Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-11
BURLEIGH & FLYNT, Pubs,
Augusta, Maine.


The kennebcc journal wants to know II
the Argus favors placing sugar on the free
list Certainly when coal, salt. lumber, wool,
clothing. iron and other necessarics of life
are placed on that list But the Argus does
not believe in e1empting sugar alone or to-
bacco alone, from tariff or internal revenue
duty. It believes in an al-round reduction.
IL thinks that the tax on sugar Is no more
onerous than that on the houses in which
hire, the clothing VIC wear, the fuel We con
sumo, What does the Journal think p
Argus.
just "a we feared, the Argus ia not
squarely in favor OF making sugar free. 1t
ties the proposition OF abolishing the tariff
duty on this great article Of popular con
sumption, to other impracticable PROPOSE
lions, OF little practical utility, even il they
were realzable. The Argus Is for kind
OF "all-roundness" that results In nothing.
Cleveland, the Free Traders and the Argus
have been wildly rampant to reduce the
surplus To the extent of $1,000 900 per
annum, removing the burden from the
"necessaries OF life" Here il a plan very
simple. very practical, to reform for the
good OF all classes, to the extent of $50
100000 per annum, vet the Argus hangs
back, because this method of reducing the
surplus tends to protect american labor and
to shield American manufactures and
American wool from the assaults Of for
eign competition. The Argus wants cheap
iron, cheap clothing, cheap wool, and cheap
houses. So do We, just a. far as possible
without sacrcticing American labor, the
bone and sinew Of the land. Does not the
Argus we'll know that iron goods and
clothing are now nearly rs low as in for
eign lands Does not the Argus know
that almost the entire cost of every pound
of American iron and American wool is the
cost of the labor put into the same That
the cost of our houses ia almost entirely
what Is paid for the labor put into the
building OF them. The cost of the cellar,
the granite. the bricks, the lumber, the
nails, bolts, knobs, hinges, glass, painting,
Is chiefly the cost of the labor put into
their production. Would the Argus cut
down the wages of all these producers of
house material, and likewise reduce the
labor of the carpenters. masons, painters,
and plumbers, to the level of labor in
foreign countries so "a to get cheaper
housesy 1t would be very suicidal course
for the workmen who receive from 81 80
to $500 per day.to vote to reduce theirpay
to sl.0o to $3.50 per day for the sake Of
reducing his yearly clothing, at most, not
over $500 and probably none at all. So
Of the $50, 900 sheep which the farmers of
Maine own. Their value, and the income
from them is almost entirely the value of
the labor which the farmers put into their
raising. and these are the laborers whose
little ilocks Cleveland's message treats so
contcmptuously. Giving American labor
ers cheap sugar. cheap tea, cheap coffee.
in addition to the cheap -four and cheap
corn they now have. and they will realize
just what the Republicans are aiming
at-the Protection of American Labor,
American homes, American manufac-
turtles, American interests, against foreign
competition. thus realizing what Hamilton.
jefferson. Jackson, Clay, Seward, and the
msrtyred Lincoln, ardcntly desired, Civ
ing to the thirty-eight States and eight
Territories of this vast Republic the free
Interchange of the product of every eli
mate and every soil, broader and more
real Free Trade than enjoyed by the other
nations of the civilized world.