The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-12-28

| 10 AtColupt w hh0 pluuuSSis Va 4NeV
rails, and he expressed himself as salts
fed with th9 provisions OF the Senate
bill,
After short recess, F.. J. slade, oI
Trenton, N, j., addressed the COMMITTEES
on the subject Of structural iron. The
price for iron beams to day was liz
cents q pound, When he went into the
business, twenty years ago, the price
was about double that. In response 10
q question by Mr., Flower, Mr., Slade
stated that there was a combination
among the producers Of structural iron,
but he denied that the profits OF the busi'
ness were too large, They did not aver.
age more than s per cent, Unrestricted
competition would lead TO bankruptcy,
Combination was advantageous TO trade
and 1t was the duty OF persons engaged
In business to look after their own bust.
ness, The manufacturers OF beams slm'
ply said 10 One another: "Let US charge
q fair price for our own goods" That
was all the combination there was. No
effort had been made 10 crush out the
firms that did not belong to the combl'
nation and there was no understanding
that the production should be limited
A PROTECTION DEMOCRAT,
General Imbodsn, Of Virginia, speak
ing for his section Of country, favored
the retention OF the duty on coal and
iron ore. In fact, he ielt thai II would
be wise policy to increase that duty.
lavlng stated that the coal from Vir:
ginia coal fields was sold In the West
lndlesand Central America he was asked
by Mr.. Carlisle whether, II that were
true, the Virginia coal producers could
not compete In their own country with
Nova Scotia coal.
Mr., ImbOden responded In the mega.
tive and declared that an abolition Of
the duty would ruin the coal industry oi
Virginia. He then proceeded to argue
In support Of retaining the duty oh iron
ore, He represented not skilled labor,
but unskilled labor. The men who
worked the mines In the South we're
principally negroes. These people had
TO be provided with work, II they did
not receive work, they would live on
the whites dishOntatly, A negro wonld
not steal II he could yet work. Negroes
were the best mine workers.
The north has been made rich by pro.
lection; 1t was now the opportunity Of
the South TO become rich. II any body
was to be protected he would rather
make an American rich than Hungar.
Ian, an Italian, or q Brigham.
Mr.. Flower, Of New York, inquired
In reference 10 the remark as to elections
In the South, wnether Mr.. Imboden
meant that the color line had to be-
drawn and that the gentleman had no
vote against his sentiments.
PROTECTION IN THE SOUTH.
Mr., Tmboden-We are compelled to
stand together there under certain con.
ditlons. The tariff sinks into insight.
icance. In the last election voted with
extreme reluctauca tile Democratic tick
Ut, but | did it. { [Laughter.l He (Gen,
lmbOden) was a prateCtionist. He had
always been one, and he believed that II
In the South there could be u square and
fair vote on the protection issue without
any extra issues the prOtectionists would
overwhelmingly carry at least four or
uVb oUutueIu otdttb.
THE RACE QUESTION.
Judge Bowling, Of Virginia, made an
argument in-fayor OF the retention Of
the duty on iron ore. He thought that
this matter Of protection to the indus.
tries Of Virginia became one OF the most
important features in determination Of
the race question. He had been born
and reared among negroes, and he
counted them rs his warlnest friends.
Farming did not pay in Virginia and
other labor must DO supplied to the ne-
gro. When he had labor and received
Ills wages for 1t, instead OF remaining
lille aud thrftless, he got little home
and ceased TO be politician. Protection
was source Of strength TO the people Of
the South In endeavOring to make bet.
ter citizen Of the negro.
Congressman MCCUmas, OF Maryland,
opposed any reduction OF duty on btu.
niinous coal, holding that such q reduc.
tion would not cheaper coal put would
paralyze an all important industry and
lessen the price OF it's labor.
o. NJ. Hitchins, OF Maryland, coal
operator, who formerly mined In Wales,
testified that II the duty was taken of
coal the Welsh coal could not be kept
out Of the country. He stated that the
wages received in Wales were not nearly
as large as the miners received in this
country, aud although things were
cheaper abroad, the houses OF the work.
iDgmen were not half as comfortable.
There was no comparison between the
condition Of the English and American
miner.
James Sloan, q practical miner OF
Maryland, also spoke against putting
coal on the free list. He did not want
the wages Of Maryland miners reduced
10 the Scotch or Nova Scotia standard.
He cited a story descriptive of the con.
dition Of Scotch miner. One was asked
whether he ever eat heeisteak and his
answer was that lie sometimes saw beef
through window but that was about
as near as he ever got to II; "but," hU
continued, "ii you damned Americans
would take the tariff OF We might get a
bit OF beef yet"
John WRtkin, another miner, followed
In the sanie line aud protested against
reduction Of duty on coal.
John p. 0ttersOn, Of Allegheny, ad.
vocated increase Of duty on enameled
iron.
The committee then adjourned until
tomorrow when the sugar re6ners will
| be haafd.