Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-10-05
Some Facts for American 3Iechan-
les and labOrerS


Congressional committee has purchased 25,-
go copies, and there is besides TO be a spec
ial edition printed in German. The docu-
ment contains the following passage on the
subject of the tariff:
The maintenance of such duties on for
eign manufactured goods coming into our
ports as shall enable our laborers, mechan-
ics and manufacturers to enter into fair com
petition with the poorly-paii laborer of
Europe, for our own markets, is another re-
publican measure whose existence depends
upon the result Of the pending election.
The leaders OF the democracy of the '.solid
South now, a. always heretofore. dictate
the measures Of that party. Educated in the
Calhoun school Of politics, they are in favor
Of what they call '.free trade" Apprehend-
ing that the trle has not yet come for an
open avowal of this doctrine, they so far con-
cealed their ultimate and real object as to de-
clare at Cincinnati for tariff for revenue
only a. they did four years ago at ST.
Louis. The meaning Of this is, that there
shall be no tariff on articles coming in COM
petition with articles manufactured by our
| own people, because that would be protec-
ton To which they are opposed. This they
call in their platform tariff for revenue
only" Such a tariff would enable foreign
manufacturers 10 undersell and break down
cur mechanics and manufacturers, because
OF the starvation prices paid by the former
for labor, which enters so largely into the
cost Of the manufacture of every article
coming into the market.
The people of this country have but an inn
perfect idea Of the real condition of and the
wages paid those who labor in the mines,
workshops and manufacturing establishments
I 49,.
was instituted by Parliament m England 10
inquire into that condition and as to the wages
paid The facts communicated, after Il thor
oGgh examination of witnesses, were of the
most horrible character. They found that in
many OF the coal mines, men, women, boys
and girls were working together in an almost
naked condition. They say: sin the Lam
cashre coal-fields lying in the north and west
of Manchester. females are regularly en-
ployed in underground labor, and the brutal
conduct of the men and the abasement of the
women well described by some of the
witnesses examined by them" A witness,
Peter Gaikcl, a collier, said that he .'prefers
women to boys as drawers they are better to
manage, and keep time better; they will
fight and shrek, and do anything but let any
body pass them Betty Harris Zone Of the
numerous persons examined). aged thirty
seven, u II PIT. sdlu Hdhc
a belt around my waist and chain between
my legs to the truck, and go on my hands
and feet; the road is very steep, and we have
to hold by arope. and when there is no rope,
BY anything we can catch hold of. There are
six women and about six boys or girls in the
pit | work In 1t is very wet, and the water
comes over our clog tops always, and have
seen it up to my thighs; my clothes are al
ways wet.
Patience Kershaw ged seventeen, another
person examined, said II work in the
clothes | now have on, trousers and ragged
Jacket the bald place on my head is made
by thrusting the cones the getters | work
for are naked except their caps; they pull off
their clothes; all the men are naked Mar
garet Hibbs. aged IS said: "My employ
ment after reaching the Wallace is to fill my
bagie or stype with $50 or 300 weight of coal.
then hook it on to my chain and drag it
througd the seam, which is from u to % in
ches high. till get to the main road, good
distance, probably POO to 400 yards; the
pavement drag over is wet, and am obliged
at all times to crawl on my hands and feet
with my bagie hung to the chain and ropes.
1t is sad, sweating, sore and fatiguing work
| and frequently mains the women" Robert
Bald, the government coal viewer, states
that ''In surveying the workings of an extern
sive colliery under ground, married woman
came forward grooming under an excessive
weight of coal. trembling in every nerve,
and almost unable to keep her knees from
sinking under her. On coming up, she said
in plaintive and melancholy voice, 'Oh, sir,
! this is sore, sore, sore work. A sub-com-
missioner said: at is almost incredible that
human beings can submit to such employ
ment-crawling on hands and knees harnessed
| Il, a. 4 a
| ficut than dragging the same weight through
our lowest sewers" Hundreds of pages are
filed with testimony of the same revolving
character. These miserable human beings
are paid less than twenty cents day.
| The evidence shows almost as terrible a
condition of the employessof the workshops
and large manufacturing establishments. We
have no room for the shocking details
| The leaders of the ''Solid South resolved
at Cincinnati that our workmen. mechanics
and manufacturers shall not be protected
against the influx into this country of the pro-
auctions of laborers whose condition compels
them to work for starvation wages. They
are opposed to protection, and go for reve-
nue. tariff only.
| If those who work in our coal Mines work
shops and manufacturing establishments de-
sire to be put on the same footing with those
| !,
let them vote with the Solid South in No
vember.
| \ book has recently been written in Eng
land and sent here for circulation among our
| farmers, in which they are told that they pay
many millions year more for American
goods than they would for British goods were
our tariff laws repealed. A more gross insult
to the common sense and intelligence of our
farmers could not be given. Every one of
them knows that were our mines, workshops
and manufacturing establishments closed, as
they would be under revenue tariff, our
markets would be at the mercy of foreign
manufacturers and their importers. They
would compel the farmers to pay their own
prices for every article, or do without. In
stead of attempting to interfere with our az
fairs. it would be quite as well for the author
of this book to attend to his own. We can
take care of ours. General Garfield, in his
letter of acceptance, well says ''We must
| legislate for our own country, and not for the
whole world Each country must take care
of itself. Our farmers know what is best for
them and will pas but little heed to the inter
ested advice of this author.
Two Unpleasant American Visit