The Helena independent., 1892-08-26
100000 IN BANKRUPTCY
That Many Individuals, Firms and
Corporations Wrecked Under
High Protection.
Twelve Per Gent Increase Under
One Year OF the Mckinley
Iniquity.
Six Thousand Strikes Involving One MIL
lion Workmsn in Fiftsen Years OF
Republican Logislation.

II DETROIT, Mich, Aug. 25.--More than ten
thousand people assembled to-day on the
grounds OF the Detroit International Fair
and Exposition, it being political day."
Speaking began st one O'Clock, sx-Con-
gresham Dunnell, of Minnesota, represent
ing the republican party and making the
first speech. Col. Norton, OF Chicago, fol-
lowed with strong speech in favor Of tho
peoples party principles and candidates.
The last speaker was Hon. William NJ.
Springer, of Illinois, chairman of the ways
and means committee OF the national
house of representatives, who received a
hattering reception. Mr.. BprinRer's speech
was almost all devoted to the tariff ques-
tion. He said il protection has accom-
plished 10 much for the country, it must
also be held responsible for the evils which
have grown up under protection. and which
are fostsrsd BY it. During the past twenty
i've years. while protection has fourished
in all its viRor. a vast army of individuals,
firms and corporations. aggregatinR 200 600.
have succumbed to the pressure of hard
times and gone into bankruptcy. Their
aggregate liabilities have exceeded three
and one.half billions Of dollars. The num-
Der of ommercial failures increased in
1891, as compared with the previous year
before the passage Of the Mckinley bill, IL
per cent. and the liabilities increased %
per cent. The speaker referred to the
rapidly increasing real estate indebtedness
in various states as result OF the hardship
entailed upon farmers in being compelled
TO pay all the bills OF the expensive protec-
sion ~ ystsm desiRnedto foster q few selected
industt les at the expense of the great aRri-
cultural classes. During the period of
democratic low tariff. tariff for revenue
only, from 1876 to 1860. fifteen years, the
total number of strikes reported in an off,
oial way were seventy-four. During the
past fifteen years, under republican high
tariff, there have been over 5000 strikes
and lockouts in the United States, involv-
ing over million of employees.
Referring to the Homestead troubles, Mr..
Springer denounced the greed of Carnegie
in attempting to gather to himself all the
had advocated, and grind down workmen
TO starving condition. If there was ever
. labor CONTEST said Mr.. Springer, lin
which the laborers were clearly in the right,
" h the one now being carried on at Home
stead. The mills are surrounded by state
militia, and the barbarous treatment sho WI
to one of the soldiers by his superior Off
gravity of a misdemeanor under the laws
of the state. shows that the militia officers
are fit inst. .umsnta for the work in which
they are engaged"
Continuing the speaker denounced the
Pinks ton systsm and recalled that az early
a. 1886 tho denloo ats OF Illinois had
demanded its suppression, and Gen. Palmer
had made . campaign on the issue that the
government should be 'as strong as tho law
and no stronger; as weak AZ the law and no
weaker" The report of the senate COM
mittee on finance, submitted by S, nator
Aldrich. was quoted in which the republi-
can senator admitted that the benefits of
the Mckinley bill up to this time had only
resulted in raising wages three-fourths OF
one per cent higher in nfteen general occu-
pations. what ridiculous result Of the
benefits of high tariff! Yet this is the best
showing which the friends of the Mckinley
bill can make. The demooratic. party in
sists that the tariff shall always bear the
heaviest upon articles of luxury, instead of
articles of necessity to the poor man, and
the democratic party is opposed to any
tari6 beyond that necessary to raise suf1i-
oient revenues for the expenses Of the gen.
erAl government"