The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-02-16

There is nc theory advanced in the fol-
lowing communication which we find in
the Wytheyile Enterprise. of the 4th, in
reply to the Dispatch, Of that place, but
there is a volume of knock down argu.
ment in it. 1t comes from a practical
wage worker, and is put in such strong
form that ii does not require explanation.
Read it,
WYTHEyILLE, VA, Feb Fad e.
Editor Enterprise
AS an employee Of g. z. McWane & Co.
| desire to be heard in reply to the edi-
torial IN the last issue of the Dispatch ask
ing how we were benefited by the pre-
sent protectjUe tariff ~ The question
seems 10 me to need no further answer
than the mere statement Of fact that this
foundry was started few years ago in an
! old shell Of building. l6 by 80 feet with
only one assistant, who was employed at
| ST 90 Il day and that sum paid in goods in
stead OF money; with Its only motive
| power an old hired horse; and that now it
| is fully equipped with modern machinery,
giving steady employment to Il hands at
an average price OF 81 80 ner day, money
down, and turning out all kinds of first
class Work upon short notice. But as
| believe the Dispatch IS earnest in its intent
and honest i'll Its desire, will go further
and say that we, who constitute the labor
ers IN this establishment, think the tariff
| benefits Us in many ways. 1t induces
capital to engage IN manufacturing enter
prses and these give us more sources of
| employment ana secure US better wages.
Most OF McWane's force have learned
their trade III his shop: they have not suf-
Tered from hunger; have been comfortably.
even tho plainly clad: and have saved
| sufficient WGgeS to pay for the little homes
| in which they live. Why even the head
machinist at this very tlme worked on
| the streets of Wytheyille in 1879 for -
! cents day and was glad to get that. He
| came here. learned his trade, bought and
paid for a comfortable home, and now gets
good wages for his daily toll The
Dispatch says however we pay too much
under the oppressive tariff for our ban-
kets and clothing Well this may be so;
but since both Of these items are very
) much cheaper now than i'll the days Of l0w
tdfiG, and as we only spend 20 cents for
these things in proportion to so cents for
| what we eat and live upon, | don't think
| that hurts much Cheap homes and cheap
meat and bread is what we want and these
we get, Continue to give us these and
We'll look out for the clothing part We
can reed our children on wool or
blankets but our wives can make patch
work quilts for them to sleep under and
assure The Dispatch that they are very
comfortable toe. But no bed is pleasant
one il it is ont OF doors and your stomach
/! S empty We saw something in paper
not long since about an army of hungry
men, women. and even children over in
free trade England who were so driven to
desperation by their sufferings that they
! paraded the Streets shouting in their
frenzy, Bread! Work! or Blood. The pic
ture had no attraction for us. We prefer
The tariff scene with all its SO called OPP
pressions. ONLY A LABoRER.
p s. a young mechanic who learned
his trade here is now getting salary OF
! ~ 200 a year in Lynehburg. The tariff
/ don't hurt him any more than free trade
would benefit some of the street corner
loafers in Wytheville.
The Divers business is going down.