Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-18
Eooa Thing for p,utocra,s.

wv. L. W" writes to an exchange the
following OF the political cause aud effect
of the Carnegie strike, which is very
apropos of the local situation in labor
matters. in view of the resentment on the
part of the riCity Labor congress of
the attempt of the paper formerly repre-
senting the cause of labor to deliver the
labor classes over to the cause of protec-
ton:
We cannot thoroughly take in the
meaning of the great strike of the iron
and steel workers at Pittsourg. CIeve-
land and many other points in the country
without bringing to bear upon 1t a little
recent tariff history. When the confer
ence report on the Mckinley bill was
presented to the house Mr.. Mckinley said
(Sept 81, 1900: "The metal schedule,
which occupies % pages of the bill. has
received earnest consideration because of
the importance of the great industries it
represents. Nothing has been done in
the metal schedule that can result IN loss
of business or prestige, and nothing that
can cal for a reduction Of cages or a dim
mutton of the number Of aoorEtngpen en-
ployed."
Thet schedule was really made up for
the bill by the American Iron and Steel
association, as we find in the annual re-
port of its secretary, MIR Swank, dated
May, 1891, who said During the long
period in which this measure received the
consideration of congress, the views of
this association concerning the proper
framing OF the metal schedule were fire.
ouently solicited and were promptly
given. The schedule as it was finally
adopted IS. in my judgment, the most
n aaf jrp
of all tie metal schedules that haze eUer
formed part of our tariff legislation"
Our iron and steel manufacturers have
reason to be thankful that the new tariff
adequately protects their interests from in
furious foreign competition.
1t is working admirably"
About the time that this report of the
admirable working" of the Mckinley bill
was made. the patron of that bill believing
or affe citing to believe that he had scat
tered plenty over a smiling land. ex-
claimed to an applsuding company of
representatives of the trusts and protected
industries at the Tariff League banquet AT
New York: Now go on and prosper"
assuring them there was to be ''no mon
keying with the tariff" and that his bill
was good for 10 years at least.
Let the believer in protection, and espe-
cially the workingman read these asser-
tiOns and promises made at the time the
Mckinley bill was in the making. Let
him then turn to the published list OF
mills closed, a list that will be greatly in
creased before this paper reaches his eye,
and see what the performance has been.
If ever a tariff sche dule could have
brought good wages and steady employ
ment to labor here was the schedule that
ought to have done so. 1t received "earn-
est consideration" from the house COM
mittee, said Major Mckinley. The views
of our association (of employers). said
Mr.. Swank. ''were frequently solicited
and promptly given" II will call for mo
reduction of wages or diminution of
hands" said Major Mckinley. 1t is the
most harmonious and completely pro-
tective' of all the metal schedules ever
framed, said Mr.. Swank, and "adequate-
ly protects" our interests.
Its rates were dictated by the eager
selfishness of home producers. Those
rates are high enough to shut out foreign
competition and to put the home market
at the mercy of the American Iron and
Steel association. They are high enough
TO compel the American consumer to buy
from the home producer at prices die
tated by trusts and pools. What more
could protection demand? What was
lacking to give the tariff fair field to