Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-03-13

Now let us look further into this
question. They tell you that you
are oyertaxed by the duties impOs.
ed by our Protective tariff; they
tell you that the laboring men and
farmers Of this country are being
imposed upon and robbed by hay-
ing to pay more than they ought to
pay for the goods they have to buy.
Is this so? Is there any truth in
this charge?
Why, in answer just look at the
condition Of the laboring people Of
this country. They are, as ! have
told you, better clothed, better fed,
better housed, and better educat-
ed than any other people in the
world; and how could this be if
they wero being Oyertaxed and
robbed If it was true, how could
they live as they do? 1t is not true
my fellow.cihzens and | will tell
YOU some facts which probably may
astound you, but which give the
lie to all these assertions, yet ale
as true as the gospel itself.
To-day nine-tenths ofthc manu-
factured commodities used by our
farmers and laboring people either
in their houses, in their workshops
or on their farms, nine-tenths are
cheaper to-day in the United States
than they are in England. And in
proof let us look into the matter.
We exported during the fiscal year
ending in 1888 over one hundred
and thirty million yards Of cotton
goods /; Of these twenty-eight mil
lion eight hundred and filty-one
thousand yards went to England
And, in addition to this, we sent Of
other manufactured cotton goods to
England S33l,793 worth, as appears
by our trade reports issued by the
Government that year. Now, how
much is one hundred and thirty
millions Of yards of cotton goods,
do you know? If you will go to the
equator you will find that it will
wrap around the earth three times
and leave q large margin to spare.
When in England in the month
Of March last found our cotton
goods being sold in Liverpool, |
found them being sold in London,
aud | found them being in Man.
chester itself. And whilst in Italy
in the month Of December last, in
the city of Milan, my family want.
ed a few yards Of cotton goods, and
my wife and daughter went to one
OF the best stores in that city, and
found for sale there cotton goods
made in the United States. They
gave as a reason for keeping them
that they were better and cheaper
than they could get elsewhere. |
want to call your attention to the
fact Of how largely cotton goods
enter into domestic use in a family.
Cotton goods are used for the
underwear of yourself, your wife,
and your children
The sheets on which you sleep,
the ticking on your beds, the cur
tlins in your rooms, and it may be
| the tablocloths as we'll as the towels
you use, as also the calico dresses
you sometimes put upon the female
member ofyonr family, arc cheaper
here than they are in England.
That is not all. There is not a
single article of wood furniture
that is used about your houses but
what is cheaper to day in this
country than it is in England.
This includes your bedsteads, your
bureaus, your tables, your wash
stands, sofas, and chairs, as well
as wash-tubs, pals, trays, churns,
etc, about the house.
We sent to England during the
fiscal year ending in 1888 over
91l5, 900 worth ofedged tools. Why
did we send them Why did we
send our axes and our carpenters
and joiners' and other tools Z
Simply because they are cheaper
and better than theirs. The Ordi-
nary white crockeryware that is
used on our farmers tables is made
and sold in Trenton to.day-in my
own State cheaper than it is
made in England. will give you
the prices In the United States,
at Trenton, we sell plates at eighty
cents dozen in England the
same plates cost three shillings aud
nine pence, or ninety.onc cents in
our money.
The pressed glass that we make
and use here is cheaper in price
and better in quality than that
which is made in England. All
| the kitchen furniture, pots, pans,
and kettles, etc, are cheaper here
than they are there. We sent to
England during the fiscal year end
ing in 1888 S740,S3S worth of NOW
ers, reapers, plOws, and agricultur
al implements; S22l,51O worth Of