The advocate., 1892-07-20

StituOn, Of life, liberty and the pursuit Of hsppl
ness. l think that the fact has been prettl
clearly demonstrated, and If an Opportunlnit!
were afforded, 1 think we would have no diff
Guilty In establishing the truth.
That opinion Is based on observation and th,
preparations, building OF fences and bringing Ii
Of PinkertOn guards, and the consequential man
agement of that mill. Three years ago at thl
same mill we had trouble Of similar character
After considerable trouble the firm finally slgneC
the scale. The capacities of the mill were a
that time quite limited.
Then came the Mckinley tariff bill, reducing
the tariff on the very identical article on which
our wages were based, viz, steel bllletS, ant
raising the tariff on all other articles Of prOduc
ton. It was a gigantic conspiracy to rob thu
labOring man Of fair days wages for fall
days work.
The Carnegie company hold the mortgages OF
their employees property to considerable OK
tent. There are employees who have bank de
pOSits; to what extent don't know. Our people
as general thing, believing the PlnkertOns tt
be horde Of cut-thrOats, thugs and lswlesS In
Vaders, employed In the submission of hOnes
labor into accepting the demands Of capitalists
accounts for their dislike Of the PinkertOns
There would have been no resistance to law
fully constituted authority Of the state. There
has been, however, in the coke region, and II
many other parts Of the country.
Judge Taylor here interpOsed an objection Il
any such sweeping declarations" as he termeC
them.
Mr.. Oates-YOur idea, then, ls chat the com
pany, after having obtained scale Of wages
based on the market value Of steel bilets, caused
the duty on steel bllletS to be reduced.
Mr.. McLuckie-Yes, sir. They shortly con
Verted the Duquense works into billet plant
increased the production flooded the country &C
that prices may be reduced, and thus affect Oul
wages. The Duquense produces large amounts
Of blllets.
Judge TaylOr-T understand you to give it as
your opinion as to the cause of reduction on The
selling price Of bIlletS. The reduction Of the du
ties thereon and the increased production BY
this company
Mr.. McLuckie--That Is the idea exactly, sir.
Question How could this company make more
money by selling their blllets cheaperP
AnSWer-Simply because 1t is very small item
In the productive capacity OF their mills.
Question Why should the firm want this re
ductlOn, when they certainly lose by it.
Answer-Because every article produced II
based on that particular item Of steel blllets
They can do 1t without the tariff, II they had Oul
scale signed and our wages based on the prices
Of these blllets; they could have done much bet
ter than they have done. If they could get th'
minimum basis low enough 1t would pay them Il
take all the tariff off.
QuestlOn-DO you know the difference between
here and England in the price of blllets?
Answer-I understand 81 difference. There
was a conspiracy by this company to do by legls
latiOn what they did not succeed in doing witt
the deputies three years ago.
Judge TaylOr-YOu think this conspiracy con
sisted Of who?
Mr.. McLuckie-I think the Pacific railroad
people were connected.
| Questlon-And who else?
Answer-H. @. Frick and the Carnegie inter
eSts. think there was large circle II you cart
to gather them up.
QueStiOn-Any members OF Congress?
Answer-The bill was passed.
QueStlon-Then q majority Of congress mus
have been In lt?
AnSwer-I did not say so. 1 am not here f0l
the purpose Of insulting this committee.
Here is the scheme in a nutshell
Having secured the agreement of the
workmen to the sliding scale" baseG
upon the price Of steel billets, tht
company at once proceeds deliberate
ly and systematically to secure a re
duction in the price of this produce
of the works, and, as usual, congress
stands ready to render all needed as
- L.