Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-08-04

Knowles, Taylor & Knowles, of East Liv-
erpool, puts himself on record before the
public as high tariff Gsmaliel demagogue
by the use Of the following language, which
hope all of his workmen viii take enough
notice Of to memorize. In speaking Of the
tariff and the surplus in the national treas
ury, he said: ''Ths proper way to reduce
the surplus is to put such a high duty on
all imported articles that no import
atiops eau take place, consequently
there would be no duty to collect"
This is an apt expression, coming
from friend Of the workingman, such q
noble friend as he is, who has no use for
any man whom he could not use to suit his
own selfish purpose. A glance into the
past 20 years may open the eyes of some.
At that period the crockery industry was
an infant, and with the crudest facilities In
the manufacturing Of ware had protec-
ton of 25 per cent-under which the pot
tiers of East Liverpool prospered, and none
prospered more rapidly than X. I. & X,
who were among the poorest when the
plant was first established. From one OF
..ae smslleSt fe"tories they have grown. TO
be one of the largest manufacturers OF
white granite in the world. OF course q
million and half of money was not made
all under the rs per cent. duty-but the
manufacturing potters were not slow % see
the advantage Of higher tariff, SO they be-
gan to ask for an increase. They got it, 40
per cent, so per cent. Then came the
great tariff demonstration at Pittsburg.
Among all the trades, none shouted louder
or longer for high tariff than the poor de-
luded workmen ok, T. & K. The result
was an increase of duty 90 per cent, under
which they have made their hundreds OF
thousands. This makes an increase OF 81
per cent. in protection.
Now i would like to have Mr.. Knowles
state publicly how many times, and how
much wages have increased during this
time, or has it not been the reverse. Wages
have gradually decreased as the duty in
creased, and never but once in the history
of the business has there been an advance
in wages and that WAS only temporary.
All the strikes for an advance have been
lost by the men. Every lockout for re-
duction of wages has been won by the en-
ployers, until now wages in the potteries
are lower than ever, while the tariff is at
it's highest And yet they say that the
European competition is ruinOus, and cite
the remedy in q still higher rate Of duty,
or to close our ports sgainst all importa-
tions. This is the dear friend of the work
ingman who was the first potter in the
country to declare that he would NIP the
Knights of Labor in the bud" and who
denies his men the right to belong to a
labor union, and before giving employment
to any one forces his signature to an iron
clad agreement.
Now he comes to his men and asks them
to save themselves by voting for Harrison
and high tariff. To elect Harrison would
mean to continue the present rate of duty,
or possibly give them another screw up
and the men another screw down-1O per
cent more duty, 10 per cent. less wages.
Il has always been 80, and will 80 contin-
ne until labor has the same protection as
capital. How much protection do these
same capitalists want put on foreign labor
coming here? Why, none, of course. X,
T. & X. and Homer Laughlin did not wait
long when, q few years ago, a difference
arose in regard to wages between them
and their employees, but soon had their
shops and benches filled with men of their
3Tn importation.
Now, the question is, how longi are the
men in East Liverpool going to be blinded
by the glare of o few dollars, which grow
less and less every year, while the central
izstion of capital goes ont. The remedy
lies in the ballot. Every man should
know lrhy he votes his ticket. The man
is blind who will cast his vote for man
or party who refuses to consider his rights
as paramount with that of the capitalists.
Let the men demand from their represen-
tatiyes in Congress, whether they be Re-
publican or Democratic, fair ventilation
of the tariff on crockery, and an investiga-
ton in regard to the percentage of labor
entering into the cost of the manufacture
of white granite. The manufacturers
claim that labor is 80 per cent. of the
cost. This | brand malicious and false
statement, made for the purpose of keep
ing up high rate of duty to protect the
poor laborer. who is virtually robbed to
that very extent.
ONK OK, T. & KS FORMER employees.