Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-08-07
An Ineonsiatent Protsctionist.


the soreamers for high tariff frequently
are Is beautifully exsmpliaed by their
chief PennsylvAnis mouthpisce, the
Philadelphia Press. How glibly this organ |
talks Of the happy lot Of the working
man under the existing tariff system,
even while for the past year Its news
columns have daily given the lie to Its
editorial uttersnoes by recording reduc-
lions Of wages everywhere, failures and
closing Of mills aud manufactures
everywhere, strikes In different fields Of
labor and other remarkable evidences Of
the beautiful workings Of high protect
i've system Side by side with these
items In the news columns Of the Press we
often learn also Of large corporations ex-
hibiting their great love for the American
workingman ny importing osrsoes
Huugariaus or Italians TO take his
place and 10 his work at wages which
would not eed and olOthe him or any
other man deoently and comfortably.
The Press does not comment much upon
these thiDgs 1t prefers to earn its
s2o, 900 subsidy by ignoring those who
have been disemploysd by the shutting
down Of mills and manufactures and
being crowded out by imported cheap
laborers and by devoting It's energies to
keeping the wool pulled down closely
over the eyes Of those who are still at
work and reminding them how thankful
they ought to be that the
wicked tariff reformers have been
prevented from carrying out their nefa-
rious schemes and turning this fair
country into a bowling wilderness. It
Ia convenient 10 the Pres not to explain
why protection has failed to protect the
many workingmen who are out Of en-
ployment in Its own city or who have
been laid of in the mining regions Of
Pennsylvania to make room for the
hordes Of cheap Hungarisns imported by
their protected masters. It is very con-
venient to the Ress not to explain
why the terrible and protracted panic
which began in 1878 and dragged along
for years, paralyzing many branches Of
business for weary months and months
and turning thousands Of skilled work.
men into tramps came upon us under the
blessed administration Of the highest pro-
tective tariff system the nation probably
ever saw.
OF course, however, everybody will feel
convinced that the Press practices what
it preaches that the workingmen in its
own employ are enjoying to the fullest
extent the benefcent workings OF this
excellent system that their labor Ia re-
warded by the highest wages current In
the country for that class Of work and
that they are, in addition, sharing in the
$780, 900 which the Press has called upon
the manufacturers Of Pennsylvania to
contribute toward the good cause Of
snlightening other Workingmen who have
not yet learned how the protection which
their employers receive Is putting more
money into their (the workingmen's)
pockets. Yes-the Press offioo must be q
coed one to work in the benefits of the
superior system which is doing so much
for the co fort and welfare of the Ameri
can lsborer in less favored places must b.
: especially felt in the Press establishment
-ehH What's this A card from Phila
delphia Typographical Union No. q
What strange calumny upon the benevo
lent friends Of the workipgmen can thii
bar Read it.
! Steps are being taken to fully post the Sol
, or more labor organizations OF the state as Il
the real status Of the paper (the Press
towards organized labor particularly since i
is now, as it has been for some time past
endeavoring by the most extraordinar-
3 means to extend its circulation among work
1 ingmen. II is sailing under false colors, mas
querading editorially before the public as tn
> peculiar champion of the interests of thu
! workingmen and is sending its circular
to rich manufacturers all over the state
demanding of them 100000 subsidy fol
advocating protection and giving their EN-
i, ployes the paper free OF cost, that they ma,
be educated in the principles Of protection
I forsooth But 80 long as it continues to EN-
ploy scab labor in its own office its influence
among honest wOrkingmen should and vii
amount to little and its efforts on behalf o
protection will result in injury to tho cause i
is Intended to serve. American workingmei
{ are not fools, az Calvin Wells and Emor,
q Smith will yet find out to their cost.
Well, we suppose after all the Press Il
, as consistent in its course as the Pennsyl
, vania iron and coal men who are con
i, tinually hurrahing for high tariff for tn
benefit, not Of themselves, but Of Ameri
, can labor, and who are practically ex
i employing how It benefits American
. labor by importing Hungarisns to tax
. the bread ont of the mouths Of Ameri
, cans.
) In New York City we find snoths
t striking example of this sort Of thing
The New York Tribune, the only Englisl
a morning paper OF that city which ad
voostes Blaine, and advocates him anon
! other reasons for being 8 friend to tn
; workingmen, is regarded by labor union
e there as their worst journalistic enemy
!, So deep is this feeling that months az
+ the typographical unions Of that cit,
Q began the issue OF weekly paper tn
!. sole object Of which was to inculcat
q among workingmen the preospt "Boycot
the Tribune"
Indeed it seems IS If the papers whic
howl the most loudly for protection ar
Il generally thus inconsistent. In our ow
. city the paper which is continually blow
Ing about the dangers Of Stree trade
u and the blessings of protection" |
/ tRrred through and through with th
i same stick--if any reader wishes to kno,
L how it is regarded by the journeyme
u compositors OF Wilmington let him as
'i the first typo he meets.
70 SS
d Collector Pickels has acted wisely i
k retaining in office the deputies who hay
y been there long enough to acquire
y familiarity with their duties which gree
It men could not attain to until after
le similar apprenticeship. This is tru
Ie Civil Service reform the same line
n conduct which the prudent man adhere
it to In his private business. We regr,
g. that he has made an exception in Il
case Of Inspector Bye and especially thI
L