The Red Cloud chief., 1892-07-29
Wages al Homestead.

The Democratic House sent q commit
tee TO Homestead with the hope Of max
ing a showing Of distress and poverty
among the laborers in protected indus.
tries. They hoped TO show that work
men in protected Industries get no bene-
fit from q protective tariff. But they
will not show that.
What they found was workmen getting
from $1.40 a day (the lowest rate, and
that only to a few up to as high az sl6
per day. There were men offerd Sl!OOO
B., 500, 5000 and ever $1,000 per annum
and working about 270 days In the year
and yet they had learned to feel and be-
lieve, under the experience OF a protec-
tive tariff, that they ought TO have moro.
No wonder Congressman Bynum. Demo
crat. OF Indiana, and q member OF the
committee inquired with some show OF
eagerness whether there was q chance
for him to secure a position In the works.
When Hugh O'Donnell, the leader Of
the strikers, was on the stand, Mr.. Boat
ner, democrat, OF L~ouisana) asked him:
"You are N Of the skilled workmen,
are you notY'
"Yes, sir"
"About what were your wages {"
"About sl44 per month"
John McLukie, q member OF the Am.
algamsted Association and o burgess Of
Homestead, complained to the commit
| tee that the Mckinley law reduced the
| tariff on steel billets, and that wages
therefore, began to go down with the
price OF steel billets after its passage
| He advanced the somewhat extraordin
aryv opinion that the securing Of the re
| duction Of tariff on steel billets wal
part Of a conspiracy to reduce the wage
OF workingmen. He also charged tina
the company shortly converted thu
Duquence works into Q billet plant, In
creased the production, flooded the coun
try no that prices may DO reduced, ami
thus affect our wages. The Duquesnt
produces large amount OF billets."
This would seem to account better TO
the reduction in price Of steel billet
than the removal OF the tariff.
Representative Oates, Of Alabama, tn
Democratic chairman Of the Democrat
committee Of investigation, was inter
viewed after he returned from Homestea
and said:
''That the workmen at Homestea
were far above the average in intelli
gence and seemed tn be fairly prosper
Gus, living in good, comfortable. house
He saw none Of the poverty common
great manufacturing centers. Many
the men, particularly the skilled vorl
, men, made good wages, some OF the!
az high rs S275 per month. Others mac
|, only $50 per month. Tho common labo
ers earned from 81 to s1.50 a day.
"As Nr. Frick had positively decline
to disclose to the committee the cost p.
ton OF producing steel billets at Il
Homestead mills, Mr.. Oates could NJ
say whether the contention OF the me
that the company was making q gre'
, deal of money at the present prices W,
true or not. Hs was satisfied, howeve
. that the allegation OF the men that Il
r company had purpossly produced Q
overstock of steel billets in order to :
: duss the scale Of wages Of the workml
: was untrue"
Blatant demagogues have spres
q many lying report OF the misery, poye
!. ty and degradation of the workmen
Homestead, and Democratic politician
have been quick to take up these Fepor
r aud glorv in them as showing the o6laH
ity Of q protective tariff. But the d.
: has gous by when lies Of this soft ca
befoOl the people. The country 10 NJ
4 prepared to judge finally on the merits
the strikers quarrel at Homestead. B,
that the wages they have been gettiI
n and the wages they are offered are sue
rs would leave them in the helpless sr
3 poorly condition Of laboring men in r
rope and Great Britain is proved not
he true out OF tbs mouths OF tho stri
Q ers and the Democrats themselves.