Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-07-13
OLYMPIA EVENING JULY 49, 8
The Friends of Labor.
San Francisco Examiner.

(san Francisco Examiner
Workingmen are told that the Re-
, publican party is their only friend
and that it is striving unselishly tC
save them from Democratic attempts
to lower their wages. Workingmen
have eyes, and can generally tell the
meaning of what they see. Suppose
they run over in their minds the ac-
tions of the Republican leaders for the
last month.
First, the Republican League of the
Unitsd 6satcs cent - circular s.lliss
upon the manufacturers, especially
those of Pennsylvania, for money.
This circular told these capitalists that
they "received practically the sole
benefit" of the tariff, which enabled
them to make large fortunes every
year. Nothing was said about the in
terests OF labor.
| Next the Thousand Defenders OF
American. Industry" sent their mis-
sionaries to tie Pacific Coast to enlist
recruits in support of the tariff and the
Republican party. The Thousand De-
tenders are composed of such typical
workmen as the Standard Oil Com
pany, the Steel Trust, the Waterbury
Watch Company, Carnegie Bros. &
Co., John Jarrett, and other million
aire monopolists. Some of them are
just forcing a reduction of wages in
Pennsylvania, which it is thought will
compel hundred thousand men to
strike. The tariff enables them to do
this, because they can shut down their
mills without fearing that foreign COM
petitors will take their market. The
Thousand Defenders defend American
industry and show their regard for
high wages by throwing a hundred
thousand men out of employment.
Then the Republican Convention
met. Il was called to order by the
Chairman of the National Committee,
B. F. Jones, one of the seven members
of the trust that monopolizes the pro-
duction Of steel and iron beams
1t was next presided over by the
temporary chairman, John NJ. Thurs
ton, railroad attorney who ran away
from Omaha when the Pacific Railroad
Investigating Commission was there,
in order to avoid telling what he knew
about the shady proceedings of his en-
ployers.
Then the convention was given >
permanent chairman in the person Of
Mr.. M. M. Estee, formerly q profess
sional anti-monopolist, but now so
good friend Of the Southern Pacific
that his orthodoxy in that respect is
vouched for by the Sacramento Record
Union.
Then the convention proceeded to
adopt platform which declared that
none of the taxes under which work
ingmen are suffering should be light
ened; that every sack of coal and every
piece of board used in the house should
pay toll to the coal ring and the lum-
Der pool. 1t even declared that these
taxes should be raised.
Next the convention bahoted. One
Of the candidates-the one with the
largest vote-was financier whose
favor, while Secretary of the Treasury,
laid the foundations Of a stately bank
building, known in New York as Fort
Sherman. Another received large
vote solely upon the strength of cor
pulent sack, which, it was suggested,
could ".carry the boys through the
winter" Another was the President
of the New York Central Railroad and
the right-hand man of the Vanderbilts.
Anothsr-the one finally chosen-was
known chiefly rs the grandson Of his
grandfather, as a steadfast friend of
the Chinese and as the particular aver
sion of every labor delegation that Wis
tied Chicago.
The labor men were spubbed. Their
candidate, Judge Gresham, received
only about one-eighth Of the votes OF
the convention. The President of the
New York Central Railroad withdrew,
and turned over the New York delega-
ton to Harrison, the Chinese partisan.
Greed Raymond, Solicitor General Of
the Southern Pacific Company, joined
in with his delegation, and Harrison,
the very man Of all others whom the
workingmen had begged should not he
chosen, was nominated.
The convention then proceeded to
select q candidate for Vice President.
1t promptly nominated q New York
and London banker, whose partner,
Sir John Rose, has been one Of the
leading members of foreign govern
ment, and who may be honored with
q baronetcy himself if he can first at
tain the lesser distinction of the Amer
ican Vice Presidency. Mr.. Morton
was nominated in accordance with the
4 advice of Senator Ingalls, to take +" some
fellow who can reach the conservative
forces of the East and get contribu-
tions from the manufacturers and Wall
street."
That is the origin of the ticket which
workingmen are asked to support in
the interests Of labor. We are told
that the men who are cutting down
the starvation wages of the Pennsyl-
vania coal miners with the help of Po-
lish and Hungarian importations are
spending their money in politics Who'll.
ly to keep wages up.
Cleveland and Thurman are backed
by no thousand Defenders" of trusts
and syndicates. They do not expect
to reach the g conservative forces o.
the East" and they are destitute o.
A" contributions from the manufactur
ers and Wall street." All they have
- lo~o,,I ,,~<., :. <1,n ,,>to. rs SI,o nan