New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-24
PRICE THREE CENTS.
Mr.. POWDERLY'S QUESTIONS
WHAT ANSWER CAN THE DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL COMMITTEE MAKE?
A SCATHING REVIEW OF THE RECENT RECORDS
OF CHAIRMAN HARR:TY AND
GOVERNOR PATTISON.

GOVERNOR PATTISON.
From The Journal OF the Knights OF Labor, Phllade
pha, September %.
The New-York letter TO "The Philadelphia Ledger
OF the 18th contains this bit Of news
The Democratic National Committee is distributing as
campaign part OF T. " Powceriy's article on
Labor and Protection" in The North American Review
The letter does not say Just what part Of my North
American Review" article is quoted, but presume u
must be the following:
The Steel Company and like concerns owe thef
prosperity the protective laws Of the United States
These pased the Interest Of labor During
discussion tariff laws it never advanced as
why they should be passed that capital would oe
proncted-the argument always that labor would %
protected Tho workman has not been protected from
foreign competition by the Government He has had TO
battle himself through tho labor eraan''saens'
only has he had fight against foreign eempesess:
largely by delusive tariff laws out ne mas hAa
with the employer for . saate 81 uas P'H
lection decreed by law that he should
Government has enacted protective Legislation
interest OF labor read Congressional speecnes
arght quiescenty allows the manufacturer to absorb
the Of protection and then throws Its armies srouno
the establishment slightest provocaon when the
ask for what their Government admitted that ney
had a right to enjoy.
What would have overted this trouble OF Homesteadr
acd Industries which protected by tarin laws
should be open inspection by Government omciaas.
When such seek to absorb all OF
the protection the Government should interfere behalf
the workingmen. III prOtecuon' ies ~s
see to It that 1t protects tie who works.
As that Is the only part OF The Northern American
Review" paper that bears on that funny old thing
called the tariff cannot he very far wrong In re-
ferrng to It here. Personally suppose should feel
compmented being considered Of so much impor
lance by the National Committee Of the Defnocrsuo
party should feel grafed to know that the chair
man Of that committee had experienced change OF
| heart, or head, since last year. IL my memory
serves me right, was instrumental IN making Mr..
Harrity Secretary OF the Commonwealth OF
a State which Is just now demonstrating
that It can run along quite as accuratey and safely
cause OF Mr. PattisOn in 1850 | aided somewhat, ana
one Of the c9r s.a n at ina Ssan cps tGT the election Of
Mr. Patt1son, Mr. Harrity would not now be the chsr
fsia tton wa was Elected on issue he
openly pledged to constitutional convenucn, on o,o
sdtutiona convention he sought for votes, and
| he got them on that issue.
sary for the newly naugurated Executive 70 select .
Cabinet and Secretary OF this Commonweatih M, ne
oVsrnor Tni on the question Of constitutional convention
became matter for deep concern on the par OF tns
called to invoke bis intercession with the Legislature
which then in session. The answer ven 70 one
sav somethinci" on that occasion I suppose should
feel complimened to think that the Governor OF ths
have more influence with the Legislature than his In
tercessiOn.
| DEFEATING THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
| course Of mastery inactivity was pursued, ana
after demonstrated that Mr. Harty had been IN
strumental In defeating The will OF the people py
opposing the constitutional convention. II was Mr'
Harrtty who framed that part OF the Democratic piat'
form OF 1891 which sderacked constitutional con-
venon for everything except change In the bailot-
numbering clause The Legislature adjourned after
becett,ng the monstrosty known the Baker Ballot
law and fixing for the holding Of constitutional con-
vention. The people were to elect the delegates 70
this convention they to be eleced or selected'
as the case might be. In nonpar'isan manner Nom
nation as delegate not 10 be considered partisan
| nomination. There way TO become delegate
70 that convention except through the nomination OF
either the Democratic Republican party. With tho
understanding that II purely non-partisan, ac-
cepted the nomination for large at the HANDS
| q, the RenublIcan marty. The acceptance Of that
nomination was the signal for the most bitter uncalled
for and unjustifabe attacks from the Democratic
sunnorters and papers No lie SANDER too vile
or mean TO invent and throw at me then In accepting
that nomination. felt that would be the strest way .
get into the convention. II WAS suggested 10 Mr. iarry'
| then Secretary Of the Commonwealth. that my name
b, placed on the Democratic State ticket asoa thing
that could with propriety be done, for had In no
way expressed sentiment In favor OF either party
and had not In any way me1ided In the campaign
II the clippings from the Harrisburg papers which
adOrn the pages OF my scrapbook report Mr. farrity
accurately, he said in reply to the suggesiion "oh
no. I will have no of Mr.. Powderly In mne."
From that remark one would reasonably infer that
nj some time or other Mr. Harrity did have some OF
Mr. Powdcrly in his. He hattered himself, for in
advocating the election of Mr.. Pattson, It was not
my intention to elect Mr. Harrty, and. as that was
the only occasion when he could even imagine that
he had any Of mine in his, suppose that must be
what he had In his minds eye Had that constitu'
tonal convention been held, the people OF this state
would have been IN a position to detlrone the INT
! reriaI Reading combine. which insolenty saps this
Stae into silence through its cowardly, worse, oni
Gals 1t does more: II dictates what crganzao ons
workmen shall join; IL organizes an insurance scheme
for the purpose of robbing its employees notwithstand
Ing the fact that II has not procured charter from
the State that Mr.. IIarriy used to be the Secretary
Of It browbeats It's employees, 1t dcprives them OF
their rights rs American citizens: II Is an enemy 70
American labor and top of all 4 that 1t Is supported
and upheld by the Chairman of the Democratic Nd
tonal Committee, who now attempts 10 make use OF
my words TO help the cause that he Is interested In.
ard which he would have people believe to be friendly
| to American labor
In my "Norh American Review article have
not discussed the merits of Protection, ono phase OF
IT alone Is referred to and In saying that 1t does not
adequately protect the American workIngman, state
a truth which can In no way aid a party which dare
not avOw Itself in favor of Free Trade-the opposlte OK
Protection. In Pennsylvania its candidates Tor Coh-
| gress are running their own platforms, some OK
tem avowng that they do not agree with the National
Platform or with Mr. Cleveland. Mr. Cleveland Is re-
ported as not being in perfect accord with himself on
the Tariff of late. The only reason why the Natonai
| Committee makes use Of my words Is to eaten the
votes of workngmen who let their thinking out 70
others TO do and who. II is supposed, would be In
auenced more by what / would say than by what they
would know Themselves and, II the solemn sense OF
duty, still acuates Mr.. Cleveland, he does not want
such votes. A party which seeks to obscure its VII
anous declaration in favor of wildcat banks behind
| whIrlwnd-dus kind Of tariff discussion must be In
sore straits. when Mr.. Powdery sought to gain ad'
mission TO the constitutional convention OF 1891,
where he could do something PRACTICAL for labor Mr.