The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-11-15

ed by the bosses, and fail to understand
that the object of the present tariff laws is
TO build up powerful monopolies? The
i government gets little or no revenue from
the importation of blankets. For the year
! 1881 there was but $1,239.07 worth of
blankets imported, from which the govern
ment received hut ST. ,OS905 revenue.
1 That is to say, the present tariff on blank
| cts is a prohibitory tariff, affording no ben
| efits for the government, securing to the
weavers aothing more than fair day s
wages for fair days work, but putting
millions of dollars into the pockets of the
| few proprietors, who grow fat on the guar
anty by the government of IS to "a per
| cent profit.
But the laborers who work in shops are
only a small proportion of the industrial
| classes as one in ten, in point of fact.
| How does the tariff affect the farmers,
who are unprotected? Let us quote from
| a speech delivered in the house on March
| Z, 1882, by Mr.. Turner. of Kentucky
Under this tariff, /" he says, 'the farmer
rises in the morning, puts on his common
flannel shirt, taxed 80 per cent; his coat
taxed 81 per cent; shoes taxed 80 per cent,
and hat taxed 90 per cent, takes the
water from a bucket taxed 30 per cent,
and washes his face and hands in tin
bowl taxed 80 per cent; dries them on a
cheap cotton fowl taxed 40 per cent. He
sits down to his humble meal and eats
from plate taxed so per cent, with a
knife and fork taxed 80 per cent, drinks
his coffee and sugar taxed IS per cent,
seasons his food with salt taxed 50 per
cent, and pepper taxed 81 per cent. He
looks around on his wife and children all
taxed in the same way, takes chew of
tobacco taxed f99 per cent, or lights
cigar taxed 116 per cent Even the sun
light that pours into his humble dwelling
N ust come through window glass taxed SO
per cent and yet he thinks he lives in the
freest government under heaven.
Then he starts to work. Puts a
Bride taxed 35 per cent
on his horse, and takes his horse that has
been shod-the nails used in shooting be-
ing taxed SO per cent, driven by a hammer
taxed 90 per cent-and bitches to pillow
taxed As per cent, with chains taxed So |
per cent; and after the days labor is clos
ed and his family are all gathered around, |
he reads a chapter from his Bible taxed |
25 per cent, and kneels to God on car
pet taxed 81 per cent; and then he rests |
his weary limbs on a sheet taxed 45 per |
cent. and covers himself with a blanket |
that has paid 104 per cent. Nor do these |
manufacturers stop here, but even |
the broom with which hislgood wife sweeps
the floor is taxed 80 per cent, and the
cooking vessels used in preparing her hus-
bands frugal meal are taxed AZ per cent,
and the soda used to tighten his bread is
taxed SO per cent. She sits down to her
sewing with needle taxed 25 per cent,
and spool of thread taxed IA per cent, to
make calico dress taxed So per cent? or If
she wishes to knit warm socks to protect
Ter husband and children from the cold,
The uses yarn taxed 1870 per cent; and thus
iaily and hourly must the hard earnings
IF the laborer 60 to satisfy the manufac-
urer and add to his i'll gotton wealth