The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-12-12
IFor ne Daily Dispatch. lS

lfW vac A4iiy NtsPesohsJ t
MfssRs. EDIToRs ~ wish to reply SQa
short editorial which appeared in the Ti-
bune & Clipper of the Cd inst. If you will
prant me the use OF your columns will
make d few statements for the benefit Of the
public in general, and the editors OF that
pa per in particular. They state that yes
terday they had conversation with loco
foco friend who works in the Rolling Mill,
who was lamenting the depressed state or
the iron business" but was not willing TO
forsake his party and unite with the wings
to assist ia putting men In power who
would sise the iron business TO a fiourishing
condition. ..,., !. ...,,s,.ssss.... "a
Il is well remembered BY some Of the
alocofocos" atleast, who work in the Rolling
Mill at this time, that previous to- 1910 they
were told by the proprietors OF that Mill if
| they would vote for Gen Harrison, and help
lio get the wings into power, that high pro-
tective tariff would be laid upon iron and
thereby they (the, proprietors) would be en-
abled to pay higher prices and that in cash;
than they were then doing. Accordingly
lGen. Harrison was elected and the wings
| hsd an overwhelming majority in Congtess.
The tariff act of lS42 was passed, and iron
received full share of protection. But
mark the result! In about six weeks after
the receipt of the news of that joyful event
which was to infuse new life and vigor into
the workmen of the Rolling Mill, which
was to make their wives and children sing
with gladness at the bright prospects that
were opened up before them. But horror
Of horrors ! in about six weeks Il am par
ticular as 20 time) after the receipt of that
glorious news, the Rolling Mill stopped,
without any apparent cause for SO doing
After stopphge of two weeks the hands
were all notified to meet in the office at a
certain hour. The hands rushed to the
office not in the least doubling but the good
time had come, their wages Were 10, be
raised and cash payments instead of the
scrip which they had formerly received
But no, they were coolly told that unless
they 1.-THE hands) would submit to deduc.
ton Of one dollar on the ton from theil
present prices, the Mill would not star
again. They demonstrated with him and
urged upon him (the proprietor) 10 fulfil his
promise Of higher wages when protective
/ tariff should be passed. But no, he wa,
i inexorable, and finally dismissed them b,
telling them that he was richer than the,
were and could afford to lay idle as long a,
they could, and when they got sufficiently
starved out to let him know and he would
sta 1T the Mill at the prices be offered the m
So much for the effect Of the tariff Of l84s
upon the hands Of the Portsmouth Rolling
Mill. The editors of the Tribune & Clip
per can satisfy themselves of the truth O.
falsity of the foregoing statements by ma
king inquiry of some. Of the slocofoco'
workmen as they are pleased to term them
aud then they will probably know the rea.
son why alocofoco" workmen will not leave
their party and help the wings into office.
One word more as to Rolling Mill hands
lgoing round the streets hunting work. Iii.
well remembered that under the tariff o
l842, Rolling Mill hands got less than /
dollar per day for work, and that in Rolling
Mill scrip, which was Is per cent. below
par in the stores for goods. Now under thu
reduced tariff of 1916 no man will worl
either in the Rolling Mill or onthe street,
for less than dollar day in cash, so tha
it is matter Of no consequence to the Ia
UOltT, WHtucI tne hoiiub VIII otUpe v
goes on, because wages are up in every de
partment as the above facts abundantl,
prove. The fact is iron masters are in dies
pair because laboring men and iron worker
can find ample employment in other branch
es Of business without being obliged Il
work for their scrip or starve as was thei
case under the tariff of 1912. There is Il
be tremendous effort made at the presen
session of Congress to have the duties raise
on iron--so as to paralyze every other de
| partment of business and thereby give tn
iron masters complete control Of the labor
ing part of community, so as, to compe
| them 10 work for reduced prices or starve.-
But they must call on somebody else beside
"loco'focos' to help them do it.
! - BOB WALKER.