The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-09-22
GOV. MCKINLEY.

traces where laborers ana manufacturers have
agreed upon scale OF wages for the year, 1t is
An made dependent upon continuance OF the
present tariff II that is lowered, wages are
lowered, or production ceases. In these con-
tracts, which have been signed in many cities
OF the Union, workingmen and manufacturers
recognize the influence OF the present ana the
proposed tarin upon production and upon
wages.
The people Of the United States are not only
alarmed at the uncertainty concerning the In
dustrial policy, but their competitors on the
other side are inspired with new hope and
confidence. What can be more discouraging to
American workmen and American citizens, and
what more encouraging TO foreign manufactur'
ers and foreign worlSingmen than the speech OF
u. S. Consul Benz Folsom, cousin OF the
president OF the United States closing his con.
sulate at Shefneld. 1 do not stop to quote his
entire speech, but give you the closing sen.
tence:
He says: Elm closing my career in Sheffield
as consul OF the United States, II affords me
satisfaction to think that before another twelve
months has rolled by, Sheffield will not be sub
ject to the onerous and oppressive tariff duties
that have restricted her trade"
This sentiment was greeted with most up
roarious applause by the assembled English
men. He did not close his consulate too soon
Yet after all, perhaps his speech had its in.
SEPARATION in an earlier expression by the presi.
~
Pa, April 81, 1893 Mr.. Carr, editor OF the
Western Mail, of Cardiff, Wales, writes to his
paper relating his call upon President Cleve'
land His reception, says Mr.. Carr, by the
president was most cordial and fattering, ana
then he adds:
"One Of the newspaper correspondents told
the president that had come from Wales 70
look for some of the tin plate works which the
republican party declares have been eStaDllsneu
under their protective tariff. The president re-
piled: well, Mr.. Carr, when you do ind them'
be sure to let me know their exact location, for
we have been searching for these tin plate
works for some years now and have failed 10
find them"
Mr. Cleveland need not have commissioned
foreign visitor to have found the tin plate
works existing in the United States built up by
the republican protective tariff. He need only
have sent his messenger over to the treasury
department where he would have FOUND an
,ofdcial report of list of forty-two tin plate
factories employing thousands of men, not one
of which was in existence before the tarin OF
1890, and he would have discovered by that
report that the output had increased in year
and half more than any other new industry
ever started in the United States. He could
have found the exact location from Col Ayres
report of all these factories, and the exact pro-
duction of each, with the number OF hands en-
ployed He would have discovered that they
are making tin plates in nine States OF the Union,
and that in the three months ending June ~,
1898, the product was nearly 100000 pounds,
and that As per cent of that was made from
American black plates produced in the United
States by the labor of the United States, an
increase over the production OF the preceding
quarter and over all previous productions In the
same time since the enactment of the law Of
1890.
7 assume that tin plate is to be made free, be-
cause the last house of representatives,, which
was democratic made 1t free by q party vote.
These splendid industries which have been
built up in our country, and which have sup
piled employment for so many workingmen, are
to be closed and this, the greatest consuming
nation of tin plate in the world will hereafter
buy this product from abroad, unless our labor
is brought down to the degraded level of com.
peting labor. cannot believe that the people
of the United States favor this policy. II they
do, they are recreant to their own highest andf
best interests. The manufacture OF the tin
plate annually consumed by the people Of the
United States would keep an army OF 00,OOo
worlxingmen in constant employment The
bolicy of my distinguished competitor, the
democratic candidate for governor, Is to take
this employment from them, and to give 1t to
the cheaper labor Of Europe. The tariff OF the
republican party would employ these $4,000
w6rkingmen in the United States at good wages
and thus give to the agriculturists, to the man.
ufacturers and to the merchants 10000 profta-
bic consumers of their products.
q. ] have observed in the press that In many
parts OF the country petitions are being circula-
ted, signed by democratic workingmen and 9th
ers, addressed to congress, praying that no re.
auctions be made in the duties upon foreign
goods In the manufacture of which they are en-
gagged. This is well, for there is nothing more
potent in this country than well considered
public sentiment. I cannot, however, forbear
saying in this connection, that petitions and
protests are not so effective as votes and tho
best and most authoritative expression OF pub
lie sentiment is made at the polls.