The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-10-04

Change the COurse Of Industrial EventA-
Several months ago the New York
Evening Post published in parallel coll
umns long list 81 important factories
and mills which had reduced wages
while the McKinley tariff was in force.
and increased wages under the Wilson
tariff This convincing proof OF tho
faisity OF protectionist pretenses that
high tariffs increase or maintain wages
met with no reply at that time. Now
after long delay the New York Press
tries 10 break the force of the facts
given By the Post. with vague denials
and explanations from a few OF the
firms mentioned in the Posts list
These letters from protected menufac-
tnrers are claimed by the Press To re-
flute the Post original statements. but
a. a matter of fact they do nothing OF
the kind.
sample Of the alleged contradic-
sions i that Of c. X Illisen. treasur-
er Of the Poland Paper Co. who says:
.-Barly in 1891 we reduced the wages
OF our employees 1874 per cent. ON
April L. 1896. we increased the wages
OF all employees who were getting less
than 81 = To full 81 q per day. We
did not lower the wages while the Nc
ninley law was in operation.
Mr.. MilliSen is either very ignorant
or else willfully makes false state
ment when he says tina, his company
did not lower wages while the Me-
kinley law was in operation. For as
every one knows the Mckinley law
was in operation when on Mr.. Milf
ken's confession the wages of his en-
ployes were reduced.
Another letter which the Press
thinks condemns the Wilson tariff. but
which really is strongly in its favor Is
from George +. Baer. president of the
Reading Iron Co Mr.. Baer states that
his company reduced wages ~ per
cent in April. 1921. and rs per cent
in September. lsy. under the Mckin-
ley tariff. and increased wages 10 per
cent. on June l.. is95. under the Will
son tariff. just the reverse of the lying
headlines BY which the Press tried To
mislead its readers into thinking that
the Evening Post had misrepresented
the facts
Mr.. r. c. FELTON,. general manager
Of the great Pennsylvania Steel Co. is
also claimed by the Press a. denying
the Evening Posts statements What
he saws is: while the Mckinley law
was in force our wages were reduced,
and our wages were advanced lC per
cent. on June IL. i>95. We are now
paving as high rate of wages as in
l>g.. and are employing slightly in.
creased mum Der of men,
Mr. C. C. Roun~eville. secretary OF
the Cotton Manufacturing association
OF Fall River. i also quoted by the
/; Press a. denying that wages had been
reduced under McKinleyisn and raised
under the Wilson tariff. But what he
says j.: Wages were reduced 10 per
cent. September II. 1898. and on April
20 1894. again 10 per cent On April
-. 1895. wages were advanced II "a
per cent" The Mckinley tariff was
in force when both reductions were
made. and wages were raised under
the Wilson tariff.
Similar testimony to the main facts
asserted by the Evening Post is given
bv Mr.. William NJ Wood treasurer oi
the Washington WOODEN mills. OF Law
renee. Mass lie admits that those
mills were shut down in l,93 and that
when they starte! up wages were re-
duced lie also states that the mills
incrca sed wages from To 10 per cent.
under the Wilson tariff and that they
are employing a greater number OF
hands than in 1892
Nearly all the other letters published
by the Press are of the same tenor.
Some OF thcu- point to slight errors in
dates Of wage reductions number oil
men employed. and several deny that
the Mckinley tariff wa, the cause Of
their cutting down the wages Of their
employees. but they do not deny that
wages were reduced under the opera.
ton of that tariff. nor do they deny
that wage, have been advanced under
the Wilson tariff. The attempt of the
Press 10 delude the public with glar-
ing headlines into believing that the
manufacturers had disprovci the Even
ing Posts assertions was a dismal fall
ure. Instead of cur>ing the Wilson
tariff the modern Raalams are pro-
nouncing i; a wage-raiser and bless
ing TO industry. BYRON w. Ho.T.