The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-10-31
than those of protected" labor in Can
ada and in the United States:
eWith board


These figures are taken from the re
port of Secy. Frelinghuysen in 1884, ex-
cept those as to railroad men and farm
laborers in the United States, which are
from the Hon. John NJ. Buffers compsri-
son OF the wages of England and the
United States.
The common idea of Canadian labor is
based on what is known OF certain classes
OF French Canadians, especially those who
have been brought to this country by
capitalists engaged in certain protected in
dustries. These people work for less
wages here than our workingmen, but
they work for less wages than other work
ingmen at home. The reason is that they
do less work. This race has never been
able to compete with American labor.
Our forefathers met it here in Indiana and
Illinois at the beginning of this century,
and 1T melted away before them" The
truth is that wages are nearly proportionate
to the work done throughout the civil
lied world. AS Mr.. Blaine said in 1881,
Undoubtedly the inequalities in the
wages of English and American opera
tives are more than equaized by the
greater efficiency of the latter and their
longer hours of labor" AS to Canada and
this country, there is no material differ
ence OF wages. If there were their work
ingmen would come here, for they can do
so with as little trouble as we 90 from In
diana TO Ohio or Illinois. If you think
there is pauper labor in Canada, and YOU
should ever visit Niagara Falls, go over to
the Canada side and take a ride with
pauper hack-driver. He will rid you of
that delusiUn before YOU get away from
him. Canada does not produce cheaper
than we do, and where the facilities for
transportation are equal, does not sell
cheaper than we do. Nothing need be
feared from her competition"
The only time when the farmers feel
the effect OF the tariff on farm products at
all is when there is a scarcity in this coun-
try, from drought or other cause, and we
are obliged to import to make up the def
cheney. Fortunately this is rare occur
renee, but when it does happen, the
farmer and every other person who buys
farm products has to pay the additional
price on the imported goods. Last spring a
number of the farmers of this region were
obliged to purchase feed for their stock.
The price went up, as will be remembered,
and at many points it was found difficult
to get oats at all.
The tariff on lumber may be considered
in this connection, for it has been claimed
that as the farmers own the timber this
duty is in their interest. If you will ex-
anime the dutiable and free list of the ex-
listing tariff YOU will find that they are so
arranged as to give no benefit TO any pro-
Queer of timber except producers OF pine
lumber. Fire-wood, railroad-ties, shingle-
bolts, stave-bolts, handle-bolts, logs, and
all .unmanufactured timber not specially
enumerated are on the free list, and there
is not one farmer in ten thousand who pro-
duces a cents worth of timber that does
not come within these free list specifca-
tons. The whole lumber list is cunningly
devised for the benefit of the great pine
lumber dealers of Michigan and Wisconsin.
These gentlemen have formed a lumber
trust, at the head OF which is
Gen. Alger, who was a prominent can
didate Tor the nomination for the presi-
dency at the late republican convention.
This trust controls all the pine lands of
those two states, and, as shown by the
lumber dealers OF Chicago to the tariff
commission, have advanced the price of
lumber 10 the highest notch. In 1878 it
averaged 1896 per thousand. On July 26,
1887, it ranged from SD to $40 per thou
sand for various grades. In the same pc
rod the wages OF their employees have
been reduced from $50 per month and
board to SIS per month and board. How
much more protection" of the same kind
do you think those workmen would like
to have?
The lumber trust isnot only fattened by
our tariff of g per thousand feet, but also
by the Canadian law which taxes every
man who cuts pine timberSl per thousand
feet. The trust, therefore, has an advantage
of 50 per thousand feet as against any pine
lumber brought from Canada, and every
man who uses pine lumber pays this
bounty to the lumber trust 1t is not sur
prising therefore, that Gen. Alger has
made SS,000,000 since the war, and is
accustomed to travel in his private palace
car in princely luxury. Why should he
not, when the people are foolish enough
to tax themselves for his benefit?
J. p. Dunn, JR.