Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-10-19
"Let Us Have a Charge -

to this appeal in the campaigns of
dozen years or more, and surely is
ready to admit, in the face of existing
facts, that the appeal should this year,
if ever. be needed. The men who were
deceived into voting for Cleveland and
free trade last year are certainly blind
indeed if in Ohio they do not now sup
port Mckinley and protection. 1t is
the only way to restore confidence and
prosperity and it is the manly way to
quietly acknowledge and correct the
error of year ago.
One year ago the country was in a
highly prosperous condition. Manu-
featuring establishments were pushed
to fill the demand for their products
and operatives in mill, factory and store
were working overtime at advanced
wages, and there were none without
employment who were able or willing
to work. What a change IN the short
space of these few months, notwith-
standing abundant crops of all the great
agricultural staples and what should
be increased employment for thousands
on account of the Worlds Fair! The
result of the change is perhaps best IL
lustrated by the New York World,
which contributed not little to bring
about the change of political conditions
that have produced this industrial dis
trust and financial menace. Its testi-
mony may be assumed, therefore, to be
free from exaggeration. The World
published statistics from 81 trades
unions in that city giving the number
employed and unemployed. The show
ing is startling.
The total membership of these 81
unions is so $50. Of these 6,171, or 81
6-1O per cent are unemployed. There
are four unions where rs per cent are
unemployed, namely, clothing cutters,
liners and trimmers, gilders and picture
frame makers, horseshoers and shoe
makers. There are IA unions which
show so per cent of unemployed mem
bership, including several of the largest
unions In this list figure the cigar
makers, 5000 of whom are obliged to
be idle. The World says that ''the
great army of the unemployed is in
creasing by the thousand every day."
A year ago this same New York
World was daily appealing to the
workingmen of the country to vote the
Democratic ticket on the ground that it
was for their interest to do SO. At
every Democratic rally was heard
campaign song to the effect that the
election of "Grover' would mean ''four
more years in clover" After a six
months trial and test of the experiment
The World rises to announce the result.
Will President Cleveland and Congress
heed the lesson? 1t is in the power of
that body to stop this appalling paraly-
sis of labor. AS Governor Mckinley
says. ''They can set every factory to
work any day by the simple declaration
that the tariff will not be disturbed
and why don't they do it?" If the more
sensible Democrats will join with the
Republicans in removing all apprehen-
sion of any serious disturbance of the
tariff the good times will come again,
the industries will recover, employment
will be abundant and prosperity will
again visit every home.
Bad as is the situation in New York,
it is perhaps even worse in Philadelphia,
and what is true of these manufactur-
ing centers is true of every city of the
country. There are thousands of un-
employed men everywhere all on &C.
count of the "object lesson" which
President Cleveland said last March M
''inteDded to give the country In the
mill district of Philadelphia, according
to a very recent canvass made by The
Press, over "a, 900 idle employees are re
ported, which is but another way OF
saying that 10000 unfortunate, deserv
ing people are practically out of food.
The Press says:
A mill to mill canvass in the textile
districts of Kensington, Frankford
Fairmourt, Manayunk and German
town has been made, in all about Ia
mills being visited. These are about
one-sixth of the total numter of textile
mills in Philadelphia. 1t was foune
that of the total of nearly $4,000 nor
mally employed in the 140 mills only
few more than 5000 are at work. In 6t
mills of Kensington 12, 1862 are unem
ployed, while 1870 are working on from
full time down to half time. Counting
the average weekly earnings per man ST.
SS9,334 is kept from circulation each
week through the idleness of these IL.
672 men. In II FairmOunt mills 3,58e
are unemployed and 1883 working or
full or part time. The wage loss there
is put at s9O,s5O. In 26 Manayunk mills
1914 are idle and ], 1886 report for duty.
The estimated loss there is S21, 300 8
week. In the Germantown mills 1,S4s
men were laid off, while 667 have EN-
ployment. The decrease in pay rolls il
S14, ,700 Of 1900 Frankford employe,
300 only are at work. The money loss
in pay alone is put at $1,000. This
makes the loss in the district named
S165, 1884 every week.
The situation is just as bad in Ohio.
Recent reports from Cleveland, Spring
field, Akron, Youngstown, Canton and
the great manufacturing towns show
that the condition is deplorable one to
begin the winter with. There is more
distress in October than there usually
is in February. The Democratic party
is solely responsible, and criminally re-
sponsible, for this suffering, distress
and dismal outlook. 1t is simply ex.
perimenting with free trade, you know,
while industrious American working
men are starving. What one of them
in Ohio will still continue to encourage
Cleveland by voting the Democratic
ticket? We can't believe there is one.
England Knows Her Friends.