The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-10-15

havein nearly all instances, until
this yea, eyaded the act BY EN-.
help for ten hours, and
calling that q days work. instead
Of the eight hours Fixed by statute.
Last Spring a bill was introduced
10 pay the Government employees
for The extra two hours they had
been requiredto work in disregard
Of law for 90 many years The
proposition was an eminently lair
one. II was admitted that eight
hours constituted a legal days.
work,and that the men we're oblig
ed to workmore lose their places.
These menhad thus wofkedoyer.
time and were entitled 10 pay.
But Mr. Hiscock ri New York, a
blatant Blaine Republican, oppos.
ed tho bill. He called it d dema.
gogical proposition, and saidthat
itpropfsed to elevate labor in the
Government employ By paying IL
twenty-five per cent, or upward.
more than il was worth. The bill
did not pass because Of the time
occupied in debatingi.. But had
the Republican officials obeyed the
law, and not Disseminated against
the laboring man, such a bill would
not have been necessary.
'pH ---e-.4-s-----l---i, fufr
The Democratic Party Is for
Renl Protection.
One of tho most ridiculous fea-
lures Of the present campaign, is
the assiduous effort made by the
Republicans to introduce "Free
Trade" as a relevant issue. What
nonsensel Win on earth wants to
bring about free trade in this coun.
try? The Democrats don't, it is
certain, or they would have re
solved so in National Convention
assembled, and the Republicans
probably don't, although it is diff.
cult to tell just what they would
do, in order to catch votes. The
truth is that both parties stand
pledged to the reform Of the tariff
in much the same language, the
only difference being that the Re.
publicans invariably violate their
pledge, while the Democrats are
expected to religiously fulfill them.
That the tariff demands a reform,
even our friends, the enemy will
not dispute. 1t is all very well for
Mr.. Blaine 10 tramp through the
country and pirate about protec.
ton on general principles, without
committing himself more definite
ly upon the subject. Why does he
not specify the means by which he
would bring about such protectionH
1t is evident that the tariff, as it
now stands, does not meet the re
quirementsOf the case. Else why
should we constantly be treated to
such sights Of distress as the dis.
patches every day from the iron
and mining regions of Ohio and
Pennsylvania imply. Here is one
recently published in all the pa.
pers:
"News from the coal miners camp
along the Monongahela river indi.
cate the men will be compelled to
return to work for rates less than
those received when the strike was
inauguraled,"
Surely this cannot be Mr..
Blaine's ideal Of protection. Here
are several thousand men toiling
at starvation wages (soue of them
earning scarcely seventy.tive cents
per day. until they can no longer
endure it. They strike. For weeks
and weeks they hold out. Finally
winter approaches. The larder is
empty, no fuel in the house. Wives
and children are scantily clad, if
not positively ragged and bare.
footed. What remains left to these
men but to submit to relentless
fate and return to work at the old
starvation rates. Anything to
keep the wolf from the door. But
no, The wages have been reduced
even below the current when the
strike was inaugurated, notwith.
standing that the cold season, with
its greater demands, is about to
set in. Nor is this an isolated
case; far from it. We agree that
such condition of things calls for
q change. These men must have
nrOIanI;on onJ I "a 49,, s,.