Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-04-15
TIE TROUBLE At CARNEGIE's.
A Leading Republican Organ Draws @
Moral From the Braddock Lockout.
ChieGl0 Tr.buRs, Rep.


A Leading Republican Organ Draws q
Moral From the Braddock Lock Out
Chicago Tribune, Rep.
Mr.. Andrew Carnegie, the great Penn
sylvania steel-mill boss, whose profits Last
year exceeded q million dollars, was in
nigh good humOr when he came to Chicago
: few weeks ago in company with Chauu-
cey NJ. Depew to attend the Union League
Club banquet. He wss bubbling over with
jollity aud good cheer, and took occasion
to exslt the present ultTa-protectionist
tariff as the source of all blessings and
perfect beyond amendment or change.
Since his return home Mr.. Carnegie has
been busy with a great strike among his
alleged "~high-wsges" workmeD, who are
resisting an attempt to lenstheu the hours
Of labor from 8 to II, and make two gangs
do the work Of three, so as to cut down the
payroll on o product enjoying so per cent.
bounty. Now comes dispatch from Pitts
burg which says:
"a call is cut at Brsddoek, signed by a
large number Of steel8orkers lately in the
employ CT Andrew Carnegie, for q free
trade demonstration at that place. The
call says, among other things, that the
sigGers are no longer willing to support
a trust ro6ber system that inures wholly
to the advantage Of the capitalist. No
time hes been set for the demonstration,
but those in charge propose TO make it as
imposing rs possible. The Workman's
Free Trade Club, lately organized at Brad
dock, now numbers over 100 members"
The organization of free trade clubs
among the workmen in Pennsylvania
mills may seem singular and novel, but it
Only shows how certainly one extreme
produces the other. Capitalists cannot
fAttsn on war tariff bounties in time Of
peace while workmen content themselves
with strikes and struggling with reduc-
tons Of pay and iengthenins the hours
of toll While millionaire rail bosses
wax fat and kick and expend
their surplus earnings IN buying shoot
ing parks in Scotland ard setting them
selves up IS rivals to English lords the
workman who is called on to increase his
hours Of labor one-third and accept o re-
duetion of pay is sure in time to turn
against the ultra-tariff system itself and
demand its abolition, The workmen know
we'll enough that the high-protective
g. stem makes products high-prieed and
restricts the market, which in turn lessons
tie demand for labor in production, and
that cuts down wages, and they car be
satisfied with it only when they feel that
thsy are receiving a fair share OF the ar
tilcial bounties which the law authorizes
10 be extracted from u Con-
vireed beyond 8 doubt that they are get
ting no such share, but that the bouuties
20 to the mill bosses, the worknen Of
Pennsylvania are organizing free trade
clubs and seeking to uproot the whole
protective system.
Mr.. Carnegie's wOrkmen are not in favor
Of revenue reform or a moderate reduction
of the tariff, but demand absolute free
trade. They wapt the protective doctrine
torn up root and branch. This is the nat
ural result Of angered, disappointed, i'm
pOsed-upon men who rush violently fSoD
one extreme to the other aud will listen to
no argument in favor of u just medium.
When wOrkmep, whose wages are pressed
down while the profits Of the mill bosses
yield them Priresly fortunes every year,
come to understand that the tariff on pro-
tected articles is on IN average double the
amount paid IN rdges for the production Of
similar articles IN this eONRtry-thus prscti-
cally giving the manufacturer his labor
free sud q big bonus in addition-theIe is
Danger of q violent reaction and an extend
ed free trade agitation among mill hands
The entire payroll Of all the iron and steel
manufactures in the United States in 1890,
as returned by the proprietors 10 the cen.
sus takers was s~eventy-nine millions Of
dollars, and the value Of the output of iron
and steel of all sorts aud forms was return
ed at three hundred ard tifty-nIne and one
half millions of dollars, or i've time more
than the wcceS paid for producing the ar
ticies The "a were only 20 per cent
OF the value of the output, while the tariff
protection bounty ranged from 40 10 100
per cent.
This outbreak among Carnegie's mill
bands is significant. It recalls the warn
ing General Garfield gave the country
some years ago when he said that, when
ever feasible, the wisest thing protection
lists can do is to unite in q moderate reduc-
ton ofduties on imported articles" Con-
WINGED that tariff reyenues must be
promptly reduced whenever the condition
Of the treasury would permit, General
Garfield gave this warning: Unless We
do this prudently and wisely, we shall be-
fore long lie compelled to submit to a yio-
lent reduction made rudely and without
discrimination which will shock, ifnot shat
ter al cur protected industries" When
workrlen in Pennsylvania mills begin 10
organize free trade clubs it is time for Con-
g,ess to expedite q judicious modification
and reduction of duties and f~crestall a de- |
st:uctive sstscS on the entire protective
tariff system. Lowered duties vii, cheap.
en- manufactures and quicken the demand,
thus furnishing labor greater and steadier
employment, while the tariff will still be
far above any amount that can possibly be
needed to iusRre American wOrkmen their
present rate OF < Will such relief be
afforded in time? If not, q violent and in
discriminate attack on the protective tariff
system will be sure TO come.