The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-10


heard that more than two or three owned their
own houses.
How different in this country said he, his
face beaming with pleasure at thought of the
contrast "At Youngstown twothirds of the
| laborers own their houses. Many of them, it is
true are in debt: but if the tariff is reduced they
will not long be in debt for their homes. They
will be thrown out of employment and every
yestage of property in their possession will pass
away from them"
| AT this juncture OF the talk Chairman Morri-
son was toying with lead pencil, picking his
nails and hanging his head; Frank Hurd (Ohio)
| looked silently and hard into the eyes of the
witness, and Mr.. Mills (Texasl-all free traders
| gaped This was kind of testimony they did
not care to prolong.
| "a slight reduction of the present tariff would
shake our industries, throw men out Of work
and cause Distress" continued the witness. "1t
| is my opinion that at this time the tariff upon
the iron industry is at the minimum. If any
change is made it should be an increase. l am
fully aware of the fact that there are gentlemen
upon this committee" he continued, "who will
say, as England did when she abolished tariffs,
that when cannot manufacture as cheaply as
other countries we should close our factories and
go to farming. If you will call to memory the
present condition of Ireland you will not follow
England's advice. There the people farm You
all know the distress that prevails in Ireland.
| Famine and paupers characterize the country,
and every two or three years we are called upon
| for charity" He spoke of the fact that Turkey
had abolished protective tariff, and her manu-
| factories having been ruined. There moth
ing that affected labor more directly than the
tariff. When tariff was reduced there an
immediate reduction of wages. 1t had been pro-
posed by the majority of the committee to abol-
ish tariff on scrap-iron and old rails He thought
that would quickly ruin the workmen on that
work. 1t would encourage, also, the use of
scrap-iron, which was already the cause of many
disasters, like the breaking of bridges and rail
road rails
Mr.. Kelley (of Pennsylvania. the father of the
tariff in the House, questioned Mr.. Williams on
the manner of living among the common labor
ers Of England and brought out several other
points which proved the deplorable condition of
workingmen in free-trade country. Such
thing as fruit was seldom seen among the En-
glish laborers and they scarcely knew what veg
etables were. Pie and pudding and similar deli
| cacies were seldom indulged in. They were COM
PEELED to live niggardly in every particular.
They lived in little houses strung along
in rows like stables at an Ameri-
can country fair ground and their
lives miserable. He produced a schedule OF
prices of provisions in England, and remarked
that he had no theories, but actual experiences.
Mr.. Mills, of the committee, said that the
cfo cofE noIo md ND sbod
by the witness were contradictory.
II don't know anything about your history
and your statistics, said the witness, ''but do
know that the laboring men of America are head
and shoulders above those of England"
Chairman Morrison began to quote English
laborers to prove that they were greatly ad-
vanced in their condition by free trade
Nov, 1 can explain that, said the witness
1.-THE laborers of England are slaves. and are
controlled in their statements by those who en-
ploy them. If they certify to prosperity they do
not speak the truth, as 1 know. They state
falsely"
Mr.. Hiscock member from New York
and protectionist asked the witness
if there not vast diff
ference between the application of free trade in
England, where there was not sufficient
amount of manufactures to supply the home de-
mand, and in this country, where we manufac-
tured largely in excess of demand. The reply
was; THAT is exactly the situation"
E c. White, an iron finisher, of Youngstown
followed in the hearing. He thought the tariff
bill of March of last year had not been in force
long enough to prove its worth or unworthness,
and that if for no other reason, the tariff should
not be disturbed at this time. He wanted it
thoroughly tried before it was condemned. THE
workingmen should be protected" said he, 80
that they can educate their children and
make them useful, even to sending
them to Congress when they become men" +"
His wages had been increased since the pass
age of the last tariff bill The mill where he
worked, in Youngstown, was full of English1pen,
who said they were driven out of England be-
cause the wages We're so low they could not live.
He thought it strange, if free trade was bless
ing, that England should be continually vomit
ing out upon protective country like this her
laboring people Iron ore, he said, was much
cheaper in the ground here than in England, be
the land in this country is not so valuable,
yet England could lay down iron here cheaper
than we could produce it. Why2 Because she
paid less wages to the men who get it out of the
ground.
D. P Williams, of Youngstown, iron boiler,
spoke the same sentiment. The hearing was
one of the most practical and impressive of any
the committee has heard.
HENRY IRVING.
He Will Visit lis Again Next Year-Social