The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-27
The Chilly Argns,
Continued from second page. J

Continued from second page
time, to the extent of 20 per cent Or, in
short, we are living under a national fiscal
policy which, whatever it may do for the
rich, certainly, in respect to bread, tends
to make the poor poorer.
And what is true of bread in the Atlantic
cities is even more true of beef. Thus.
| while the prices of beef cattle at Brighton
(Boston) markee.are no higher, and at
Albany but little higher, now than in
| 1860, the retail prices of beef for all the
country intermediate between ALBANY and
Boston are from so to 100 per cent. higher.
At first thought. the legitimate con
clusion from these figures and statements
would seem to be that the retail dealers
and distributors of bread and maat are
making exorbltant and unwarranted profits
Of these however, there is no evidence:
blu, Oh the contrary, these same dealers.
lit questioned, would probably agree in
asserting that the cost of Everything which
enters into their work of distribution
rent, wages. taxes, provisions, etc, has
so increased since 1860 that the present
general result of their business is less salts
factory than at almost any former peroid:
and that SO far from getting richer, they,
ln common with others, are really getting
olrer.
But be this as it may. the essential thing
to be kept in view is, that we have 10 these
increased retail prices for bread and meat
In 1878 an economic effect which ex-
tends 10 greater or less degree to many
nther. if not all, articles of domestic con
sumption,-to rents, for example, even
more than to bread and meats; and which
on the one hand, by reducing the wages of
labor and by diminishing the purchasing
power of wages, and on the other by in
creaslng the cost, more especially Of the
products of the so-called manufacturing
industries, beyond the ability or willing
ness of domestic and foreign consumers to
purchase. restricts alike the American
power OF production and the American
opportunity for labor
The neautraliZe now or counteract this
effect. to restore prices to their old and
normal relations, thereby increasing the
wages Of labor by increasing their pur-
chasing power and increasing the op-
portunities for production by increasing
thetpower OF consumption is the duty of the
hour The tracing out and exposure of
Official corruption is good thing The re
| duclng of the numbers and salaries OF
federal officials; the putting an end to
useless expenditures on fertilization; the
discontinuance Of bounties and grants for
the construction railways, and the like
are all measures in the d.
rection of reform. But take them alto
gether, and they will effect little or nothing
10 the way Of making bread or meat cheap
er to the laborer; in reducing the price of
his rent, or in enabling him to buy silk
hat-tO walk in the procession on St. Pat
rick 5 day-for So tine price in 1861, in
stead OF Sc the price in 1876. All tt e
mcney that congress will save in the whole
f the present session by re !ucing appro
priations will not amount to as much as the
labor and capital OF the country Io-es du
ring every week-we think we might say
every day during the continuance of the
present industrial paralysis which, in turn,
is the result Of the continuance of the
present fiscal policy 1t is. moreover, n J.
enough that we have decided not to take
any more Of the hair of the same dog that
has bit us. 2, not to infla'e and not to
increase the tariff; it is necessary that the
dog himself shall die, and the question is,
shall we Kill him now or let him run into
the presidential campaign, yelping, howl
ing, and making things generally uncom-
Portable. as they certainly will be, for the
party and the politicians that are most res
ponsible for doing nothing.
DAVID A. WELLS.