The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-02-04
PROTECTION FOR COAL BARONs.
Miners the Victims OF the nigh
Tariff.
From the n. Y, Herald |

Eariff.
From the N. Y. Herald
READING, Pa, Jan. 20, lSSS.-As
Wacktord Squeers used to exhibit that
marvellous, plump son of his as a
product OF Dotheb0ys iall birthstone
and treacle, 80 Mr.. Randall NAV point
to-day TO that prosperous finanCier,
| Austin Corbin, as an evidence of the
supreme blessing of high protective
tariff. And if the admirers of MIR.
oqnGers knew nothing of the Smikes
OF England. so the followers of Mr..
Randall apparently knew nothing OF
the Smlkes of Pennsylvania.
Leaving aside The whole merits OF
the great strike which has sent gauni
poverty striding through the great coal
valleys, ignoring altogether the ques.
tlons whether Mr.. COrbin is a liar and
Il tVrant on the one hand, or the
Knights of Labor seek 10 set up an
Inloierablc and um-Americau despotism
ON the other, one fact is beginning to
stand ont of the confused night of mis-
cry like flsming torch in the sky.
Ii coal were admitted duty free from
outside OF the United States the great
strikes would not last twenty four
hours-so the miners say,
They are wild with Indignation al
the tone of Mr.. Corbin's manifesto and
say that his cold refusal to arbitrate the
difficulty which has sprung up bet ween
the Reading company and its vast null
tiludes of employees, or to assist in
ending struggle which is making the
IN IL a a
children thin i'm the mountain cabins of
the coal country, would never have
been possible were it not for the fact
that the Reading company feels itself
safe from outside competition while il
tramples on the Kni ghts of Labor,
Knowing that while the poor working
men OF Pennsylvania must wrestle
with starvation the poor workingmen
OF New York and elsewhere must pay
any price for coal or starve.
TALES OF SUFFERING.
News reaches us here every day of
suffering among the striking miners.
To the public they bravely present a
bold front. In some places, indeed,
they are well prepared for this desper-
ate battle i'll midwinter, but i'm others
the gnawings OF hunger and the pangs
of cold are beginning to be felt.
Here is the great region honeycombed
with conl mines. Its wealth is almost
incalculable. To the stranger it ia a
wonderland of wealth, yet on the one
hand is Mr.. Corbin declaring that the
company controlling this extraordinary
treasure cannot remain solvent if it
increases the wages of its employees,
and on the other arc haggard hosts of
wOrkingmen i'll every valley and on
every hill fighting desperately, and
with empty stomachs, many of them
for wages sufficient to provide decent
living. These men are not the ragged
lazzaroni of Italy, neither are they the
british coolies of Cuba. They are
staiwart, intelligent, well trained and
industrious workingmeD, living in old
pennsylvania and EN- Dying the bless
lngs of strong protective tariff.
LABoR's VOICE.
The Herald correspondent talked to-
day with one OF the principal Knights
of Labor in Reading. He was on the
committee which was present at the
famous interview with General Super
intendent Sweigard, about which SO
much lying has been done by some one.
Protective DUTIES ON COAL
DEPRECATED.
"fhe high tariff on coal Is the thing
that enables Mr.. Corbim to use such
defiant language. Do you suppose
that it coal could be shipped duty free
I" the eastern manufacturing towns
from Nova Scotia that the Reading
road would dare refuse to arbtrate
Wit! Us or listen 10 our grievances?
Why, had to pay al the rate OF Sc %
ton for half ton of coal right here
in Reading. Would that condition of
things be possible if it were no. for the
tariff that is protecting the Reading
monopoly from outside competition,
while il endeavors 10 starve the miners
into slavery! for that is what the
abolition of the knights of Labor
means. This thing is getting to be as
clear ~ sunlight to us. 1t there ~ ere
no duty on coal inside of q week
thousands of tons would be landed in
New York, Philadelphia and Boston at
fair prices. The manufacturers Of the
eastern states would not be crippled
while strikes lasted. The Reading
would not dare to close its
for the market would be SUD
piled from without.
WHAT FREE TRADE IN COAL WOULD
MEAN.
"NOw, what would that condition of
things mean2 Simply this The min
ers are not fools, and will not go on
strike, which always means direct loss
and suffering to them, without u good
cause. On the other hand, the Read
ing company-all the other coal com
psnies would gladly part with snffi-
cient of their profits to insure comfort
and good living tor their men. Thus
he men would be loyal and satisfied,
and at the same time the companies
would not be constantly plunged into
disastrous conflicts with their employees,
but in the case a difference arose the
would be just as eager as
he men to settle it. They would not
De i'll position to send out such Gar
ike maaiiestOes as Mr.. Corbin,s
,Iswer to the present strike.
"fhe settlement of this strike is a !
question in which every manufac-
urer and every consumer of coal, no |
natter how humble, is directly inter-
,sted. tell you Gods truth when |
say that if the Reading company had
showed any decenoy at first, if it had
reated its employees with consideration |
" even with politeness, this irightful
with all Its spreading effects,
would never have taken place, and | !
leclare, without fear OF contradiction,
hat if this great corporation had not
1T secure from outside competition,
Trough the high protective tariff, it
would have settled our grievances at
he start.
I'm no philosopher or statesman or
political economist, but | work for my
wing, amt | know which side my
read is buttcrcd on. 60 up to the
mining towns and You would find
very man and woman against protec.
ion for coal. This strike has done one
ood thing at least, 1t has opened our
yes"