The daily gazette., 1882-11-15
PERTINENT QUESTIONS.
Why should the Nccessarios of Life Be
Higher Now Than They Were Twenty
five Years Ago?

Why Should the Nccessarios of Life Be
Higher Now Than They Were Twenty
five Years Ago?
| To THE EDITOR OF THE GAZETTE The
time for speech making is over. People
everywhere have returned to their business
in order to lay up something for the winter.
One thing | cannot understand, and states
men Of every political party have failed to
| inform the toiling masses-why it is that
nearly every thing we cat is sold at such an
| extravagant priccs While our country IS
blest with such an abundant harvest. Why
is it that pork is sold at IS cents per pound
and Hour at IS per barrel. ask is there
scarcity of these products No, the people
answer from the North, South, East and
West, "our barns are filled to overhowing,
we have enough and to spare.'' / have
always been taught that when an article is
| cheap, 1t is plenty, and when 1t is dear, 1t is
because it is scarce. Weare told by our states
man that we have a good government
to live under, Gland of the free and the
home of the brave.' No tax on what we
cat, which is produced In the States. All
industrial establishments are busy, and get
good prices for what they make for sale.
But they pay small wages to labOrcr 81
to 80 per week will not allow
the poor man to eat beef at
% cents per pound and butter at 40
cents per pound, for after lie clothes his
children and pays rent that is 20 per cent.
ON the capital invested by his landlord he
must live on corn cake and the toughest Of
meat. Now, these are facts and cannot be
denied. do nor believe, with all the boast
OF freedom and glorious constitution, that
we are governed wisely and for the benefit
OF all. can see seltlshness end self-interest
lurking in the hearts Of those who manage
our Government and control the great
money centers In our cities. Money is made
by the millions for the pockets of those who
do not need it, and the poor are reduced
to starvation wages by the greed
of the capitalists. twenty-five years ago
pork brought TO this market from the far
West was sold by the Wholesale dealer at s
and l0 cents per pound, ut this time Of the
year, when it was scarce. Corn was then
90 cents per tushel, and flour five and half
dollars per barrel for the best, and the
bread made then was as good If not better
than the boasted patent tlours now sold at
eight dollars. Does it cost US much now, to
ship pork and flour from Chicago to Phila.
delphla as it did 25 years ago, with all the
vast Improvements in rairoadingi answer
no, not by fifty per cent. Does it cost as
much to grind flour by the new process now
used as it did by the old stone burrs say
no, not by fifty per cent. Do those engaged
in business now have to pay a higher rate
of interest for the use of money
than they did 25 years ago! No, money is |
plenty now at four and one-half and five per |
cent. on long time. In fact the government |
loans its money at three and one-half per |
cent. Twenty-Five years ago money was |
loaned at six per cent, and was scarce at |
that. Our merchants made money then, |
being contented with small profit. Now,
with the country full of all needed products, |
and money at a low rate Of interest, and |
with all the improvements in railroads for !
shipping, and manufactures for making, |
how is it that aour, beef and pork are sold |
at such enormous pricesa Ipredict it will |
not be long before the oppressed will de- |
mand Of those who govern this country an |
answer for this state OF affairs. This talk |
about freedom, and the homo of the brave,
and the stars and stripes, will not buy bread |
for poor mans child. Let the government /
be SO administered that the burdcns will fall |
equally on all, then all will prosper, and
not I'LL then, EQuNITY.