The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-13
INDIFFERENCE no LApoR.
Tho Democratic Attempts to Make Capt.
tai out OF che Homestead Afrtir vs.. The
Democratic Platform.

Tho Democratic Attempts to Make Capt.
tai Out OF the HomSstoAd AffIlr W.. The
Democratic Platform.
Exchange
Democratic attempts to make capt
tai out Of tho Homestead troubles,
whether in congress or in tho prcss. arc
mizcalculated and futile. The Chicago
convention made record on tho qucs.
ton OF tho interests OF tho workingmen
rs affected by tariff legislation, and 1t
cannot DO repudiatea. Tho resolutions
reported 10 tho convention recognized
tho oxpediency Of protecting American
industries TO the oxtont Of maintaining
tho difference Of lovol In wages paid
here and IN Europe. Those reso'
iuttons were voted down by an
overwhelming majority, and q
radical proposition conforming pro.
lection as robbery and unconstttu-
tional, and advocating tariff for rove.
nus only, was adopted. BY that uncom.
promising action tho Democratic party
placed itself on record as in. favor OF
tariff revision without reference to
wages. II stands committed TO the pol
lev Of s.:ikinE out all tho protective tea.
lures cf the tariff without regard for
the interests OF the waSo.earners. II
demands tariff for revenue only. II
wages 20 down to the European level
under su:h tariff, the workinEtngmen
arc to adjust themselves to the new
condition ss best they may. Dsmocra'
cy Shen judged by itsown utterances
and action, is Indifferent tothcir losses.
I. Wow o: this record, how prepostcr'
Gus arc the attempts on that side to
hold protection and tho Mckinley Act
responsible for the labor conflict at
Homestead! How insignificant are tho
reductions in the proposed schedules
there in comparison with the enormous
IN wAgaS which will have TO take place
IL tho steel works are to be conducted
hereatter on the basis Of revenue
;aritf! Let II be granted for arguments
sake shat the managers are not justified
in the claim that tho wOrkmen can earn
moro money under the new schedule
than they could fow years age. before
the plant was improved and their own
productive capacity largely increased.
Let It be- assumed that there would boa
slight reduction Of wages for certain
classes Of workmen in tho mllla under
the new schedules. How would it ho
possible to operate those worEs at oil
under revenue tari1 without scaling
down the wages Of all classes Of
workmen to the level Of English. Bel
Rian and German operntivcs2 What
the Democratic party will bring about,
II it controls the next Congress in both
branches and has Mr.. Cleveland in
office to sign Revenue-Tarif bill, is
genera! reduction OF wages throughout
the country. This will be the logical
and necessary effect OF its tariff policy.
There is not u Democratic orator who
will dare to assert on the stump this
year that wages will DO higher when
foreign labor is brought into direct
competition with American labor. Mr..
Cleveland is the candidate OF the low
wage party, which proclaimed at Chi.
cago its Indifference to the interest OF
labor. Therefore, it i'll becomes tho
leaders and press Of that party to con-
denim the Homestead managers for at
tempting slight readjustment OF wages
or to sheer at tho Mckinley act as
low-wage tariff.
Then, too, there is the vital question
OF employment. At Homestead there
are now 5000 mon out Of work. II a
compromise be effected through arbi-
tration or otherwise they will be again
employed; or at the worst there are
iron mills ut other industrial centers
where they can eventually find work:
But under revenue tariff mills and
factories will be closed, and there will
be no work to be had. even at heavily
reduced wages. While many employ
ers might DO willing to continue manu-
featuring operations under FREQ trade
conditions with a heavy cut in wages,
many more would not make the effort,
but would abandon the field to foreign
competitors. Not only would there be
lower wages, but there would be vastly
less work under revenue tariff. This
will be another Of the logical results OF
Democratic tariff policy, and the Chi
cago convention, by repudiating the
majority resolutions, has declared in
advance that it Is indifferent to the
Abandonment OF American industries
and to the withdrawal Of sources OF en-
ployment for working people.