West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1892-07-28
PROTECTION SLAVES.
MEN SHOT FOR ASSERTING THe
PRINCIPLE OF PROTECTION.

Tho First Rendjustment OF the Wage
scaio Since tho Passage OF the .IcKJn-
ley Bill. Which Was to Keep Wage. I'd,
Shows Reduction of so Per Cent.
Tho rioting at Homestead is n most
deplorable incident of the great lockout
Mt that place, and is none the less shock
ing to the public mind that violence has
been expected as the almost certain re-
suit OF the quarrel between the IRON
masters and their men. Ii was known
indeed that the iron mills had been con-
verified into a scientific fortification and
that preparations were being made on
both sides for IA siege, but it was not
thought that open hostilitics would be-
gin so soon or would be of so serious
character.
1t Is most remarkable as we'll Us de-
plorable state OF affairs. In the very
center and heart of the great protected
ndustries-protected, as claimed, i'm or
der to enable the manufacturers to pay
high wages TO their employees-work-
ingmen are shot down like savages by a
hired police for asserting the great prin-
ciple which they have been taught is
the basis of our national wealth and
glory and resisting reduction of their
wages. 1t Is not the first time the pro-
tected American workingmau has had
TO fight for living wages with the pro-
tected American monorolist, who is his
special representative and friend in
congress and for few weeks every
four years on the hustings, and it will
not be the last time
he is the convenient medium and ex-
cuse for imposing fraudulent tax sys-
TEN on the mass of the people for the
Dement, OF favored class, and he will be
wheedled and whacked, praised and
pinched. by turns, rs occasion requires
so long as he can be employed to serve
the purpose he has served so well here
tofore. 1t is the pinching time at Home
stead now. Tho ironmasters, as wo are
told by one of their organs, can well af-
ford to have the works rest awhile Just
now. 1t is the best season of the year
for q lockout. They determined TO
make their fight now and have il over
and we'll out OF the way before the pro-
lection campaign should fairly begin
anew. If there is any shooting to be
done. this is the time to do it. Voting
time will come little later, and it is
desirable TO keep tho two seasons as far
apart as may be. or course the work
ingmen will grumble and protest and
plead-but that does not matter. Iron
can hold out longer than flesh and blood,
and the white slaves" must come to
their masters terms in the end.
It's the old story told over again, that
has been told so often since the war.
The protected manufacturers having
bought the presidency and filled con-
gress with their agents and put the laws
they wanted on the statute books, are
settling again with their men. The
Mckinley bill was passed two years ago.
This is the first reimbursement OF the
wage scale at Pittsbnrg that has occur
red. since. The reduction Of wages of
the American workingmen at that place
under the bill to keep their wages up.
etc.-is 30 per cent, and they are shot
down by hired guards when they try TO
protect themselves from such protection.
It's the same old story and il will have
the samo old ending. Let no Demo-
crat deceive himself into the belief
that the recent shooting will affect
he voting next November. The iron
masters know whom they are dealing
with. They have mastered them before
and they will master them now. The
men their detectives are shooting at and
shooting down voted for protection four
years ago, and will vote for il again this
year. They are the slaves of the monopo-
hsts-slaves body and mind-and there
Is no help nor hope in them. They are
only fit now 10 work for the Carnepies
and their class, and they will work out
their miserable lives in their service.
The power Of monopoly, we may hope,
VIII indeed be broken this year or soon,
but II an effective blow is ever struck
1t will he by the farmers Of the south
and west-not by the humble and poor
spirited 'wOrlEinginen" Of the east
Charleston News and Courier.