The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1888-10-10
FosrER,a .iEarS CIRCULAR.


He Tells Who Gets tho Benefit of the
War Taria.
The following is the text of the circular
which was addressed to manufacturers by
the authorities of the Republican league
and marked confidential"
HEADQUARTERS OF THE REPCBLfckN
LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES.
NEW YORK, May "a, 1873.
MY DEAR SR-The Republican league III
the United States desires to bring you fal,e
TO face with the startling fact that the com
ing presidential election is not to bo fought
ON the old party lines which have heretofore
divided Democrats and Republicans, but
upon the direct issue of FREQ trade versus
protection.
II may not be of your personal knowledge,
but ~ Is fact, nevertheless, that the manu-
fact1irers of the United States who are most
oeiieiited by our tariff laws have been the
Least willing to contribute to the success of
the party which gave them protection, and
which is about to engage in llfe and death
struggle with free trade.
a Republican United States senator from
state tkansasl which never had a Demo-
craf e representative In either house OF con-
gre-ss or a Democratic state officer, in speak
ing the wei known disposition of the mnn-
Iif acturins interest TO lock up its money,
fold its hands and look on while somebody
else fights for its success. says:
'sFbc campaign which we are about to
enter will concern more than anybody else
the manufacturers of this country. They
have heretofore been laggard in their con-
tributions to the Republican cause In fact.
if could punish them without Furnishing the
cause of protection itself, would consign
them to the hottest place could think of on
account of their craven parsimony. If this
class OF people do not care to contribute to
the success of the Republican party they nre
welcome to try their chances under Il Demo
cratic administration; can stand it as long
as they cam was solicited to contribute
to protective tariff league, and / replied
that if the manufacturers of the United
States III their associated capacity We're an
eleemtSynaIy institution would vote
to give them pension, but that I did
not propose myself to contribute money to
advance tho interests of men who were get
ting practically the sole benefit, or at least
the most directly important benefits, of the
tariff laws. am i'll favor of protection; not
precisely the kind we are having, but might
be willing to keep even that rather than not
to havc any, but am sure 1 can get along
without any of it full as we'll us the manu-
factul'eis can, and if they think the Republi-
can party is going to maintain high pro-
tective corps for their benefit, and the men
who do the work in that party are going to
keep up the expenses of campaign out of
their own pockets, leaving them to reap the
fruits t'f the tariff policy without any deduc-
tion for the political expenses, they are
greatly mistaken. / understand that i'll u
general way the manufacturers of New Eng
land have been moro liberal III their contli-
button than those OF PENNSYLVANIA.
IN feet. have it from the Lest possible
source that the manufacturers of PennSYlVa-
MIA. who arc more highly protected than any
body else, and who make large fortunes every
year when times are prosperous, practically
give nothing toward the maintenance of the
nscendancy of the Republican party or
course shall not violate what consider to
be proper principle of action; but if had
my own way about it would put the manu-
facturers of Pennsylvania under the fire and
fry all the fat out of them. IL the Mills tariff
bill comes TO the senate there will bo some
votes cast there which will open the eyes of
some OF these people who have, while gather
ing their millions, treated tho Republican
party as their humble servant"
These nre strong words, and bitter, but
they are true; and now it reInains with you
and your associates to determine whether
they are to be reiterated after the campaign
is over and protection has, through your
apathy, been struck its deathblow. If YOU
give us the means to win the victory we will
do it. Are you willingl Yours truly,
JAMES p. FOSTER, Pres.
Our correspondent will not, we assume.
fail to commend the fact to the attention
of his Republican friends that in the
opinion of tho Republican league tho men
who havo been getting 1.-The sole benefit,
Or at least the most important benefits of
the tariff laws are not the worllingmen
of the United States, but tho manufac-
turers, whom the league people say ought
to have the fat fried out of them for
the good of the Republican party in this
campaign. In particular it ought not to
escape notice that the authors of the cir
cular nowhere intimate that it would be
worth whitc to put any workinginan ''un-
der the fire" in the hope of making him
Weld fiat "-Brooklyn Citizen