The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-09-02

strucuon of locomotive, seven to the var
nish on the cab" was subject to a protec-
tive duty. Now the fact Is that almost cv-
erYthing which enters into the construction
of American locomotives is OF American pro-
duction. Not drop of imported varnish is
used. On the contrary varnish of Ameri-
can manufacture is exported to England and
sold in large quantities in competition with
varnish of English manufacture.
Now, as to steel rails. Gen. Anderson buys
in this country to-day at from $2S to $50 per
ton rails that are produced wholly in this
country. Before the manufacture of steel
rails in this country was encouraged, a few
years ago, Gen. Anderson would have had
to pay from $95 to $3.50 per ton for the same
thing. If this article were not manufac
tured in this country now is there any reason
to suppose that Gen. Anderson would get
rails any cheaper than that to-day? Cast
steel springs of even better quality are now
produced and sold in this country for one
quarter less than they cost in 1865. The fact
is the protective tariff has indirectly been the
means of cheapening all these articles by
stimulating American inventive genius,
bringing machinery to the aid ofmen's hands,
and encouraging competition for the home
market. The number of days labor which
now enters into the construction of a loco
motive is not much more than half as large as
twenty years ago. The protective tariff has
given the American mechanic motive to use
his brains as well as hiB hands and the result
is that he has succeeded in the manufacture
OF many articles in beating the English man
ufacturer, notwithstanding the latter paws
less price for the labor which he EMPLOYS.
Now in regard to the pay of the mechanic
and laborer. Among the gentlemen who
sat on the platform and applauded Gen. An
derson's remarks was Mr.. Sumner Bar
bonr. We have before US the pay roll of the
engine drivers, fremen, machinists, &C.,
employed in the motive power department
of the Portland District of the Grand Trunk
railway under date of Oct. 81, 1853. On
that pay roll the name of Mr.. Sumner Bar
bour appears. Mr.. Barbour seemed to think
on Saturday night that he would like to have
those good old Democratic times back again.
Perhaps after we refresh Mr.. Barbours rec
objection little he will be of different
mind. First on the list appear engine driv-
ers. Thirteen of them receive $50 month,
three $40 and two $50. To-day engine driv-
ers on the Portland District of the Grand
Trunk receive from $7S to $117 per month.
In 1858 firemen on the Portland district of
the Grand Trunk received $50 month. To-
day they receive from SAG to $51 per month.
Mr.. Sumner Barbour then received fifty
cents day. Now we venture to say he re-
ceives from So to 81 day. The protective
tariff hasn't hurt him much apparently. An
inspection of the pay roll throughout shows
that in every department of labor the wages
now average from 20 to 40 per cent. higher
than in 1858.
But Gen. Anderson would contend un-
doubtedly that the difference is more than
made up in the increased cost of living. We
had the curiosity to compare yesterday the
wholesale price current as published in the
Argus in 1858, with the wholesale price cur
rent published in the Argus of last week.
The price current of 1858 embraces much
smaller number of articles than the one of
the present day, but it includes considera-
BILE number of the articles of general
consumption. Coal in 1858 cost $3.50 ton.
To-day it is quoted at from SIS so to $500.
The best grade of -four in 1858 cost 1925 to
1915 per barrel. To-day the best Minneso-
ia patent flour is quoted at the same figures.
Rio coffee in the Argus price current of 1853
is quoted at from II to Is cents. To-day it
is quoted at from 10 to III Tea in 1853
cost from so to GU cents per pound. To-day
the fancy brands are quoted at from 45 to So
cents. In 1853 the highest priced sugar was
quoted at 81. To-day granulated sugar is
quoted at 81 cents. Eggs, potatoes, apples,
and in fact all country produce were as high
In 1858 as to-day. Butter, which men
growl about so much nowadays, was as
high in 1858 as to-day. Corn and oats are
very much lower to-day than thirty years
ago. There has been an increase in the
price of beef, but it is small when compared
with the increase of wages, as shown above,
and is in nowise attributable to the tariff.
We have no doubt that investigation will
demonstrate that the price of almost every
thing man is dressed in, fem the hat on
his head to the boots on his feet, is as
cheap, if NOT cheaper, than in the "good old
Democratic times of 1853" The fact is, and
it can't be winked out of sight, that the con-
dition OF both the skilled mechanic and the
unskilled laborer has constantly improved
since the ''good old Democratic times of
1853" Both earn more money than they
did thirty years ago, and have more left over
at the end of the year, Notwithstanding the
fact that they live, as rule, much less Geo.
nomically. We do not contend that this is
entirely due to the operation of protective
tariff, but we do contend that to large ex-
tent such is the case.