West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1894-01-18
FOOD FOR REFLECTION.

journal which his limited yocabu
harry furnishes, which he styles tar
gument," and he desires the ARGUS
TO take notice Of it. What Mr.
Spiker does not know about "glo-.
rious Protection to American labor"
could be condensed to "stick<
full" The ARGUS is charitable
enough to believe Mr.. Spiker is too
ignorant or too hide bound to know
what he is writing abont. That the
gentleman may be better acquainted
with the history of his party and
the glorious workings Of "Protec.
tion to American labor" the ARGUS
viii quote few statistics for his
information and guidance in the
future, although it will result IN
case of casting pearls before
swIne."
IL Mr.. Spiker is the protection
expert he claims he will readily re-
call to memory that in 1873, after
thirteen years of Republican rule,
and with his party intrenched in
power, occurred the most disas-
trous panic in the history of the
country. The depression following
it lasted for five years, and it was
officially estimated that at least
5000, 900 workingmen were unem.
ployed. 1t will occur to him that
during this period s0ap houses grew
and flourished under Protection.
For fear Mr.. Spiker's memory was
little faulty during this era of
Protection the ARGUS will drop
down few years to enable the gen.
tleman to remember distinctly.
From 1881 to 1886, covering one of
the twenty tariff-tiukerings indulg-
ed In By the Grand Old Party since
it first came into power, there were
labor strikes involving 22.304 es-
adjustments, employing 1898, 203
workmen. In 1888, the year of the
tarilf-tinkering, there we're 9,184
business failures, and in 1884 there
were 1913 business failures, with
liabilities for the two years amount
ing TO narly $500, 900, 900. Wasn't
this GLORIOUS Protection to Ameri-
can labor and American industries, !"
Mr.. Spiker? Lest the gentleman s
memory is still little groggy from
the benefits Of Protection, it may
be well to drop down another year
or two. In 1890 the Repub lican
party gave US the Sherman Silver
Law and the Mckinley Tariff Bill.
The first demoralized our currency
and caused the monetary panic of
last summer, the effects of which
are still felt. The second raised
the tariff taxes to an average of
49.5S per cent, more than so per cent
above the Morrill, war tariff. and,
added to Republican extravaganza,
provided for the existing Treasury
deficiency. The Democrats have
already repealed the Sherman Sill
yer Law and are now at work on
your Mckinley Tariff Bill.
Now, Mr.. SpIker, il this picture
OF Protection is not sufficiently
pleasing to you. the ARGUS will
quote a little more Protection for
your edification and enlightenment,
for 1t is evident to the casual OBJ
server that you are not as well
posted on "Protection" as YOU
would have the people believe. In
1890 there were 10.673 failures and
in 1891 we had 12, 1874 failures for
which Free Trade" Is not respon-
sible. The record shows that wages
either stood still or declined, bnt
an expert protectIonist like You may
be able to enlighten the public to
the contrary, while the record
proves that there were over fee hun
dred strikes against a reduction oil
wages in the protected industries
alone in the year after the passage
Of the Mckinley Tariff Bill. Per
hsps your memory has been so over.
taxed With Protection" that you
have forgotten the dcfieiency which
President HARRISON caused to follow
a surplus, OF the scattering Of near
ly 800, 900, 900 Of free gold which
Harrison received from Cleveland
in 1889. The list Of the ''gloriel
Of Protection might be extended
indefinitely. n your protection
proves anything, Mr.. Splker,
proves that IL has been the cause o