The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-18
tions-He Sings Protection.

ley's organized visitors to- day consisted
of the employees of the Edgar Thomson
Steel Company, at Braddock, Pa. They
came via the Pennsylvania on special
train of three sections CT twelve coaches
each. The first section arrived at 11:4O
and the Others shortly afterwards. There
was cheering and hurrahing all along the
line. AT the Mckinley home hearty con
CALCULATIONS and assurances of support
were offered by j. l.. Jones, of the clerical
force of che company, who was spokes.
man of the visitors. Major Mckinley re-
sronded and Misunderstanding reception fol-
lowed. He said in part:
Il can well appreciate why the work
ing men of this country should have n
deep and profound interest in the out
come of the present national contest.
cannot fail to remember that one thing
which stands between your labor and the
labor of Europe-the one thing that
stands between your workshops and the
workshops OF the Old World, is a wise,
patriotic and American protective policy.
Whatever political views we may
have: however we may differ on minor
questions of public policy, we are all of
one mind in the conviction that some
thing or other is the matter with the
country. We may differ in our diagnosis:
we may differ about the treatment in de-
tail, but we do not disagree upon what is
essential in the first instance to restora-
ton of the better conditions of the past.
One thing above all else that is wanted
Mt this Juncturc is the return of public
and private confidence. It's absence is
our fundamental trouble. Upon that
there cannot be two opinions and that.
my fellow citiZens,no class of people know
better than you. We know the very day
and the hour when this confidence was
first shaken, and from that hour distrust
ana doubt have hung over the business of
the country. 1t has been aggravated
from variety of causes, but none greater
than the assault that has been made by
the allied political organizations upon the
credit and currency of the country. This
new menace must be averted before we
can hope to have any permanent prosper
ity. we know that the present monetary
standard has not stood in the way of our
| prosperity in the past
eve know that we were prosnerous in
1872 and had been for the preceding ten
years We know that we have not seen
any real measure of prosperity since.
business is so sensitive, so quick to scent
danger, that any legislation or proposed
leSlslatlon or change of policy which
would derange or alter or unsettle values
is felt long before the intended blow is
given. So that from the very hour it was
determined by the American people that
the Republican party, with but a single
interruption had been in control of the
| government for more than thirty years
was TO go out of power and another party
| with a different policy was to come in,
that moment every business man in the
country assumed an attitude of waiting
! and of fear and anxiety
My countrymen, am of those Amer
| leans who believe that the a merican work
| shop should be protected so far as possi-
Die from the foreign workshop, to the end
| that American wOrkmen may be con-
stantly employed, and so protected too
| as to be employed at American wages
Nor do want products cheapened Mt the
expense OF American manhood. Nor do
think that it is economy to buy goods
| cheaply abroad if thereby it forces idle,
ness at home Such goods are the dearest
that American people can buy.
1.-The Republican party has STEADILY
aimed to maintain just relations between
labor and capital, guarding with care the
| rights of EACH \ conflict between the
two has always led in the past and will
always lead in the future to the injury CT
both. Labor is Indispensable to the crea-
tlon anu profitable use OF capital, and cap
| ltal increases the efficiency and value of
| labor Whoever arrays the one against
the other is the enemy of both That
| policy is wisest and best which harmo-
| Mes tile two on the basis of absolute JUS
tice' The Republican party has protected
| the Tree laDor OF America so that its com
| pensatlon is larger than is realized in any
| other country. But, my countrymen. as
| II the business conditions were not bad
enough and hard enough to bear, we
have thrust on us at this critical time in
the business affairs of the nation a prop
osltion to debase the currency of the coun-
try and undermine the public credit of
the country. We know what partial free
trade has done for the labor of the United
States. 1t has diminished it's employ
ment and earnings. We do not propose
now to inaugurate currency system that
VIII cheat labor in it's pay. The laboring
men OF this country, whenever they give
one days work to. their employer they
want to be paid in full dollars good every-
where IN the world. We want in this
country good work, good wages and good
money We want to continue our good
Government with its generous privileges
ana matchless opportunities and want it
to be Government where law is supreme
over NIL and for the equal benefit of all
My fellow citizens, it is gratifying to
me to he assured by your spokesman and
my old comradc, it will be inspiring to
the whole country, that the voice of labor
here to-day declares that no party which
breads the honor of the nation, no party
which stands opposed to law and order.
or which seeks to array the masses
against the classes shall receive its sup
port
we have this year resting upon lis as
citizens grave responsibility. The
country has never failed or faltered in the
past to meet every crisis. 1t will not
falter or fail now to uphold the dignity