Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-06-08
REFORM CLUBS BILL.
IT'S PROVISIONS FIND FAVOR WITH
THE LABOR LEADERS.

Workingmen See That Protection Has In
creased the Price of Everything They
Have to Buy and Reduced wages-Trade
Restricted and Prosperity Dead.
The American Economist, the chief
organ Of the protected manufacturers,
has been publishing series of letters
from worllingmen employed in protected
factories. OF course the great majority
of workingmen voted against protection.
Outside of Pennsylvania there is scarcely
city, no matter how many protected
mills it contains, that is not Democratic.
There are but few labor organizations in
favor of protection. The Economist did
not find prominent labor man to say a
word against the Reform clubs tariff
bill, and the few letters it has obtained
are from foremen or workmen who were
probably coerced by their employers.
The opinions of these workmen are so
crude and the logic so weak and falla-
clous that it is wonder that oven the
slipshod Economist printed such rubbish.
American Industries is publishing the
opinions of representative laboring men
on the Reform clubs bill. Under date
of May 20 it published the opinions of
Mr. James P. Archibald and of Mr..
James j. Murphy. Both were most fa-
vorable to tho bill.
Mr.. Murphy is the assistant general
secretary of the National Paving Block
Cutters union, strong labor organiza-
ton with more than 5000 members. His
duties frequently call him to all parts of
the country, and he has many discus
sions with his fellow members on the
tariff question and is well able to voice
their sentiments. In speaking with him
ON the Reform clubs tariff bill he said
in part:
"As far as the question of tariff reform
is concerned all the workingmen come
in contact with are of one mind, that
protection has increased the price of ev-
erything they have to buy, and the only
thing they have to sell-their labor-has
either been reduced, remained station
airy or been increased by the aid of their
union. In no single instance, however,
have l heard of a mans wages being in
creased through the protection the man
ufacturer was getting; on the contrary,
the manufacturers always pocket the in
creased profit or else put it by as re-
serve for the purpose of fighting the
union should they make demand for
more pay.
"The working people have been ground
between the upper and neither millstones,
and well they know it and knew it last
November when they cast their votes, for
if any one element carried the Democratic
party to success it was the working peo-
pie, and it was done as protest against
the evil results of protection for the
manufacturer, wrung out of the pockets
of the worker, because in reality he had
to pay for it. The working people also
recognized that McKinleyism restricted
trade, and that the general prosperity
was bound to suffer.
Now, in relation to the Reform
clubs bill, which have carefully read
the chief point which struck me was its
simplicity. Every one could see the
method under which the tariff was to be
imposed, and it appeared SO carefully
graded that the lowest duties would fall
on those goods which enter into Amer
lean manufacture and the higher duties
on the things that are finished, or nearly
so, and luxuries This, in my estima
ton, is real protection to American labor
and not American monopolists. have
no means of judging the details of the
work in those branches of industry out
side my own, SO do not care to pass other
than general opinion.
''In the matter of the stone trade, with
which am connected, the stone cutters
of this country have not the least fear of
a low tariff, but rather desire it. The
stone workers have certainly no interest
in high tariff on the material they use,
but they can see no reason why they
should be taxed for other things which
give no benefit to the workingmen, but
only enrich the monopolist."