The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1895-07-27

A Tariff Comparison.

publican State Convention Of Iowa
contains at least one plank which ev-
, cry Democrat in the United States
will endorse: 1--WE congratulate the
people of this country upon the evi-
dences Of returning prosperity, and
rejoice in each instance Of labor re
employed, wages restored and indus
try re-established upon a prosperous
basis
No such resolution was adopted
by the Republicans.of Iowa while the
Mckinley bill was in force, and for
a very good reason, There was no
general restoration of wages then or
unemployment Of idle labor Wages
were being reduced instead of in
creased. Men were being discharg-
ed and their places flied, if filled at
all, with others employed at lower
wages says the ST Louis Republic.
The whole period of McKinleyism
was one of wage reductions, strikes
and riots. In the four years only
one case of advance in wages in a
protected industry was reported-or,
at least, only one of consequence.
This was an increase of less than 10
per cent in wages at the Fall River
cotton mills in Massachusetts,. On
the other hand, reductions were made
at over 1000 protected mills in 1891
and 1892 alone. to say nothing Of
those following in 1898 and up to the
repeal Of the Mckinley bill in 1891
These are facts which cannot be
disproyed. They are on record as
part Of the history Of this country
during the first two years of McKin-
leyism. The list was published dur
ing the campaign of 1892. 1t in
cIudes three reductions at the Car
negie steel works at Homestead, one
Of per cent in January, 1891, one
of > per cent some three months later
and a third in 1892. That was the
result under the Mckinley bill. Nor
were wages again advanced at Home
stead in the three following years of
McKinleyism.
We have all heard of the Home
stead riots. They did not occur IN.
der the Wilson law, during the panic
OF 1898 or the period of business de
preston following it, or even after
the election of a Democratic Presi-
dent and Congress in November,
1892. The Democratic party can in
no way be held responsible for them.
the panic of 1898 had nothing what
ever to do with them, and the only
relation it bears to the Homestead
riots at all is in their common faith
erhood-Republican legislation, in
Guiding the passage of the Mckinley
bill. The riots occurred in July, 1892,
in consequence of a reduction Of wa.
ges-the third under the Mckinley
law.
1t is hardly necessary to remind
the reader Of the effect Of the Wilson
law on the Carnegie works. The en-
tire concern is in full operation again
and with orders enough ahead to
keep 1t running several months. Wa
ges were recently advanced 10 per
cent, not only at Homestead, but al
so at the Carnegie steel works at
Beaver Falls. In the latter case the
advance is a complete restoration of
wages reduced in August, 1892, un-
der the Mckinley law,
Take another protected industry,
the Illinois steel works of Chicago.
and we get about the same report as
to fatalities. The works were closed !
twice in 1891, before the Mckinley
law was year old, because of reduc-
tions in wages and resulting labor
troubles. A As per cent reduction
was attempted the following year,
four months before Cleveland's cleo
ton, and a compromise was affected
in August at % per cent This is
quite in contrast with the voluntary
advance of 10 per cent granted the
1000 men employed at the works last
month
At the Cambria iron works at
Johnstown, Pa, the wages of 5000 |
men were cut 10 per cent in the first
year of the Mckinley law and raised |
10 per cent in the first year of the
Wilson law. At the Newcastle fur
naces in Pennsylvania wages were
advanced 80 per cent last May, hav-
ing been reduced under the McKin-
ley law.
The list includes cotton and wool
en- as well as iron and steel mills
Every part Of the country that has a
protected industry appears in this
list. The story is about the same
for all. Wages were reduced under
President Harrison's administration,
during the last two years of it and
before the great Democratic victory
of 1892. They have been restored,
in many cases completely, since the
passage of the Wilson tariff bill, and |
IN many others partially The re-
auctions predicted by the Republi-
can alarmists when the bill was be-
fore Congress have all turned out to
be advances.
A FEW OF HIM HERE
And He in Generally of the Dead Beat
Variety.