Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-09-21
INTO THEIR PROPER PLACES.

publican Party
DAVIS, W. VA. September l9s,1 1894
10 tie EaRor Of tie Rsgists-'
The following slipping taken from
the Cincinnati Post we'll illustrates the
character of the detection from the
Democratic party that occasionally
takes place in this sections:
PIEDMONT, w. Va, September 17.-Cap-
tain George w. Harrison, general passen-
ger agent of the West Virginia Central
and Pittsburg Railway, aud very promi-
nent citizen, lifelong Democrat, has an
nOuhced that he has chung his gate 10 the
other post and will vote with the Repub-
leans hereafter The new tariff bill on
coal and lumber caused the change.
have no word OF personal censure
for CAPT. Harrison. He is we'll known
here, having been prominently con
nected with the West Virginia Central
r Z. since its inception. Capt. Harrl-
son frankly says that the reduction Of
the tariff on coal and lumber accounts
for his change Of political faith. 10
other words, be is subscribing selfish In
terests ! can fnd no fault with him
on this score, for am free trader for
the same reasons IL / did not think
that free trade would be advantageous
20 the nation, ard that l Individually
would share in this advantage l would
not favor commercial freedom. The
Captains position is essentially that OF
the Louisiana sugar growers who have
recently gone over 20 the Republican
party In a body because the Democratic
party refused TO continue the sugar
bounty; refused 10 purchase their fur
Their allegiance. We need not rail at
these people for their actions. Human
nature being the same the world over
most OF Us similarly situated would
have done likewise. TIE point, how
tlemen who have such keen
eye for their individual interests
are acting with the party that orloeS
them, thousands Of Republican farmers
and labOring men are foolish enough 10
assist them against their own interest
II one thing above another has been
shown by the extended tariff discussion
In this country, il is that the American
farmer does not and CannOt benefit by 3
protective tariff on any of his prod acts.
Equally well has 10 been demonstrated
that the labOring men must take FOR
their services what they can get, and
thatGmount is regulated by labor unions,
supply and demand, &c, and not by
what the tariff enables its benefciarieS
10 pay. To illustrates: Shortly after
the Ways aud Means Committee report
ed the Wilson bill, with coal on the free
list, the Davis Company cut wages Ia
some of its mines and announced that
the cut was on account OF proposed free
trade in coal Some time afterwards
ex-senator Davis issued a circular on
the coal question in which he showed, il
] remember correctly. that all the pro-
lection needed was about IS or 40 cents
per ton. The Senate bill is now the law,
but we have heard nothing Of reStora-
ton Of wages, although the protection
afforded il all that the operators claimed
they needed. ! do not blame the Davis
Company for getting labor as cheap as
it can. IL sells It's coal FOR what il caa
get for 10, and has the right TO
get labor for what il can. But l
90 blame IL for trying TO fool
the men by attribuJing IL 10 the tariff
and above all blame the men for al
lowing themselves 10 be fooled. II the
tariff was a dollar a ton on coal the
miner would not get a Gems more for
digging II. He must take what he can
get and the only way be can help him
self is 10 see that after he earns dollar,
the jgNrN-npaert Sos nCt deny him the
right TO exchange IL 10 the best adyant-
age any where 10 the world. Talk about
protecting the labOring men when there
always has been and always will DO
practical free trade in meu. The
biennial love the coal ard timber men
lin this section have for the laboring
livery election time) is very touching.
Aey Gil their mills with SwedeS, their
kber camps with C4nadi ans and as
cannot get foreign miners as cheap
be native ones they import car loads
outhern negroes. Let the men who
enlightened self interest" go
the Republicans, go. It's an OBJ
NO TO the farmers and la0Oring
kill thus DO the more able TO
10 interests and will go the
the final undoing Of all
FREE TRADER