The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-09-21
Current Events.

The democratic state convention OF low
was held on Wednesday last at Sioux City
and was a large and enthusiastic gather
ing. Horace Boies was nominated 10
Governor. He Is lawyer, but has larg'
landed Interests In the state and being
practical farmer, familiar with every de
tail of that business, he knows, as we'll a
any man can, the burdens that are piled OF
that class by Iowa and national laws, Tn,
platform adopted endorses the st Louis
platform; favors the Australian ballot sys
TEN; favors state and national control o.
railways aud other corporations; demands
liquor license law; condemns the phar
macy law; favors liberal pensions but de
nounces as ian insult 10 every brave sol
dier and making the pension roll roll OF
dishonor the decision of the present admin
istration that the dishonorable discharge
of a soldier from the service OF the L. 5
is no bar 10 a pension" On the tariff
question the resolutions say We renew
our opposition TO the unconstitutional poll
cy of high tariff taxation, which robs the
many to enrich the few, lays Its heavies,
burdens on the farmer, the mechanic and
the day laborer, gives no return through
any channel to those whom II daily robs
and fosters trusts, which are the legitimate
results of our present tariff system, and We
denounce the falicy Of the republican state
platform of Iowa that high tariff is or
can be any protection to the farmer"
The mining troubles, while settled at
Streator and BraidwOod, are still In BAD
shape at La Sale and Spring Valley. Al
the latter place all effort at settlement
would seem to have been abandoned since
the miners refusal of SCOTS effer At La
Sail there are I, 100 miners out; and as the
business men of the place have given them
accommodations TO very large amount In
the aggregate, they are very anxious for a
settlement. The sticking point there Is
the amount of brushing. The effort of
the merchants was 70 secure compromise
on that point and succeeded In getting the
operators TO yield One.half the amount of
this work claimed. On Wednesday mass
meeting of miners was held which was
attended by $50 of the men, who rejected
all propositions save the TIC reduction la
In wages. This announcement, however,
was not satisfactory 10 ALL and These asked
a postponement OF final action until yester'
day afternoon In the hope Of getting out u
full vote of the miners Of the town. The
most that can be done for them appears 10
have been done; and the operators will
accept the merchants compromise plan.
And II isisnnOuncsd that IL the men do not
accept this scheme at once, so that the
mines can make their contracts for the sea-
son the mines will have to be closed and
the merchants will refuse further credits 20
the men. The situation a: Spring Valley Is
daily becoming more and more desperate
The number of sick and starving Is rapidly
increasing.
There is no ring of manufacturers
more amply protected than the wool crowd,
the tax on the goods ranging from 81 81 per
cent to 0l.63 per cent, while on woods II
runs from I0c. pound to 3jc a pound and
40 per cent ad valorem. Yet neither side
Of the ring is ever satisfied and both are
always bowling fo- more; and they never
get together 10 "fix up tariff" that they
do not fight over 1t. The meeting In Bos,
ton this week of the National Association
of Manufacturers was fight as usual
Some of the carpet men favored free wool,
others of the delegates wanted 40 per
cent al valOrem duty. Others favored
raising the duty on cloth, The opinions
were 50 diversified that II was found neces-
sary TO throw the burden of solving the
difficulties on the shoulders of q committee,
who should unite with the wool growers
Resolutions were drawn up, but the fight
was so heated that nothing could be adopt
ed. The action Of the conference Is
claimed to be big victory for the wool
growers, who have again prevented the
manufacturers from taking radical ground
In favor Of free wool. Aud yet large
proportion of the manufacturers favor free
wool as the only salvation for their bust
ness. They insist that the duty on goods
has not kept up with the duty on wool, and
consequently their business is going to the
dogs, and If they can't get free wool, they
want the duty on cloths raised 20 per cent
TO correspond. As a contemporary puts 1t:
AFTER quarter of century of protec>
ton, ranging from 40 to over 30 per cen!
and averaging over GS per cent, the cheap
ening effect of the tariff Is so far micro
scopic. On the contrary, the maDufactur-
ers ask for 20 per cent more protection, for
the reason that wool, their raw material,
also protected by duties ranging from 25 to
over GO per cent, has not been sufficiently
cheapened to enable them to proftably use
It,"
Congress, as now seems probable may
not be called Ia extra session. The matter
was discussed In cabinet recently, and
Mr.. Blaine advised going slow" In the
hope that the slender majority of republi-
cans may through death, NC, be increased
by delaying the sessions opening until
December. This view the cabinet adopted.
Five or six congressman are to be elected,
-four of whom are republicans and the
Others democrats, making the relative posi-.
lions Of the two parties lGS to 1872, 0GG a
quorum) which, through small advantage
only, is some better than l64 to 1853, as the
house now stands, with 1913 necessary for
quorum.
A statement prepared at the Pension
Bureau shows that on June 30, 1885. there
were 345, l25 pensioners on the rolls; June
30, 1880, 4S9 754-an increase of 14iS00. |
For the fiscal year ended June &c. 1888
the appropriations for pensions were $7G.-
3S6,s46 and the payments $64 ,912, S4S For
the year ending June 3d. 1880, the appro-
priations were $S0,473, 900 and the pay
ments $SS,275,1l3. For the current year
ending June 30. 1890, the appropriations
are the same-$0,473,000
During the last three months 30, 436 pat
ents were Issued by the General Land Of