The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-12-22

manufacturers are still authorized 70
lay tribute upon the citizens OF the
United States, who must pay, 30 these
men have always said, 30. 40 and 40 per
cent to the manufacturers on every
yard OF woolens and worsteds, while the
country will only receive, by way OF
revenue, lessened sum, unless in
creased importations signali2es the
death OF American production.
WHERE IT STRIKES WEST VIRGINIA.
1t is true that the coal miners of West
Virginia and the ore producers of Mich
igan will be stripped of their so-called
robber gains entirely and the railroads
must lose their transportation OF mil
lions OF tons OF freight; but the manu-
facturers arc thereby stimulated and
aided 90 that they can, as the commit
tee asseverate, still continue their profit
able business here and reach across the
ocean for the business OF other Coun-
tries, "and foreign trade without limit"
Tho doctrine OF the Democratic plat
form that protection is robbery and
should be abolished is comprehensive
and sturdy. The new movement on be-
half OF mitigated and sporadic robbery
Is contrary alike to good morals and
public faith. All false pretenses are
unwise, contrary to sound policy and
sound statesmanship. Hence many OF
us who are sure that the Democratic
platform was utterly untrue, admitted
its straightforwardness and directness.
The bill, framed by those who repre-
nrt itTn Ia 10
kind of praise. 1t pretends to be
revenue tariff and does not raise rev.
enue. It pretends to give protection,
but destroys it in every direct way. 1t
says to the manufacturer, for you We
have furnished free coal, free iron ore,
free wool and the markets OF the world.
Instead OF the markets OF the world
it furnishes in the future new
crop OF enemies-the men who dig in
the mines and the farmers who raise the
sheep-for it really creates what its
enemies have falsely charged against
Republican protection, privileged
class against which the mines and the
fields will both array themselves, and
the privileged class does not care to be
thus privileged. All it asks, or has ever
asked, is to be protected, not alone, but
with all other citizens from the destruc-
tive competition with lower grade OF
social lie. OF course. this idea OF pro-
lection against lower grade OF social
life is preposterous to man who sees
in tariff only tax OF $50 or $40 on
each hundred imposed on seventy mill
ions for the benefit OF 80 few hundred
thousands" but whoever thinks this
question concerns the wealth only OF n
nation and does not involve its moral
and social well being is legislating for a
very tleeting time.
Projection has established the clus-
ters OF great manufacturing and work
ing centres, which have given railroads
the possibility OF existence, which no
scattered population could ever have
created. The railroads which these
great. manufacturing towns and their
need Of transportation OF freight have
built our sources of enjoyable wealth,
which are not confined to the protected
industries, but are spread through all
the business OF the United States and
insure to the happiness and comfort OF
all the people. ,.v
Take one example from this very bill.
Bituminous coal is one OF the great in.
dustries which is developing the state OF
West Virginia; upon it the welfare Of
that state largely depends, so its Demo-
cratic governor testifes and many Of its
most respectable citizens, including an
ex-senator of honored name. ls that
development confined to that state
alone? By no means. With the ad-
dition of tho coal field OF old Virginia,
the Norfolk & Western, the Chesa-
peake & Ohio obtain from these mines
a very valuable freight in transporting
coal to the seaboard.
From other bitumincus coal fields
the Baltimore & Ohio and even the
great Pennsylvania road obtain no in
considerable part OF their freight, II
tho coal be made free, there will be
fierce competition with tho coal OF
Nova Scotia, and not only will the
mines Of West Virginia, OF old Virginia
and Pennsylvania suffer, but the great
railroads will suffer severely also. To
be sure, these are corporations without
souls, but the stocks and bonds arc
owned by people with souls, unless
modern political iniidelity should deter
mine otherwise,
FREQ raw materials to these people
would be & sweet boon indeed.
EFFECT ON WAGES
Whatcxact effect the proposed change
would havo on the general ratio of
wages in the country can only be de-
terninod by actual test, but it is not
difficult to SEQ that it will bo very de.
pressing. Upon persons engaged in tine
industries directly effected the result to
be anticipated seems to bo very clear.
To those OF us who believe in protection
il seems beyond dispute that the ac-
knowledged rise in wages in this country
has been caused by protection, as the
great stimulator Of invention and pro-
gress.
believe the contrary. That higher
wages exist, however, or did exist be-
fore this bill threatened the country
cannot be disputed. That these wages
are maintained by protection against
lower wages OF foreign countries can
hardly be successfully questioned. No
doubt other causes like the low grade Of
civilization, checking enterprise and