Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-09-22
ZEE moKINLnY COAL FRAUD.

whine about it and rub the sore places
THE MCKINLEY COAL FRAUD.
The IntelIigsnccrs demagogic remarks
on the subject Of the coal tariff, which
4 certain West Virginia delegation have
said should be retained in the interest
of labor, contain not only their own
refutatlon but incidentally an acknowl-
edgment OF the truth OF all that has
been charged against McKinleyism. 1t
cunningIy plays the other protected in
dustrles OF the country against the coal
industry, the object being to delude
West Virginia into the belief that the
reform of an outrageous tariff law IN
the interest Of the classes, framed in
fact at their dictation, against the in
terests Of the masses in every Statein
the Union, is the only true friend Of the
people and Of American labor.
'eWhy," shouts the TlteIltge1cer in
cautiously, demand a repeal Of the tax
on the poor mans coat, his dinner pail
the table he eats from, and in the same
breath demand that he be taxed for the
fire THAI warns him and that cooks his
mealsq"
Why, indeedl We are more than glad
to see the Intelltgclcer taking this view
Of the case. 1t is the Democratic view,
precisely. Why, indeed, tax labor, or
ANYBODY, for the benefit of anybody
elseP Is that protection Of American
LAHORE" If it iS~v1II the mtciigencer
point out who'd the protection to labor
comes in2Is it not, rather a plain case
Of vs,5c,5y Of labor, for which the Re-
publican party is respOnsible2
The plea that the coal miners must
be reduced to the leYel Of their COM
petitors In Nova Scotia, was shown to
be the veriest bosh BY the statement Of
Hon. HENRY G. DAVIS, who admitted
before the committee that the Nova
Scotia miners are paid as high wages as
the West Virginia miners.
What a situation is thus presented!
II, as the IntClJtqClcer claims, the wages
Of American miners must come down il
the tariffs reduced or taken of Of coal,
then, according to the Mckinley theory
Nova Scotia would be under the neces-
sity Of protecting herself against the
chan labor M the United States!
The Mckinley sharpers expose
their own game most thoroughly.
They stand convicted. The utter
falsity Of the appeal for protection to
equalize the difference between the
wages Of American and foreign miners
is exposed in all it's ugly nakednesS.
Coal miners wages in Nova Scotia
and America are equal and in some sec
tlons in America they are below the
Nova Scotia standard. What q fall is
there for the Republican argument for
protection to American labor against
foreign pauper labor" since, il the
American miners wages must be re-
duced with the tariff, the American
miner must then be the "pauper" and
Canada would, according to the Nc
Klnley argument, be compelled to raise
her tariff against West Virginia miners
on reduce wages!
The situation would 6e funny II it
Il were not outrageous and disgraceful.
No bunco-steerer or green goods man
eyer attempted holder or more trans
parant game Of fraud than the Republi-
can leaders and their organs Of the Intel
ltgencer stripe are attempting to play on
the workingman.
The statement OF these frauds that
the price Of labor would have
to come down il the tariff were re-
duced, or even under absolute free trade,
IS denied by one Of the best informed
and largest soft ceal operators In the
East, who positively asserts that while
Nova Scotia might capture a little
more trade along the border in New
England, the United states, UNDER
absolute free trade. would send more
than three times as much coal
over the border as came in,
which Of course would not be true
unless the United States not only sold
coal cheaper but could at the same time
BAY the freight and still undersell the
IVA Scotia coal men on their own
ground.
The Kanawha Democrats who were
,oioled into appearing before the Ways
4 Means Committee were the victims
sbrowd Republican trick ana aid
ow the facts Of q patton.
taken the troubl vest
for tnemst