Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-09
Consul 'Iie-au- /"

In his report on the trade of Texas for the
past year. Mr.. Lyall. Consul at Galveston.
shows how the high tariff ofthe United States
affects the cost of living of the working
classes. The expenses of q workingman
with wife and six children, or of a small
farmer with the same family, will be, he
says. for the first year, at the most reason
able estimate, $500, or about ESQ. OF this
he pays about ECO to aid the protected
manufacturers. He paws so per cent. on
per cent on motions" IS per cent on shoes,
25 per cent on leather, 60 Per cent on shoes.
cninaware and IS per cent on cutlery-cr on
the average about 10 per cent taxes on
actual reeessaries. The American workman
earns higher wages than the European, but
he has to pay about twice as much for every
thing he purchases, and gets fewer and in
ferior articles for his money. Clothing is
more than twice as dear in London and
the alleged cheapness of provisions il the
United States sis an entire fiction" In the
towns. especially in the Southern States. the
cost of living in double or treble what it is in
Europe. Country people live cheaper be-
| cause they live on their own produce, and
buy nothing except -four, tobacco, sugar and
coffee. In consequence of the tariff they
cannot ford to buy decent clothing, and are
almost TO man ragged and meanly dressed.
London Times, March. Is. 1883.
Lie /, His expenses under such conditions
need not be over $500.
| Lie 2. He need not pay 81 for this pur-
pose unless he bought imported broadcloths
and imported silks, etc.
Lie 3. He does not pay eighty per cent on
his wooden clothing, because ready made
wooden clothing is as cheap here as it is in
England.
! Lie 4. He does not pay thirty five per cent
on his cotton goods, because all manufac-
lures of cotton of general consumption are
| cheaper here and better than in England.
| Lie 5, 6 and /. Notions and hose are as
cheap and leather goods are cheaper here
than in England. The reference to china is
a partial lie. American ware is not sixty per
cent higher than the same quality of imported
ware.
| Lie s. American cutlery is sold in Shelf
field in competition with English. The sta
tistics of expectation show this. How can it.
therefore, be forty five per cent higher?
| Lie 8. The cost of living here is not twice
as high as it is in England Official statistics
show that it is only seventeen per cent high
err wages, however, are double.
| Lie 10. Ready made clothing and all gar
ments used by the masses of the people, in
Guiding blankets, are as cheap in New York
as in London, and the Press will face all the
liars, including Consul Le-all, on this ques-
ton with the facts and the clothing.
| Lie IL. Food is cheaper here than in
England including tea and coffee, which are
both taxed in England and on the free list
here. Tobacco is taxed l,200 per cent in
England
Lie II. The children of the American
wage earners are better dressed, better fed,
and have "A better chance to get along in this
world than the miserable offspring of the
slaves of cheapuess in the east end of London.
whose weekly earnings, according to an off
cial report recently made to the House OF
Lords, in busy times with full work amount
to 81 So per week. And far better of than
the children of the wage Garner in the indus
trial towns of the United kingdom.-N \.
Press