Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-11

US that the Roman augurs could not look
each other in the face without laughing, and
marvel much If these political tarin fakirs
can took each other in the face wis6ous TN N
UNITY OF the American 'sovereign."
Tho People'Ars Asking Questions
Our home people know these things and
are now more than ever in an interrogative
mood. They want to know why labor II
forced to protect itself. II It is already pro-
teoted by the tariff Have the wages Of
urers incrsaseds .e II hot p what becomes, Of
tne theory that the tariff protects the work
ingmanf The tariff in glass has increased
from 40 to 90 per cent; have the wages OF the
him have offended. Whom does protec-
tion protectf The few or the many, and is
tnls Governments of the few or the manyf
~sie Dy Il !. .sey
claimed to be beneficiary Of the tariff? Is
It not home competition rather than free
bles, and does not the tariff make the home
competition keener every dayf Is not ehe
cost OF living one.third higher than gen
Grafton ago, and has the wage rate under the
Republican tariff increased a3 per cent?
Has not the wage rate in all now countries
naturally increased without reference to
tariffsF Are not the most highly protected
wages? Are not the best wages paid in
the non-protected industries and have
not wages really decreased in the pro-
tected industriesf Does not monopoly
get the cream of the tariff. while labor
hardly gets chance to lick the platef Does
not tariff of special interests breed
strikes and lock-outs and disorder as natur.
ally as green pond breeds malaria? Have
not Carnegie & Co. been reducing wages for
10 years past under the highest tariff in the
world? Has not the list of bankruptcies in this
district and in the United States shown how
under high tariffs insolvency and so-called
protection may go jauntfly hand in handf
Even the humblest toiler knows that under
famine, eras OF prosperity, followed by eras
of depression. He knows also that his
prosperity does not depend on high wages
for six months, followed by six months OF
strike or idleness, and that steady employ
ment is his best 'protection" when the rent
roll and the grocery bill have to be met
Attituds of the Presidential Candidates.
With Republican Presidential candidate,
who practically dictated his denomination
through officials Of his own appoin tment;
repentance is poor atonement for his bitter
opposition to labor in the past, the well.
worn tariff cry. Help Cassins or We sink"
is again heard in the land. What would the
Republican party do without that convent
ent raft-the tarif-to cling to in every
stormf In 1872 the Republican party cried,
Never mind Grants blunders, vote for his
reelection and save the tariff" Grant
was reelected, the tariff was saved:
'73 came and wages went down. In 1873
they cried, "Never mind the whisky frauds.
the post leadership sales, the growth of
monopolies; vote for Hayes and save the
tariff Hayes was elected. or at least drew
the salary of the office, tariff was saved and
wages again went down. In 1880 they cried,
"Never mind the imbecility of Hayes, never
mind the growth of trusts and millionatres
and rramps; vote for Golden Club Garfield
and save the tariff" The tariff was again
saved and Immediately strikes and indus
trial depressions set in all over the country.
Labor was fooled again. Wages in 1870
averaged $445 per man. In 1850 $313 75 the
difference q per cent in favor of the period |
preceding the three successful savings Of
the tariff"
In 1883 I was told that the Republican
party would now at last look after the In |
terests of the workingman. But labor WIS |
again ensnared. The tariff was raised on
glass and iron and steel products, but ask
duce pay roll showing an average increase
of wages proportionate to the increase in the
tariff.
I: the tariff was lower the cost Of rails |
and railway transportation would be lower. |
The farmer and the business man would get |
could get his ore here cheaper from the
lakes he could afford to pay tho differ |
ence" in wages instead Of investing it in |
gunboats and Darricades.
Estimate of q Country's Wealth.
Eighty years ago the tariff on iron was 71k |
per cent, and we had "happy homes and |
affairs Free" Now we have q tariff nigh 10
times higher and still We are not happy. |
Instead of the prosperity and content Of the |
"elder day" what have We nowf Colossal |
strikes, the fred spectre" and COM |
munities and whole cOmmOnwealths dis
turbed by the roar of mobs and the tramp |