Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-03-28


ventlon. SHERMAN S lieutenants thought !
thought they had them boughL but |
when the time for delivering The goods |
came it was found that the Alger men |
had tapped the Alger barrel TO an
extent sufficiently greater than SHEER
MANS bid % knock the chances Of the
Ohio statesman sky-high. SHEENAN's |
revenge is a matter OF current pCliti-
cal history. Again, in 1892 the
Southern delegate scandal was even
more apparent. HARRIsoS's oficehold- !
ers in the South were the delegates, and
were a unit, Of course, for HARRISON, !
whose reconciliation was thus forced
upon an unwilling convention and party.
The oniceholders will be out OF it in the
next Republican convention, but their
places will be filed by a worse element,
the same venal horde for which SHEER
MAN and ALoEE bid against each other
in 1SSs, unless the movement to re-
strict Southern Republican representa-
ton TO the Republican vote in
the South IS successful. This, how
ever, would leave the South with
practically no representation in Repub-
Iiean conventions and is, Of course, the |
subject Of savage opposition by South
ern Republican politicians. We trust /
the prominent Republicans who have
undertaken this reform will accomplish |
il: There is no partisan politics in it.
The change would simply relieve the
country of the Quadrennial political |
scandals which have been the disgrace |
Of Republican National Conventions.
OUR Buc6hannon correspondent .
grows a little biz RULED this morning /
over the fact that the Eanawha Repub- |
icaus are dissatisfied over the selec- |
ton Of the growing and picturesque
town on Buckhanuon river for the Con-
gressional convention. Orr Upshur |
friend goes of at a tangent. The
Charleston man was not printing his
own views, but those Of the dissatisfied /
and disgruntled Kauawhans. When
you get them up there next sum
mer, nominate three or four Of them
and they vii. all say your town is the !
biggest, most thriving and cultured |
county seat In the State.
ANOTHER TARIFF OBJECT LESSON. |
The strike Of the silk wea7ers at Pat
terson, n. j., will probably extend |
throughout the entire industry before a
settlement is reached. The object Of the |
strike is an increase Of wages which
have been numerically cut and slashed.
Tt is one more objectl lesson that teaches
how the tariff benefits labor, for the
silk industry has an the protection it
asks and about twice as much as it
needs. For many years the silk manu-
facturers have enjoyed a protection Of
so per cent. besides getting their raw
material free. Mckinney added to this
by repeating the hat trimming clause,
increasing the duty on silk ribbons from
90 to so per cent. The silk manufac-
turers had promised their employees con-
slant work at high wages il the McKin-
ley bill we're passed and il was passed.
As the Philadelphia Record says, how
this promise has been kept is seen
in the facts ont Of which has risen
the present strike. The wages of silk
weavers have steadily declined. When
they rsbeIed against reduction weavers
we're imported from France, Switzer-
land and Germany. When these be-
came familiar with their surroundings
they refused 20 accept the low wages
and it became necessary TO import Ital-
ians. and the Italians in turn have been
succeeded by lower order Of imp0rta-
ton OF Greeks and AgmenianS The
tariff divinity brought no help. Wages
steadily declined until weaver OF
broad silks was fortunate when he
earned IS a week. With the reduced
wages came long periods Of compulsory
idIeness, as the high duty had stimu-
lated domestic competition and passed
upon the market supplies greatly in ex-
cess Of the demand. Then many mills
closed their doors and the weavers
earned nothing, under the glorious Sys-
tenn Of Protection TO American Indus
Try.
The ribbon weavers began the strike,
because, despite the additional 30 per
cent protection on ribbon, their wages
went down veritable toboEgan slide
after the passage Of the Mckinley bill.
The Philadelphia Record says
on the part of the weavers their condi-
I ton is attributed 20 the Mckinley tariff,
! which iu raising the duty on ribbons, has
/ ruined q number Of European ribbon mau-
I ufacturers, and driven their employees 70
/ this country. But there has been, In ehect,
/ 40 change In the duty, as the importers
I have merely pCcketed the allowance or 80
/ per cent on hat trimmings, which they
I had previously collected from American
/ consumers. The Influx Of foreign Weav'
Y ers was 70 aiuly caused by the demand 1or
/ chesp p866er labor. which has proved %
/ be dear .OrOr in the long run.
Deri5rote last year tue total imports
\ donA { fabrics amounted in value %
tsA6SlNT RyiDg duty Of Sl',S4sS55,