a mill or q furnace put up,
drawing here the flower Of the English artI-
.zans whose skill and labor, ] will leave to
some Of the tree trade advocates to 'calcu-
late how much it brings TO the State. Per
haps they will call on Commissions Wells
to show that Illinois would have been bene-
fitted had they stopped there.
Now, one word TO the farmer. How about
himP He has seen the same times
that have, and think he knows that he
has lived just as comfortable, and made a.
much money for the last eight years as he
did the years before that when be bad to pay
q little more for his horse shoe, his wife's
shawl, bis boots and shoes, plows and bar
rows, and salt to SAVIOR his meat. think
except my eyes deceive me, he is as well
supplied with all these articles, and OF as
good quality, as be was then, and | think
his farm IS worth as much as it was then.
So if he is satisfied with 30c per pound for
his butter instead of &c; with Soc per bush
Ell for bis potatoes instead Of Csc; with 25c
for his eggs instead Of &c, then | am salts
fed to pay it, and let free traders talk as
they like. We will hold fast to that which
is good; but on the other hand If he goes
for free trade and will not sell me those arti-
cles for whatever can give him, but persists
in sending them to EnglAnd, France, and Ger
many, !, as well as him, will 60 at the same
business, and will beat him, for will send
my cabbage. Yours, DC,
A PUDDLER-
FROM INDIANA.