Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-08-11
Calamity Platforms.


They Say Is 50.
boston Herald
To the Editor d the Herald
Reading in candid spirit the platform
of the sincere aud we'll meaning men and
women Of thu Peoples party who met tins
week At Omaha, am grieyed and surprised
at the picture of affairs therein portrayed.
Here are some 1900 philosophical dele
gates, with no Offices in prospect, con
yened at their own cost from every part
OF the country, adopting with enthusiasm
an lndic.ment against society aud govern
ment which, If true, would justify revolu-
ton aud bloodshed
Is this indictment true? Are the great
body of the American people in bondage
to capitalists? Are they the victims of a
financial conspiracy? Is the property of
the country becoming concentrated by leg
islation in the hands of plutocrats: Is Ia
Dor systematically defrauded and degrad
edI Is poverty becoming the rule? and
are rnin and starvation staring men in the
faceI
IL so. almost any change would be for
the better. and even a deprecated stand
ard of values by scaling down Indebted
ness might afford temporary relief.
! do not find around me any evidence of
such state of affairs. On the contrary,
uotwith standing all real or alleged griev
snces, know by my own observation and
experience, during lifetime of nearly 20
| years spent in active business, that labor
! in this country has never during that pc
Rod been SO well paid as 1t is now and
| here.
| Whatever NAV be the need of tariff re-
4 form or Of free coinage OF silver, or of
4 government loans TO individual borrowers
| at low rate OF interest, or Of national
| ownership and control of railroads, tele-
I graphs and telephones, the fact remains
/ that 50 years ago the average days wages
were less than half what they are to-day.
| speak from my own experience when, as a
| boy Of fourteen, in thriving western
4 city. WAS glad to earn 81 week. after
1 a mouth spent in seeking employment.
! From leJ6 10 the breaking out Of the civil
| war in 1851. under moderate revenue tar
/ IL. the sum | paid an Industrious Irish
| gardener in Orange. y. J., an hours
ride from New York city,. was only 20
cents flr day Of II hours In the same
! locality for dav OF shorter hours. >uch
t labor will now command 81 80 a day. At
that time a dollar would buy less Than it
buys to-day. Flour and meat were a. high,
| rents were a. high, clothing was higher
/ sugar was twice a. high. Il was harder
| then than now for work,ngmau 10 save
money ar >, huv a houa in;,r.., th,n
We hi.h ami money hsra ., h,rr,v,. NOW
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