The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-03-15

Editor FREE TRADER we lnt
Congressional tariff-trust members OF
the u. S. Senate. through our western
agents, Cullom and Allison, have I'M
mercifully taxed the laboring classes
and farmers in Illinois and Iowa, by
the high rates of tariff we have put
upon necessities, without those labor
rs and grangers hardly making a kick,
because their senators voted with Us
| to benefit our masters, the protected
manufacturers, national bankers,
members OF private trusts, in fact, all
people of wealth, by the low rates OF
tariff upon luXuries art works,
painting and sculpture, 30 per cent
furs, 20 per cent f; champagne, AZ pei
cent ostrich feathers, % per cent
jewelry and all manufactures of gold
and silver, % to % per cent; glass, cut,
engraved or colored, 40 per cent;
oranges, 20 per cent; laces, 30 per
cent: silks, 30 to 80 per cent; diamonds
and precious stones, 10 per cent, etc.
The wage workers and agrlcultur-
lists we have not neglected; oh, no.
We make them contribute nearly the
entire amount of taxes to carry on the
government, by the high rates of tar
itf upon wooden goods, averaging Is
per cent: sugar, 70 per cent; salt, 81
per cent: iron bars, beams, etc, 81 to
lO4 per cent; starch, 50 per cent; spir-
its distilled from grain and other
materials. BAT to 364 per cent; china
and crockery, So to 60 per cent: window
glass, sc to l3l per cent; rice, liz per
cent, etc.
Our masters have been enabled to
amass colossal fortunes through our
efforts in their behalf ever since the
war. We have abolished the taxes on
incomes, stamps upon deeds, bank
checks, etc.
We voted the peoples lands away to
railroad corporations.
We pocketed 100000 and enabled
the stockholders Of the Pacific rail-
roads to swindle the people out of
$50, OOO, 900 through the Credit MObilier
scheme.
We managed the Freedmen's Bureau
so that some of our masters became
immensely wealthy.
We came very near feeling remOrse
of conscience when we taxed those
malaria afflicted common people by
the high tariff on quinine, but as we
received large fees from the quinine
manufacturers, our consclences were
Gained
We have got the dead wood on the
riff-raff, the labOrers and tillers of the
soil.
We are as absolute as the English
House Of Lords.
For the majority in our exalted leg
islative assembly are composed or
gentlemen of wealth, who obtained
their seats by opening up their barrels,
and as the CrpSuses and those senators
who have dedicated their services to
our masters greatly Outnumber those
odd specimens Of humanity in our
midst. who are satisfied with what
the people pay them, that paltry $4,000
salary. we will kill any legislation
originating in the inferior House to
benefit the mere people by putting
them on an equality with our masters.
Cullom and Allison have served us
faithfully.
John Sherman threatened with
Wade Hampton to overthrow what
they denominated the conspiracy to
plumber the poor in order to enrich the
already opulent. We were compelled
to admit a few of Johns and Wade's
constituents to an almost equality
with our masters of the east, by the
rates OF AZ to 60 per cent upon raw
wool, and l12 per cent upon rice; SUI
gar also, roper cent.
Allison and the Illinois republican
senators voted for these rates, also for
the rates upon potatoes, 80 per cent;
hay, 20 per cent; barley, IL per cent:
beans and peas, 10 per cent.
How these western republican con-
pressmen do work for our masters and
ignore their own constituents.
T.. S. GIBBS, Lyons, La.