The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-10-26
A PLAIN TARIFF LESSON.
| The Difference Between tho Condition Of
Workingmen Here md Abroad.

Workingmen Here md Abroad.
One day, a year ago, saw an intelligent
mechanic planning piece of iron in Bel
gian machine shop. He was very skilled
workman. and received eighty cents per
day. high price for q mechanic on tho
continent. When | told him that our
mechanics received from two to three dol
lars per day for the same work, he seemed
surprised and said:
"And provisions are cheaper in America
and could live cheaper there than here?"
"How do you know thatg" | asked.
because" said he, Il buy American
bacon and American -four here in Brus-
sells. American bacon Is penny pound
cheaper hero than our bacon, and then
your provisions have to be brought here
Fresh pork is sold for Is cents por pound
at the market here, while can buy your
American bacon for II cents. could live
on less money in America than | can
here. know could make dollar go
farther there where pork and flour is
cheap than here in Belgium, provided l
ate no moro there than here"
YES" | said, ''you could live there
cheaper than here if you ate the same
things, but you would not do it. Now
what do you eat hereY"
"Well, sir" lie said. as he placed his
left hand on his brow thoughtfully, Il
have five children-seven mouths to feed
Now | buy seven pounds of American
bacon week. besides American flour
Ny wife cuts this bacon into seven pieces.
She hashes it up, puts in potatoes.
mangel wurzcls, turnips and sits in
some flour, and it makes nice stew. We
eat this stow three times day"
"Do you have co1fec?"
'Oh, no; we can't afford that"
"Pies and cakcs?"
You are jolling!'
"Do you have buttcr?"
ooh, no; we have plain bread. That's
ALL"
told this merchant that III slave times
in America seven slaves would have re-
ceived three and one-half pounds of bacon
each, or twenty four and one-half pounds
for the seven.
"And my family of seven frcemcn only
eat seven poundsl' he exclaimed
THAT is it," | said.
"And seven soldiers in the American
army draw twenty eight pounds of pork
u week to our seven.
But" | continued, "our American
mechanics who get two and three dollars
q day because of our protective tariff
often say that dollar will go farther in
Europe imam III America.
1--WE do make it go farther" said the
mechanic, as his Dyes moistened, "but we
starvc ourselves TO do it, The question
with us is not how to make or save money,
but shall wc always have enough to cat?
Shall we never starvc?"
at is cold, see, | continued. "and do
you wear no WOODEN coatY"
'Woolen coatp he exclaimed. "You
are joking again; WOODEN coat" he re-
peated half musingly. "NVoolcn coat?
Why gentlemen wear them in Belgium
and France. not worllingmen. Working
men wear cotton blouses. If l should
wear wooden coat tho other workmen
would laugh ut me. We do make q dollar
go farther in Europe than in America,
surely. and we do it by scrimping in
and food"
When | got homo to America went into
q mechanics boarding house in Fort Plain.
Tho men were dressed n wooden coats like
gentlemen in Brussels. Their wages were
So 80 per day instead of eighty cents. The
table groaned with roast beef, boiled |
chicken, white bread, coffee, butter and
cake. 1t was dinner for n prince In |
Belgium. No one asked, "Shall we always
have food or shall we never actually |
They talked about buying |
ttONoSo' small pun S~OO III ClC JULIA
this year" said one. Another wore |
diamond in his scarf. All had watches,
and many lighted cigars after tho meal
that cost moro than the poor Belgians
whole meal, and then remaTkcd
They say dollar goes further in
Europe where they have free trade and
low wages than it does here where we
have protective tariff and high wages"
j noticed ono handsome mechanic didn't
Eat at all He looked at the chicken,
clawed over the pic and finally slipped his
coffee and said:
"l'vc got dyspepsia, boys. Too many
fried oysters last night. I'm off my feed.
guess III tGko some Apollnaris water
ma then smoke"
yes" | thought, "a dollar does go
lrthor in Europe than in America, for
ho price Of that Apollinaris water and
,lgar would have gone whole day in
5elgium with tho big family of poor
whose labor is unprotected. Tho
status Of tho Belgium mechanic results
rom 200 years of free trade. The status
# tho American mechanic results from
orty years Of protection.
Workmen. when you vote think OF this.
New York Mail and Express.