[Ads-l] Antedating rainmaker WAS Re: rain = clients (that bring in revenue)

[Peter Reitan]

Maybe.


I would find that position more convincing if the piece appeared in Pawnbrokers' Gazette, where the target reader might look more kindly on rainmakers who brought clouds that obscured the economic sun.


Full context would be helpful in analyzing it.


The year of the cite, 1891, is interesting.  That is the earliest year in which "scientific" rainmakers made big news.  The government and military carried out elaborate rainmaking tests using balloons, kites, gas explosions, dynamite and rickarack explosives (or something like that) - hence the "tarriff bomb" allusion.


The cartoon accompanying the 1895 rainmaker cite about the "free silver" "rainmaker" charlatans comically illustrates what the rainmakers looked like, but labels the various devices with "free silver" economic slogans.


https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21943136/elizabethville_echo/


Ironically, when President Cleveland cut funding to the government rainmaking experiments in a cost-cutting move necessitated by a bad economy made worse by tarriffs, rainmaking was a victim of the same "tarriff bombs" that obscured the economy in the 1891 commentary.


https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21943029/juniata_sentinel_and_republican/


________________________________
From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Stephen Goranson <goranson at DUKE.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 2:59 AM
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Subject: Re: Antedating rainmaker WAS Re: rain = clients (that bring in revenue)

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Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Poster:       Stephen Goranson <goranson at DUKE.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Antedating rainmaker WAS Re: rain = clients (that bring in
              revenue)
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Yes, Peter, there is some difference, though perhaps a transition obtains. =
Rainmakers were often seen as charlatans. And in the 1891 case, the sun is =
indeed said to go away for some folks, but for others presumably cash flows=
 in to the pawn shop, here presented as disreputable. maybe.

Stephen


________________________________
From: American Dialect Society <..> on behalf of Peter Reitan <...>
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2018 2:03 PM
To: ...
Subject: Re: [ADS-L] Antedating rainmaker WAS Re: rain =3D clients (that br=
ing in revenue)

I read these two "rainmaker" cites as being different from the current sens=
e of the partner who make it rain by bringing in the paying clients.

The 1891 Springfield Republican cite is backwards, the "rainmaker" makes th=
e economic sun go away with clouds caused by tariffs.

The Dixon Evening Telegraph citation refers to charlatans, who are as disho=
nest as con-artists who pretend to bring rains for a fee.

________________________________
From: Stephen Goranson<...>
Sent: =FD7/=FD16/=FD2018 10:07
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU<...>
Subject: Re: Antedating rainmaker WAS Re: rain =3D clients (that bring in r=
evenue)

---------------------- Information from the mail header -------------------=
----
Sender:       American Dialect Society <...>
Poster:       Stephen Goranson <...>
Subject:      Re: Antedating rainmaker WAS Re: rain =3D clients (that bring=
 in
              revenue)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
----

Maybe relevant:

"...These as a rule make fairly good wages when they work, but every little=
=3D
 while some rain-maker comes along and by discharging a few tariff bombs dr=
=3D
ives their financial sun under a cloud...."


Springfield Republican, page 5
Publication Date:
December 6, 1891
Published as:
Springfield Republican
Location:
Springfield, Massachusetts
Headline:
Springfield News And Comment. Pawnbrokers And Their Shops. Peculiarities In=
=3D
 The Business Which Has Its
Article Type:
News/Opinion


S. Goranson



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