The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-01-14
----------------------
The Light is Breaking.

The fact that two workingmen's
associations in Pennsylvania have
unanimously passed resolutions de-
claring their purpose not to aid in
the reelection of any Congressman
who shall Vote against repeal of
the coal duty is a very consider
able "eye opener" to the myopic de-
votees of the tariff. 1t is true that
the workingmen who adopt these
resolutions have more or less con-
nection with the strike of the
Reading Railroad Company's en-
ployes and the miners of the
Schuylkill region; but in this con-
sists the highest significance of the
new departure. There are several
members of Congress from Penn
sylvania who will hardly fail to
take the hint that has been convey
ed to them in this action. These
Representatives have obstinately
voted against removal of the bar
barous tax on coal because they
had reason to believe that the
working men of their districts
would bitterly resent an opposite
course. But light has begun to
break in an unexpected quarter,
and politicians who follow popular
currents will not be slow to accom-
modate themselves to the change
in the views of their constituents.
The miners of Pennsylvania are
ut last becoming convinced that II
system which makes it so easy for
the coal monopolies to combine
against them cannot serve for their
protection. They have begun to
recognize that they have them
selves been among the chief vic
Tins of their own prejudices in
favor of a high tariff. While
claiming the excellence of "Pro-
lection to American industry" the
Coal Combination that has seized
upon the anthracite region of Penn
sylvania, has from time to time
provided itself with the cheapest
possible from the lowest elements
of European emigration. BY it's
rapacious policy of extorting the
last dollar of profit from a neces-
sary of living this Coal Combina-
ton has Systematically degraded
labor until the condition of the
miners Of Pennsylvania has be-
come more precarious than is that
of their brother miners in any
other part of the world. With the
highest conceivable interest in
maintaining good relations between
labor and its employers, this COM
bination has produced more con-
flicts and provoked more discon-
tents in the breasts of workingmen
than all the Anarchists and Nihi-
lists in the country could instigate
in quarter of century of agita-
tion. {e +.
While the miners of Pennsyl-
vania have groaned under the OPP
preston of this Monopoly, they
have by q strange mental obliquity
given it the encouragement and
support Of their votes, until now at
last they have resolved to call a
halt upon their Representative in
Congress. But why should their
hostility to the system of tariff in
iquity and robbery be confined to
the duty on coal? This is but one
item, land by no means the worst,
in the long catalogue Of tariff
wrongs and villanies. The duty on
coal is the deeoy to, persuade the
Pennsylvania miners that they are
shareholders in the grand scheme
of "Pr0tcction to American indus
try" The duties on clothing, fan-
nels, blankets, carpets, salt, rice,
lumber, tools of trade, and many
other necessaries Of living, are the
taxes by which the miners are be-
ing robbed In common with the
rest Of American consumers by the
omnivorous system OF tariff pIund-
or, These are the taxes that filch
the hard earn ings Of their labor
and lessen the comforts Of their
homss,-IhfA Record.