Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-07-14
for 1S47 and 1860 and compare them win
the average value in 1880 and 1880, We
have the following result:

looO.s...-l
This shows decrease in the price OF
raw cotton of only y cent per pound, whhle
the manufactured cotton. such as sheetihgs'
shirtings, print and print cloths had de-
clined from 10 to 40 per cent.
Bleached sheetings had declined S%
cents per yard,
Standard prints or calico had declined
cents per yard.
Print clothes nearly 9 cents per yard un-
der the high tariff of 1861, or, In other
words. these goods were and are now sell
ing at from to 4 cents per yard less than
the same quality sold at under the low tariff
Of 1s46.
Please remember that these figures are
taken from the official report Of the govern
ment.
This shows cenclusively the result OF the
low tariff OF 1s48 as compared with the
high tariff of 1851. Cotton cloths from 10
| to 40 per cent. cheaper, and yet our Tree
| trade friends are not satisfied. but Will
probably 90 on forever telling yOn OF the
| 'scruel and remorseiess tariff of 1851"
when, as fact, you can buy better cotton
goods and at as low prices as In free
Trade England
In proof of this, let me say to you that
| for the past few years we have been ship
ping millions of yards of cotton goods to
| England. They can be found on sale In
| Liverpool, Manchester. London and other
English cities.
We have now shown what the value OF
manufactured cotton goods was under the
low tariff of 1s46 as compared with the
high tariff Of 1861.
If we examine our woolen manufactures
similar result will be found. Especially
will this be the case in such woolen goods
Ms are used by the great body of the people.
Coarse woolen clothes that were worth
81. so per yard previous to 1861, can now be
bought for 81 to S1.25. Good, substantial
cassimeres that were worth 81 per yard are
now sold at so to S5 cents. Jeans that
averaged SO cents per yard from 1850 to
1860, can now be had at 40 to As cents.
The leading member of perhaps the
largest wholesale house in America, says
that the ordinary cotton and woolen goods
are selling at lower prices than in England.
| Mr.. SchOenhof, q free trader appointed
by the present administration as consul to
Turnstall, England. writes to the state de-
partment at Washington as follows: $50
far as clothing and dry goods in general
are concerned. find that cotton goods are
fully as cheap In the United States as here.
Shirtings and sheetings, II ANYTHING are
superior In quality, for the same money,
with us. So far as l can judge from the
articles exposed for sale i'm the retail stores,
articles of underwear for wOmea, made Of
muslin, are far superior In workmanship
and finish and cheaper in prices In the
United States. Nor can find that mems
shirts when chiefly of cotton, are cheaper
here. OF boots and shoes, if factory
made, the same may be said"
In further proof OF the low price Of
wOoIen goods, will relate an instance that
occurred in New York at one of the sessions
of the tariff commission In 1882.
Some gentlemen present were deploring
the high price of clothing. when gentle-
man from Pennsylvania arose and said:
If am here as standing Illustration that
the statements made by these gentlemen
are not true. 1 have on suit of clothes
that have worn in Europe, Asia, Africa,
and America for the past nine months. and
the suit only cost me s15 in New York. +"
But this was In 1882. In 1883 they are
still cheaper.
Look at the daily papers of our own city
and you will sec all-wool suits, warranted,
advertised to be sold for $40.
You may take the average price OF ready
made clothing today, and it is fully so per
cent. cheaper than in 1850, and all classes
of domestic dress goods are quite as much
reduced In price.
These facts are within the knowledge OF
any of you gentlemen who purchased goods
previous to 1860, and when you are told
that you are paying so cent. more for your
clothing than you ought, because Of the
high tariff of 1861, you know il is not true,
and yet Mr.. Thomas makes the statement
that you are paying so per cent. too much.
II you are paying 1t, then instead of pay
ing $40 you should only pay s5 for suit,
and il you only paid SIS what kind of a
! living do you suppose the farmer would
make who grew the wool, OF the workmen
who spun and dyed the yarn and wove the
CLOTH. or he who cut and made the suit?
Let me say that when 1t Is an accom-
plished fact that you can buy q good suit OF
wooden clothing for So you have accom-
plished another result-a result that is far
reaching and fatal to the homes of eve ~
labOrlng man and woman OF our country
you have reduced the wages one half thai
you may be able to buy your clothing al
half its value-and this is free trade.
Think Of it, my fellow-citzens! II you
like It, and think IT good thing, then vote
for free trade This Is the result of compe
tition with the world-competition with
half paid labor OF Europe-labor that eats
meat once q week, once o month, or none
: at all
believe In different the0ry-in another
kind of political economy. believe in tht
economy of prOtectiOn-s0mething thai
will put UP rather than pull down the value
of labor. Home competition is quite suffi
Client to reduce prices
would like to ask my friend Thomas II
he has found any competition in the manu-
facture of hay rakes. an article he ha:
manufactured largely for some years. They
are first class article, as good, il not the
best, on the market. l would ask him,
what are the prices OF rakes today, com
pared with the prices received five years
since. III he answered the question, i
would be that prices are fully 25 to 3S pei
cent lower.
My opinion is that he has found homt
competition quite sufficient.
The next point in his second conclusion
is:
That the tariff OF 1861 Is responsible fo
,, the burdens under which the farming In
terests are going down."
Now deny the correctness of this state
ment. l deny that the farming interest,
are going down because OF the tariff O
.. 1861, and further deny that they Gr,
, going dOlca at all.
There are times In the life of ever,
nation when some one industry, or per
, haps many industries, are not prosperous
and these industries are so closely con
nected with others that when any one j.
. depressed, it affects the prosperity of all.
!. A failure OF crops would not only depres
the farming interests, but would also affsc
every other industry in the country. W,
would hear the cry of ''hard times" no
only from the farmers, but from every mil
and mine, every machine shop and factor.
in the country.
: A monetary panic may be equally disas
ferrous, as was seen in the panic of 1856
when almost every bank in the countr,