The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-07-06
DEMOCRATIC sTATEric
The Republican Party and the
LabORimg MAN.

Republican papers as class have strong |
aversion to the truth. When, therefore, one is |
discovered with courage enough to tell facts and
give them their true significance it is refreshing
to read what it has to say, and pleasure to
commend its honor. The Republican party has
always posed as the friend of the laboring man.
The poor mans dinner bucket" has been the
great text for their political preachers, and un-
fortunately for the humble toilers, many of
them have been unable to realize that it was
another case of the Devil in the pulpit. Below
we publish an article from the Pittsburg Leader.
one of the foremost Republican papers of that
city. and one, too, thoroughly orthodox in the
faith. as perusal of the article in subject will
attest. We commend it to our high tariff friends,
and especially to that portion who earn their
bread by the sweat of their brow.
WAGES AND POLITICS.
Since the manufacturers of the Pittsburg and
Mahoning valley districts offered reduced wage
scale to the Amalgamated Association the Lead
or has been striving earnestly to stir mp sentiment
against this important departure. in the hope
that the force of public opinion might prevent
its contamination. stave of strike or lockout.
and rescue the Republican party from the dam
age which q reduction at this time must inevita-
bly, infiict on President Harrison's campaign for
re- election.
The Leader opened the subject in the full ex-
pectation that its contemporaries would extend
their cooperation and use their best efforts to
dissuade the manufacturers from placing fatal
argument in the hands of the Democracy.
The result was an amazing disappointment.
The Dispatch. Times and Gazette took up the
cudgels instanter the other side. declared that
the wage question has nothing to do with poll
tics and substantially invited the workingman
to accept the dictum that his financial inter-
ests are a matter of private business" NOT
concerned in the doctrine of protection to Amer
lean industries.
This information is. of course. news, and start
ling news at that. to the workingman. whose vote
is periodically solicited by the Republican party
on the plea that the tariff keeps mp his wages
Never was a political party more thoroughly
committed to any principle than is the Republi-
can party to the principle that high tariff
means prosperous industries and consequent
high wages.
The Leaders warning did not remain Ions
without confirmation. Within few days aftel
its first utterance the National convention of ths
Democratic party pointed. in its platform. to ths
reduction of wages and to threatened strikes il
the iron trade proofs of the futility of the Nc
Kinley tariff.
No sooner did the news of the nomination o.
Cleveland and Stevenson reach Pittsburg than
ratification meeting was held. and the keynott
of the speeches at that meeting was that, in thi
city of Pittsburg. focus of protected industries
the reduction of wages to the extent of 20 to g.
per cent. in the iron and steel trades, vindicate
the attitude of the Democracy on the tariff ant
establishes the faithlessness of the Republican
party.
These preliminary fourishes are but triainl
sample of what is to come if the manufacturer
stick to their program.
With the iron and steel magnates of Pennsyl
vania exposed to the view of the nation as vol
untary pioneers of cheap labor, the politica
system which maintains their wealth and infu
enee will become butt for the unanswerabl,
jeers of every free trade orator in she countr.
and the triumphant cry of Governor McKinle.
that everything in this country has gone dowi
except labor " will come back to him as a curse
The Leader is honest in its support of Presi
dent Harrison and. for this reason, does not pro
pose to stand idly by while the best plank in tn
Presidents platform is knocked out by men an
newspapers that pretend to be his friends.
Insistence upon a wholesale reduction of wage
few months before the Presidential electio
means the loss of tens of thousands of votes
Harrison and Reid in close States.
That is the long and the short of the situation
and denials on behalf of the manufacturers ca
only serve to make matters worse.
The Prohibitionists nominated General job
Bidwell. of California for President, and j.
Cranfll. of Texas. for Vice President, at thei
National Convention held at Cincinnati lai