The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-20
AN INSANE APPEAL.

The New York Bord calls on the Demo-
Gratis of the House 10 suspend the rules
and pass bill reducing the duties on iron
and on all of the Carnegie steel manufac-
lures at least one-half" That" il tells
the Democratic majority, would be poetic
juc;ice good politics and an admirable en-
forcement Of the Homestead object lesson
upon the relation Of high tariffs 10 lowered
wages"
Ii the Democratic House is ever insane
enough 10 follow this idiotic advice. Mr..
Harrison viii surely be the next president
Of the United States, for there is no. a
workingman in the doubtful states o: the
East or the West that does not know that
this reduction OF the tariff called for would
reduce the wages OF Carneg.e's workmen
far below the scale that is nos the sub
.ect Of dispute. The reduction asked for
by the World would make the Democratic
party in congress responsible for policy
that woGli shat M all orr iron and steel
mills, and lock out thousands OF opera
lives Or compel them 20 work for less than
the cheapest Of Ca-nerie's workmen.
the whole iron and steel industry
Of the country IS dependent for is exist
ence on the tariff that the World would
have tee Democrats destroy. This pro-
iective tariff helps the producer against
foreign competition, but not, Of
course. against severe home competition.
Cut down his protection sgaIns, foreign
competition aud, Of course. lie would have
20 cut his wages u iae foreign standard or
go ont of business. The Democrats in con-
gress sre not insane enough ~ take ell the
tarif o. one protected industry without
removing it from all. OF course free trade
means lover wages. but without free trade
al around there would be no justice IN
roAhing the iron industry Of its protection
without putting all other producers in the
ranae boat, 50 that even from 4 sane Dem
ocgstic standpoint the Herds proposition
Is suicidal.
Tae tariff on the steel bu.ets that have
caused al the trouble at the Carnegie
works Is $S.a6. or enough 70 make the price
o. aa Imported billet, if this tariff were
really tax as Grover Cleveland con-
siaers il - re. almost $50. BUT the domes
tic competition in the iron trade is SO
great aud extended thai II has lowered the
price Of the bi!gets % S.. on the strength
Of which fact the Carnegie company made
its reduction N vases. This domestic
competition Is largely Southern. /. H.
Morton, mining superintendent. writes
the San Francisco CdL explaining how
this Southern competition affects the labor
situation a. Homestead mills:
The trouble mSuitsss,y lies IN the inability ~
tie Northern iron workers u produce eifbs-
crude or manufactured ir0a in cueapetltasr,
wiz the producers Of Alabama sad TeaaeSssSa
IL hiss hesn broadly asserted aud Rot denied
that iron can Re produced IN the states Shovs
mentioned fo- 81 per cent less thaa 10 Pean.
sylVsGia ard Northwestern ssstes How tAls
can = done bAS been explained In almost every
prospectus - southern mining company
issued al late years IL is because sAey havs
the advantage oi virgin aelas II eNal sa4 iron
conveniently situated 20 each other and also *
CHEAP nssrra lines 81 transportation. ami he
yond a. taey have the adYSutsgs az the use o.
ehesa labor, some - IL Tree, a great deal IL Il
convict ixbo1, furnished ey tbe ps.~cas If tAs
ststes at = nominal rate Of wages. and al laAol
deprecated by sAe eoavict camp systen
The protective tariff which protects
American labor against foreign cheSp Ia.
boE Of course cannot protect him in Penn