The Louisiana Democrat., 1890-10-22
TARIFF ROBBERY.
Confidential Republican Circular AZ .
Campaign Document.


Campaign Document.
A business circular lately issued by
Foster, Stevens s Cofhpany, Of Grand
Rapids, Mich, a firm which handles
moro hardware, cutlery, tin. silver.
plated goods and glass than any 9th er
house n its State, is one of the most Of
fective anti-tariff and antitrust carn=
paign documents that could be prepared.
The house was established by the late
Wilder D. Foster, for many years Re.
publican member of Congress from
Michigan, and his Interests are still
held in his family. The circular is
therefore an entirely accidental contri-
button to Democratic campaign litera.
ture from strictly Republican sohrce.
The effect of the tariff-robbery
schemes of the party in power, and the
tras is which this party has fostered, is
evidenced in the confidential but half-
apologetic Introduction of Messrs. Eos.
| ter, Stevens & Co., which says:
| AS important and rather radical advances in
! prices of some articles in the hardware line are
| daily taking place, we wish to say few words
so you may more fully understand the situation
ana not think that the jobbet is overoharging
| YOU.
Crops have been poor. potatoes are
gold and mono to sell; wheat half
crop; corn all "hubbins' by reason OF
early FROST and still the tendency OF
prices in the household utensil trade Is
decidedly upward.
An unconscious turn is next taken at
the trusts in the hardware line:
There is now but one axe company in the
United States, and that is called the American
Axe & Tool Company, with headquarters at
Pittsburgh. This company has purchased out
right every axe factory In the country OF any
Importance and by thus controlling the pro-
Guction, have advanced prices on an average
of g dozen.
In this industry saws, hand and cross cut)
the s anne forces have been at work, and to
day there are but two companies who tnahu
facture hand-saws, where there We're dozen
four months ago Prices in this line OF goods
have been advanced from 10 to 40 per cent. In
eross-cuts it is the same. By consolidation
of interests prices have been advanced from
to cents q foot.
So much for the protected trusts, and
now for dutiable lead and the Repub.
lican silver billi
Every thing made Of lead has taken o decided
advance, owing to recent decisions on the ad-
mitttng of Mexican ore into this country, as
well as by combinations Of manufacturers.
Shot, lead pipe, pig-lcad, solder. babbit metal,
have all advanced, and may go still higher.
Tho passage OF the silver bill will also affect
all articles made Of or coated with silver. In
the hardware line plated knives and forks
spoons &c, will be affected and advances made.
The evils of the silver bill were never
so graphically set forth as in this evi-
dence of its practical workings in
extorting toll for the silver kings of
Colorado from every household in the
land. 1t is clearly an utterly pernicieus
and disgraceful measure of robbery and
outrage on the whole people.
Restraining indignation and excus.
able wrath, let us read on:
The present tariff on sheet tin Is cent .
pound and the Mckinley tariff bill, which no
doubt will pass both houses Of Congress- ed
vanccs the duty TO 22-l0 cents o pound. This
must ut course, advance tin from $l.25 to s3 a
box, according to the weight of said box. This
advance in sheet tin will affect all articles OF
tinware and advances will be made all along
the line.
Tin in New York mas already advanced from
10 cents to 81 box and is growing stronger
each day as the certainty of the passage Of the
Mckinley tariff bill becomes more assured
Not box of tin is made in this country, not
withstanding which tin has declined in price
from sl5 to Sl.l5 box during the past twenty.
five years.
In this way the genius for mischief OF
II, NIoEip1ou nrl tac 10 rnvon 1od
to the consumers of this tariff-ridden
land, the load taking the form of a bur-
densome tax saddled on the helpless
subjects of a coterie of office-holding
politicians and business monopolists.
After referring to the glass trust
the advertisers further defend the ad
vanced prices in their new catalogue
and close with the assertion that, not
withstanding the advance in goods,
there is hope that the limit is reached
since in no instance are the wholesale
firms (trusts) with which they deal pro
posing to consider any increase OF wages
to those engaged in the labor of work
ing the raw material into goods.
The circular, when read between the
lines, as every intelligent citizen who i!
posted on National legislation will reat
it. is forcible arraignment of the tar
iff policy of the Republican party and ;
rebuke to every man who has voted tt
sustain that party and its policy. 1r
none of the legislation of the Mckinley
class is the consumer or the working
man benefited, but, on the other hand
llclasses, except favored few who are
already wealthy, receive direct in
jury. The laborer works for the same
pay and, as a consumer along with al
the lines of citizenship, must pay the
increase demanded by Republican legis
lation and the protected trusts for al
the necessaries as we'll as the luxurie!
of life.
This confidential Republican circular
will no doubt enter largely into the tar
iff discussions of the fall campaign
We commend it to State committee!
and to Democratic workers everywhere
Chicago Globe.
A Lucid Explanation.
At dinner party given recently II
Washington by Representative Rober
Hit, of Illinois, Mr.. Langley, the So
licitor-General of Nova Scotia, inquired
of Congressman Roswell p. Flower, o
New York, in what way the Republican!