Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-20

Inc republican oratofs hau
rented their eloquence all over the coun-
Try over the fact that the American gov
srnment had let to the English govern.
ment the contract for furnishing the
United States army with blankets. In do
ing this, the American government had
not only complied with long established
practice of giving it to the lowest bidder,
but had complied with the provisions of
the law. But let us look into this blan-
ket Question little. said Gen. Lieb. The
blanke cts, such as the government has in
this particular instance purchased, re-
quire four pounds to the double blanket.
The British goods was awarded the con-
tract at the rate of $40. The low
est American bid was 1915. Now con-
slider the duty paid on the wool in grease
which is ten cents pound. 1t requires
four and a>half pounds of wool in the
grease to make pound of finished pro-
duct Consequently these four pound
blankets were charged at 81 70 tax, which
made the raw material cost $2.05. With>
out that tariff duty the American blanket
maker could have undersold the British
manufacturer $1,S5 and got the contract.
The same outrageous inequalities of
the tariff question might be applied to
other things and the same results shown.
1t might be discussed as it pertained to
business, right here in this community
Rock Island and Moline. The speaker
had understood that Mr.. Deere, OF Mo-
line, was going back on his record. He
or his agent had testified before the
tariff commission only few years ago
that but for the 80 per cent tariff his
plows would compete with the world.
Now he claimed if that tariff was taken
off all his laborers would be thrown out
of employment. There were more
strikes under the protected industries
than in the unprotected industries, as &C.
cording to official statistics there had been
1000 strikes under the protected system
as against seventy previous 10 its adop-
ton. He asked if there was laboring
man in the audience working in pro-
tected industry who could state the in>
stance where his employer had offered TO
| divide his benefits of the protective sys~
| TEN with him.
presentation of the tariff question
to the voters of the country, because
he believed the people had more sense
and good judgment than the politicians.
Last year England exported $500, 900. =
900 worth of manufactured goods, while
America exported So 900 900 worth. Last
year we imported S45 100000 worth oil
wooden goods. There was no necessity
for this. Instead of importing those
wooden goods we might have manufac,
tured them here and given employment
to proportionste increase in labor. We
could do this if our manufacturers could
have the raw materials free. As it i!
our ship yards are dead because of the A.
per cent on every nail and piece of iron
that goes into ship, Names hsrbol
was once filled with ships, now her navy
yards are dead because OF this exactinE
and unjust tax. In conclusion Gen
Lieb said he would be pleased to answe
any questions as to his position on tn
, tariff. and if any protectIonist was pres
ent and desired to ask any question O
him, he would be happy to answer 1t.
| He then spoke few moments to th
/ soldiers. He had spent FIVE years an
one month in the service and he though
, he could speak to the old soldiers in
= fraternal spirit He urged them not
D put much confidence in the self.avowe
s old soldiers of today. 1t would be we
= to trace the war records of all those me
e who were for fighting the war over an
n if they conld be followed to the bait
:. field of the civil war. they would b
IS found behind tree. 1t was not tt
II province of good soldier to be col
= stantly telling about his conquests.
II any one ought to be dissatisfied it shou
II be those in the south who got whippe
e and yet they were more satisfied that "
n He believed in keeping the bloody shi
o out OF politics. He was an old soldier
Is member of the Grand Army-and did NJ
l. believe that on the battle field he was ev
IS accused of running away. He ENJOY
70 the company OF the old soldiers, enjoy
in meeting with them and talking over W
at times, but he did not believe in paradil
d their deeds and accomplishments befo
re the public continually or in wearing
lie badge wherever he went to mark him
s. one Of the old soldiers of this cou
E. try. History and the Americ
d. people knew what the old soide
in had done for this country and it was 4
m necessary for the soldiers themselves
re be always talking of what they had dol
40 He made witty allusion to the talk
n some of the old soldiers about voting
en- they shot Those kind of soldiers a
on rule, had done no shooting at ALL 1t i
he time now to use brains instead of m,
on kets. Let us dismiss the dead issl
pit which are settled, and talk of that VIII
as concerns us at present. We have as
II portant question before US now as
he slavery question was when first agitatt
he, The emancipation issue has been {
zen posed of to the satisfaction of the Am
ere lean people, let US dispose of the tariff
AK like manner.
nd Speaking of political prospects. G
re- Lieb said that if his hearers had beer
he Freeport Wednesdad they could b
as formed an idea of how northern Hill
des was going, and he believed the s,
the would be true of all other section
and Illinois. He believed the entire s.
rid would go democratic this
the There had been registered 125, 600 v,
or in Chicago for the forthcoming G
BON ton, and the democrats need have
fell fears as to getting their share of ii