Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-10-29
CLEYELAND'S ENGLISH BLANKETS
FOR OUR ARMY ARRIVE.
PatrOniZing the English Market and
Giving American Factories and
Workingmen a Black Eye.

in the fore ground.
His review, therefore, of the Democratic
| ranks at New York was mere accident
that occurred while he was down there see
ing that the English contractors did not
pa M off any third-rate blankets upon the
American soldiery. in which he takes a
| lively interest. He also wanted to be sure
| that no duty was collected On them from
Uncle Sam, because if there was, to use a
| cockney expression, the expected saving
from giving American manufacturers the
go-by and purchasing in England, would
be all Knocked into a cooked hat, YOU
know"
Mention has before been made of this
purchase but the saving made to the
United States Treasury, when the existing
''surplus " is actually necessary for politi-
cal pressure in free-trade campaign. even
if it does take bread from the mouths OF
American workmen and give it to English
| operatives deserves more than passing
| notice. In the present instance Cleveland's
Administration saved in the neighborhood
| of 5000 by purchasing a cargo of blankets
in England.
1t is true there would have been little OF
no saving if the regular tariff which is
imposed to protect American workmen
and American manufactures, had been
paid by the Government, as it was the i'm
porting party, but it was not paid, and the
Administration thus made the saving
and the American factories and workmen
got left
1t is true that ii the same method OF
economy is practiced, by the Administra-
ton importing other supplies from Eng
land, and not paying any duty, a similar
saving can probably be made upon all az
ticles needed by the Government. And
there is no reason why this practical ex.
ample of " free trade" in English blankets,
made by Mr.. Cleveland, should not be ap-
piled by him, if reelected, to any and all
supplies needed by the Government This
will have the double effect of reducing
the surplus" and at the same time reducing
the number of American factories and
American workmen.
1t is true that Mr.. Cleveland calls the
money saved upon English blankets, and
upon convict made army wagons, together
with other funds in the United State
Treasury, " dangerous surplus" but the
workmen and manufacturers of the coun-
try are carefully observing that the Presi-
dent is taking mighty good care that the
dangerous surplus does not get reduced
by complying with the law and purchas-
ing bonds with it, until after the danger "
cry is no longer needed under exigencies Of
free trade campaign.
In connection with the mention of the
new army blankets, the thought will
naturally suggest itself that they have
fortunately reached the American port lust
in time SO that another saving can be made
upon them. The fourteen hunured new
army wagons which Mr.. Cleveland's Adj
ministration has just purchased from a
Tennessee factory, where the work was
done by convict labor at 25 cents day, are
about to be send to the frontier, and Mr..
Cleveland can just have the Blankets put
into these wagons and save the cost of ship
ping them By rail.
The New York Press, speaking of the ar
rival of the blankets, says:
The English steamer Aurania, owned by
the English Cunard Steamship Company.
landed at this port Sunday last with ten
bales of English blankets. The steamers
manifest, now Oh file in the Custom-h house
shows that these blankets are intended for
use in the United States army and marine
hospitals. They are delivered here for the
account of Surgeon GeneralJ. 3. Hamilton.
of the United States Marine Hospital at
Washington, and during the winter of
1S88-S9 American sailors will be kept warm
by blankets made by English labor which
their Government has seen fit to employ at
the expense of American manufacturers
and American laborers. The purchase of
these goods is directly under the authority
of the War Department, and Secretary EGn-
dicott, honorary member of the Golden
Club, will doubtless show the public now
economical and saving he has been in the
expenditure of his appropriations, when
his reports are made out.
gentleman who is thoroughly familiar
with the in side workings of the depart
ment IN respect TO the purchases from Eng
land-for he has been in the business him.
self, and made money out of it-gave a re-
porter of the Press full history OF the Ad-
ministrations' neat scheme to save money
and patronize English pauper or convict
labor at the same time, yesterday, and
fully exposed the hostility of the Admins
tration to the protected industries of our
own land. " 1t is a perfect ring thar man.
ages this business said tie gentleman re.
ferred to. These goods are nearly all of
them made BY convict labor in England,
and cost the contractor who furnishes them
to our Government practically nothing
Examine the manifest and you will find
the consignor of the goods to be stated as
the Cunard Steamship Company. The whole
affair is worked with compile understand
ing on both sides of the water, and the
Cunard company is not getting any poorer
because OF its share in the traffic. The
War Department advertises for supplies
Bids are TO be submitted at so much duty
on and so much duty free. These goods
being for the use of the Government can
come in duty free.
The contractor in Washington who
manages the Washington end of the rings
affairs puts in bid that no one can COM
pete with. The duty on blankets is 40 per
cent, and this the Government saves by
buying from England and bringing the
goods in duty free. The contractor makes
bid lower even than the mere taking of
of the duty would allow, because he en-
ploys convict labor to make his blankets,
and Secretary Endicott is thus enabled 20
tell the people ne has made an appropria-
ton go twice as far as did his Republican
predecessors who employed home industry.
This thing has been going on in the War
Department for over two years.