The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-12-10
Protection and Starvation.

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Protection and Starvation
Ihe CIV OF the advocates nf u high tariff,
that it is demanded by the interests OF the
laboring men, is receiving sharp answer
from the coal mining regions of Pennsyl-
vanlu. All the protection which the great
coal interest demanded has been layished
upon it. BY the exclusion Of foreign coal
and the appropriation of all the markets
OF the coast, the mining OF coal in the
mountains OF Pcnnsy lvania has been slim
ulated very greatly. Railroads have been
built, mines opened, labor attracted
thither, and every apparent evidence of
4 prosperous community presented to the
public. To these who look only OF the
surface, the region presented the best evid-
ence of the truth of the protection theory.
But recently there have come from this
page of the works, OF the distress Of the
miners, OF the lawless deeds Of men rem
dered desperate by starvation. While
the laborer has barely lived from hand to
mouth, the coal proprietors. the lords of
the region, have accumulated fortunes.
The stoppage of the works, that is TO them
but q profitable business stratagem, is
starvation and despera ton to the ragged
and sooty miner HE mines and the
they can squeeze Il few more dollars from
the needs Of the people, by stopping the
production Of coal. and the order goes
forth. 1t is felt at every poor mans hearth
in all the cities and towns of the Atlantic
region. Want and despair overtake the
miner. Mobs, robbery and murder are
the fruit of their desperation
The New York Herald recently sent
reporter into this region. His report, dat
ed at Scranton, gives some deplorable
pictures One scene he describes as fol-
lows-''The first place to which my guide
directed me was a cabin, literally falling
to pieces, the entrance to which was guard
ed by Il hungry, snarling dog The door
was unbolted, and without knocking. we
two passed in. The apartment was small
and it was cold. 1t was lighted partly by
Il dim, tlutterng lamp and partly by the
moonshine, which glided in through the
chinks and openings OF the thin and leaky
roof. The embers OF poverty's last fire
lay pure and white, like a corpse, upon
the hearth. A woman was there-a wo-
man with a sullen, defiant face and dishev
eled hal, and saw also tour young chill
dren; two were nestled shvering at her
feet, and the other two We're asleep upon
the floor. The woman was shoeless and
stockingless, while the only garment she
possessed was so battered and worn that
through it he could trace every curve and
outline of her form. The clothes of the
children were like those of the mother,
while her youngest-her baby-had moth
ing but a shawl to keep it warm. As we
entered the woman sprang to her feet and
steadily regarded Us. Her Two children
that were awake clung to her garment as
it in fear. The woman was rude, rough,
ignorant, defiant. Hunger ragged in her
breast and hate and madness CLEANED in
her eyes | felt as ,gazed upon her like
one who views some ruined mansion, in
which comfort and pe>ce once dwelled,
but which at last was left desolate to the
wolves, Every spark Of womanhood from
her had fled Every human trait was alb
sent from her countenance. Courage, hope,
pity-nay, even shame had deserted her
and left her devil incarnate She was
one-like the many about her-who had
been once q woman, but whom hunger
and misery had transformed into iiend.
She broke forth in torrent of pent I'D
grievances, which our coming had served
to unloose-a profane catalogue of the
lll-treatment she had received, that she
had ever brooded over during her pow
erty and distress, and that our presence
seemed only to intensity She not only
rayed, she threatened She went to the
broken window, and throwing up the sash,
pointed to the tulrets and roofs OF the rich
that cleaned in the moonlight on the 9TH
er side of the gorge. and swore vengeance
upon them"
In another hoycl he found a woman and
two little children, cold and hungry-de-
spairing in the present and hopeless Of the
future, And these were specimens of hun
dreds, perhaps thousands
The, men, believing that their troubles
come from the speculations and oppres-
sions of the mine owners and their asso-
GATES have resorted to the desperate plan
of sending threatening letters, decorated
with collins, skull and cross-bones. &c. |
The signature is generally Molly Mcguire,
the name Of Il secret association of miners |
Murders are frequent, and a reign of ter
ror pervades the mining region.
The condition Of other manufacturing
interests Is one Oh great depression, and
among operatives must result
The iron, woollen and cotton manufactor-
les are stagnant, and these in turn effect
other branches of business The manu-
lecturers of woollens declare that with the
nigh wages and high price of wool they
cannot make goods and sell at prevailing
market rates. The wool producers, while
by the tariff. will not sell at
over rates The result is that prices OF
goods have to be forced up by stopping
he manufacture and thus creating an az
iiicial scarcity. While this is being done,
he operative starves.
For twelve years this experiment of a
nigh protective tariff has been tried, and
has BROUGHT rs to this noint n iS now