The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-08-02


power during the past fifty years. and,
with the exception Of the period between
1868 and 1873. times were very much
harder than at the present time.
Me-. Turner does not go far enough
with his plan of legislation. If the Leg
islature can compel manufacturers to OPP
crate their establishments six months
each year, why not compel them to OPP
crate the entire twelve months2 If this
power exists, either in law. equity, jus
tice or reason, why not compel them to
pay the farmers 20 cents per pound for
meat, and sell it at cents to the hands2
Now take one of our furnaces, as all OF
us are more familiar with them than
with other manufacturing establish
ments. Nearly all of the furnaces in
this county are owned by men who, like
Mr.. Turner and ourself. commenced life
without means. They saved and econo-
mized, and put their savings into this
business. Iron is depressed, and it can
not be sold at prices to enable the manu-
facturer to run more than a few months
in a year. Suppose your Legislature,
composed Of. farmers, should enact the
law you suggest. and the furnace men
could not sell iron to pay the men who
made it. what would you do2 Burn down
the furnace2 1t will not do. Mr. Turner.
You have too much good sense. and too
much common honesty to believe in
your theory, if you will investigate the
matter
This eternal howl about hard times is
all poppycock. The writer of this did.
for many years, support a family on less
than one hundred and fifty dollars per
year, and we never saw the day that we
did not have plenty to eat and wear and
a comfortable house to live in, and pa
pers and books to read. and many other
comforts of life We could tell you how
this was done, but perhaps it would do
no good. We can tell you some things
we did not do. We never wasted any
thing We never learned to smoke or
chew tobacco, drink beer or get drunk;
never learned to play croquet, chess, bill
liards, base ball or cards; never learned
to dance; never gambled, or made bet
in our life. This ignorance Of the many
indulgences which are now considered
by all as essential necessaries, enabled US
in the past fifty years to save little for
declining years, and the time saved from
these silly amusements enabled us to &C
cumulate a store of information, from
books, and otherwise. to be used to aid in
wrestling with hard times and adverse
circumstances.
Mr.. Turner thinks a man can not sup
port family on IS cents to one dollar
per day. The Government clerk al
Washington City thinks he will starve
on 81 .2OO to 81 800 per year. The Post
master General declares that he can not
take his family to Washington City and
support them there on $4,000 per year
President Grant could not live on SIS .00(
per year, with $4,000 extra allowances
and now the poor President is fearful o
starvation on $4,000 per year. and eve
rything furnished. We believe Queer
Victoria and her family are like ou
friend Turner, calling for legislation Il
keep them from starvation, as they ar,
only allowed about a million and a hal
Of dollars per year.
We admit the justice of what Mr.. Tur
ner says about the fees of officers, but W
notice that he did not refuse his two ant
a half dollars per day as Assessor, whel
he knows that there are a hundred mel
in Washington township who are just a
competent as he Is. who would hav
jumped At the chance of doing the worl
for one dollar per day. We are all NOR
or less selfish.
When we look at the official figure
and see where a very large portion of tn
ernings of the laboring man goes, tn
only wonder is that there is not vastl
more poverty and distress than ther
really is. The report Of the Auditor G
State shows that in the year 1876. Obi
paid taxes on tobacco. beer, whisky, &c
the enormous sum of sirteen million, Jfs
hundred and eighty seren thousand, eight hu
, dred and ninety dollars and sirty one cent
This Congressional district paid 1888
$50 05. This. remember, is only the ta7
The official figures at Washington Cit
show that the people pay for tobacco an
strong drink. not less than 5000, 90
I every year. This is SIS for every mar
woman and child in the United States
Jackson county now contains abou
10000 people. We think they take thei
share, perhaps more than their propol
) ton of tobacco. But put il at $l5. Thi
would be a cost to our people of $45.00
every year. This is nearly as much a
the army of John Morgan carried out {
the county fourteen years ago. 1t is cor
siderably more than the cost of the Cour
House, Jail, and the stone wall and iro
fence around the Public Square. 1t
three times the cost of the County Inf
mary. The corn made into whisky j
Ohio-which us worse than destroyed
would make cheap, wholesome bread 70
all the people in the State.
We hope our friend will study the si
uation from our standpoint. and see
We are not more nearly correct than b
is.