The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-10-18

C0mmonOeO " Oayy Cun now Oo nireu
upon any street-corner for $780," OF
1900 plumbers, IL is said, one-half were
wholly unemployed OF batters, only
one-third were employed. A firm of
,umbrella-makers, which had employed
900 men the previous year, only en-
ployed 40. The drygoods wholesale
trade had fallen off 80 per cent. from
that OF the previous year. The Evening
Post announced the closing of the last
American factory engaged in making
broadcloth, and that the industry had
come to an end. On December 30th,
the columns Of the Tribune we're filed
with accounts OF the opening Of free
soup houses, to prevent general starva-
ton in every word Of New York, in
Brooklyn, in Williamsburg, and in Jer-
sey City.
Almost daily professions OF the suffer.
ing ones formed on Astor Place and
marched down Broadway, from 5000 to
10000 in number. The writer saw them.
They filed past the City Hall, bearing
rude rag banners on which were inscrib-
ed, 1--WE are starving. We don't mean
blood, but we must have bread, )" ETC., etc.
We saw, too, the long, winding lines Of
laboring men and women gathered In
front OF the numerous free.soup houses,
waiting for their turn at the soup. One
Of the city missions gave away free-food
tickets to the poor, which had been paid
for by those having means. But in spite
OF the utmost exertions of all charitable
committees and OF individual efforts,
starvations and deaths from hunger
were reported in January, February and
March, 1855, as the daily journals now
report yellow fever.
Only few weeks ago the writer met a
lady, now wealthy, who was at that fear
full time striving to support family Of
three little children by coloring fashion.
plates for an illustrated magazine. By
her utmost exertions during her entire
waking hours she could barely earn So
per week. Allher little salable trinkets
as well as clothing had been sold for
food. For months her little family,
huddled in one room, without meat,
milk or vegetables, were drawing nearer
to the point where there would be but
one loaf Of bread as their store. At last
that fearful moment came. And with 1t
came rap at the door, and working.
man who declared that his family we're
dying that they could not keep the
free.soup ON their stomachs, and he beg.
! ged for bread. The lady said: "This Ia
} my last loaf, have not penny left,
and have three children to teed. But
II you say your family is actually starv.
ing, I will divide with you" She cut II
evenly in two, and gave the visitor half,
leaving the other half on the table. He
grasped 1t tremblingly, and began, while
biting into it voraciously, to weep and
mutter his thanks. Oppressed by hi'
G apparent excess Of emotion, the lady
thought to relieve his embarrassment by
: turning away to the window. Instant
ly, with . wild yell, the starving man
shrieked: "God help you'll I mus'
have it all" Turning, she saw him
seize the other half and flee into the
street. He was bearing it away to hii
family. Scenes like these were Of con
, slant occurrence. About twenty year.
later, in the protective period that fol
. lowed, that same lady had accumulated
a fortune OF $50, 900 in female industry
, And yet the free.traders Of to-day nevel
1 tire OF reiterating the monstrous false
!. hood that the period from ls47 to lse(
i was one of prosperity and comfort Il
American labor. In fact, politics became
: pauper-feeding. Politicians got or los
. control Of New York accordingly as the!
!. showed or failed to show that they hat
: converted the whole city treasury into
, pauper.sustaining fund by unlimitet
: largesses in the form either Of free foot
q to the suffering or enormous contract
. for whatever premature but plausibl.
: justifisble improvement could be mad
!, a means Of employing the starving.
!. 1t is to be hoped that the misstate
r ments that are being made about tn
70 Mills Bill will not deceive the people
's The story that it effects reduction onl
o of duties that now stand at AZ per cent
n 80 that they will stand at Al per cent.
Q monstrous and fraudulent imposition
!. " That assumption is arrived at by omit
!, ting the 93 articles which the Mills Bill
places on the free list altogether from
;, the calculation ofthe reduction. On tn
/: same principle, il every duty on tn
q tariff list save one had been repealed
Il and that had been left unchanged,
u might be said there had been no redue
. ton in average rates Of duty! Yet tn
q result would be absolute free trade ex
y cept in the one article, which might bt
I" perchance, bananas!
A~nkko, fc1cohaol a. 4. ,