Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-11
A Racy Letter Accepting the Nomin-
alton to Run Against Dalzell.
HIS PICTURE OF THE TARIFF
And the Democratic View Of the Relations
Of Labor and Capital
A WEAK CASE FoRc1BLY PRESENTED

the 9th inst, notifying me of my unanimoul
nomination for Congress by the Democratic
Convention Of the Twenty-second district
For the nomination thus rendered and the
too hattering terms OF your notification
please accept my grateful acknowledge
ments. Whether the nomination shall bs
an "empty honor or further vindioatior
OF the tariff principles endorsed by the
people" Of the United States in three re
cent Presidential elections, It is for you te
say by your SURFACES after q fair discussion
| Of tho one paramount issue.
1t is a matter Of congratulation in this
contest that at least one great political party
in this country has the courage of its con
| victions and is consistent enough to nomi
nate a candidate-Grover Cleveland-whc
on such an issue is q platform in himself
Dismissing for the present collateral is
sues, may say by way OF inaugural that as
this is to be q Campaign of Education"
indulge the hope that parties interested
will ATTEND school" and at the proper time
stand up and be counted on issues on which
American citizens, having a common inter
| est, may honestly differ. Not only is the
| majority of the American people in favor OF
tariff revision. but the"aw and the prophets
| are with US.
| The Claim of UnconstitutiouaIity.
| The tarif under Republican auspices is
not only an economic misfit, but it is with.
out constitutional warrant. Justice Miller,
Of the Supreme Court Of the United States,
says
a epna as sns
| and with the other to bestow 1t upon fav-
ored in dividuals to aid private fortunes, is
none the less robbery because it is done
| under the forms of law and is called taxa
| ton. This IL not legislation. 1t is a decree
under legislative forms"
The Democratic doctrine to "revise and
amend" is not only in tho line of true prog
ress, but 1t is the creed Of the Intelligent
masses every where, and it has the distinct
merit Of having compelled the Republ can
snces and Tariff Commissions 70 recognize
| the necessity of revision"
As an abstract proposition ultra protec-
tion Is not only an economic fallacy, but It
| Is at war with experience, and in less than 30
| years the believers in high tariff will
be classed with the believers In witchcraft,
or the filiterate artisans Of London who in
1918 fnaugurated riots in order to keep out
"foreign competing goods"
A high tariff is essen TALLY discriminating
and to that extent unjust, and the Historian
even Nero proposed to abolish "discriminat-
ingn taxes. On the other hand, Wendell
Phillips, the Republican idol of the anti
slavery period, we'll said: Protection does
not protect. If it did We would all be pro-
tectionists." II high tariff were the un-
mixed blessing that protectionists claim, if
labor got an equitable share OF that tariff,
there would be no tariff ISSUE as such, as
the American people are not willing to vote
themselves poor If they know it, and the
average eleotor is intelligent enough to
wisdom OF the ages" bids Us judge tree by
Its fruits, Thus tested. either as a pros
peIity maker or wage protector high tariff
is conspicuous failure.
Few Questions Propounded.
If protection could make higher wages
hon {a 2 <ha fv,f Aafrv
lied world are paid in dependency of the
British crown? 1fprotection is a good thing
in the United States, why is 1t not equally as
and other protected countries? Austria has
the highest tariff in Europe and nays the
lowest wages. Mexico has the highest
tariff In America and pays the lowest
wages. The wage rate in England has
increased so per cent under free trade. There
Is more tonnage on the Tyne under free
trade than in all protected France. The
most destructive panic in American history
was during q period of the highest tariff.
Fifty years ago when England had a pro-
tective tariff her laborers did not receive
two-th1rds OF the wages tnat are paid today:
Are these statements disputable? And If
not, what is the inference2
The most extraordinary fact about this is
that men of sense who have lived through
the fearful period OF depression from 'zS to
70. when, for the first time, legislat tion
against tramps was needed, should gravely
listen to the assertion that nothing is needed
tarin as We had then and have now. On
this issue the Democratic party and the Peo-
ple's party stand on unmistakable ground,
while the Republican party has shifted and
shifted its position until It may be charac-
terized as the Artful Dodger Of American
politics
vania to-day Tor wage statistics to show that
protection does not protect. We have in
our midst to-day 70 tariff made millionaires
and multi-miliionaires and 81, 900 idle men in
fsfr q n vUt or,nf liza vbo,a fnro
OF this Is pertinent inquiry that must be
answered. Has not the fiction that the tariff
is profession of labor fooled the American
Governor NJ Kinley declared at the Repub-
lican ratification meeting in Madison Square,
New York, June 2l, 1892. that everything had
only have taken the Homestead mills sworn
payroll, as presented by Carnegie & Co. toa
the Congressional Committee, to show to the
@ world the utter fellacy a 90 OF any such state, tate
to Henry Clay Frick's payroll, and ask If the
dollar OF June. lS82. OF the Homestead billet
nakres was not split in twain in July, 1892?
Have not hundreds of men at Homestead
had their wages reduced, not an ordinary 10
per cent, but 80 to rs per cent. while many
others were reduced over 100 per cent-an
under Mckinley tariff, with an unpatented
wage protector attachment?
Harrison's Eight Thousand Word Letter.
If this be true, what is the propriety of a
President of the United States writing an
5000 word letter to defend system which is
at war with facts and is indefensible
in the forum of reasonf I can take ton OF
ore or OF billets and trace the gigantic tariff
profits directly from the schedule to the
pockets of the protected millionaires of this
district, but ask in . community where, in
a broad sense, all are laborers II any
competence to the tariff schedule? Lie
long Republicans freely admit that protec-
tion in the vicinity OF Pittsburg is found
banners. but 1t is en-
phatically not found on the payrolls
Of our millionaire manufacturers.
men properly understood lit II every
woman in Pittsburg knew that there was
enough tariff in her last dress to buy her q
hesn new bonnet how how long n would she permit her
tariff ne did not understand? II every man |
knew there was enough tartn in one suit |
of clothes to buy him nice pair OF shoes. |
how long would he vote to keep up that |
jigglei How long. would he swell "tin |
plate" chorus If he knew that for every man |
who gets employment in that industry u
The unchallenged fact in Pittsburg to-day is |
that the best brains Of the manufacturers
here arc employed not 80 much in enlarging |
W.ges, and tn the mos most s thriving r Industry in % by
Iii odds to-day in the royalty protected |
State Of Pennsylvania is that or reducing
American wages to pauper basis"
What is the situation right here in the
,enter Of this highly protected district2
Nearly all the tariff mfllionaires are banded
together to destroy labor organizations"
which alone maintain wages, and men are
discharged Tor joining labor organizations.
2 not this tree country, or 10 It free only
or certain peoplef Under the specious plea
1f running" our own business, most of |
hese tariff. made million aires are introduce
ng cheaper labor, and the best skilled labor Il
n the world is now compelled before it can
'et employment 20 surrender the "organf-