The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-07-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON. D. c.. July 8. 1892.
The murder of Carnegie's locked out work
men by Pinkerton's mercenaries sent shudder
around the civilized world. and furnished the
voters of the United States with an object les
son not soon to be forgotten, showing just what
sort of protection Republican legislation
gives to the wage Garner. Jerry Simpson aptly
said OF it: :. hope that the people will now be
aroused to the fact that protection only protects
the capitalist, who, in this case. builds himself
a castle in Scotland where he may enjoy his
spoils In peace" Representative Tarseney,
chairman of the House committee on Labor
said: Everyone must condemn the employ
ment Of mercenaries. without the authority OF
law, to kill people. Their presence is a menace
to peace. and there ought to be something done
to put stop to such business" Even republi-
cans are found who condemn this crime, al
though it is one of the direct outcomes of their
party's policy. One of these is Representative
Lind, of Minnesota, who said: This employ
ment of armed mercenaries cannot be justified
and ought not to be permitted
Representative Caminetti has introduced a
resolution providing for a select committee to
investigate this Carnegie business. in order to
ascertain why an industry protected to such an
extent as that of steel and iron, should attempt
to reduce its laborers' wages from ~ to 60 pei
cent and why this trust or combine should be
allowed to introduce conditien of feudal des-
potism by hiring armed men to force its en-
ployes to accept the reduced wages. and a SINH
lar resolution is before the Senate. The resolu-
tions are timely, and unless there is great
change in the present sentiments of members
of Congress, a strong one will be adopted.
Many believe that the reduction of wages was
action on the pending bill. reducing the tariff
on the entire metal schedule.
The republicans are in very demoralized
condition. owing to the resignation of Mr.
Campbell as chairman of their National COM
mittee, whether that resignation was brought
about by the publication by ex-senator Farwell
of the statement that MIR. Harrison had once
refused to appoint Mr.. Campbell to Federal
office because of his being professional lobby
ist. by objections of the trusts for which Mr..
Campbell is attorney. or. by reason of the
threatened revolt of the republican farmers of
Illinois. It may be that all of these things were
factors in causing the resignation, or that none
of them had anything to do with it. but the fact
remains that the Generalization exists in the
republican ranks and political parties. like
armies, are always at a disadvantage when
lied.
There is lesson in the present condition of
the republican party that will not be lost upon
Mr. Cleveland, who will soon select the chair
an for the democratic National Committee,
He will profit by MIR. Harrison's error, and will
choose man for chairman who has the ability
to manage successful campaign. and who is
above even the suspicion of being allied o any
of the numerous trusts and combines (fostered
by republican legislation, notably the Mckinley
tariff law), which are depressing the people Of
the United States.
Senator Berry. in speaking against Senator
Hale's resolution to the effective differences
between the republican policy of" protection"
and the democratic policy of tariff for revenue
only.'' showed that the first" whereas " which
says that never ere laborers more prosperous
and so well paid. was conspicuously contrary
to facts by reading newspaper kilograms con-
cerning Carnegie's lockout. He said that the
republican party believed in high taxes and
extravagant appropriations, while the demo
cratic party believed in levying taxes for reve
nue. only, and in practicing economy. :" But"
said Mr.. Berry" the issue of the present cam
paign, which rises far above all other issues. is
the force bill. to which the Minneapolis Con
Yention and its candidate for President are
fully committed"
Democrats in Congress believe that the nomi-
nation of Weaver will close the career of the
third party. as far as the South is concerned. as
his speeches when he was a repubIcan-he has
been everything-were so bitter against the
South that few southern men will vote for him
after reading them. and Southern democrats in
Congress will see that the aforesaid speeches
are given u wide circulation in that section
Representative Hemphill. of South Carolina
says: .'All this talk of any other party except
the democratic carrying South Carolina is bosh,
Nine.tenths of our people were for Cleveland,
and he will carry the State by larger majority
than has been given for years.
The judiciary committee viii go to Pennsyl-
yania to investigate the Pinkerton's, und er the
recently adopted House resolution.