The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-27
IRON AND STEEL WORKERS.
Speech to Employees of the Jones &
LaughIin Company.

uS tOHlpahy
c. c. Briggs, an employe of the Jones &
Laughlin Steel and Iron Companys plant
at Pittsburg. presented the big delega-
ton from that place to Major Mckinley,
and the latter spoke follows:
My Fellow -citizens-I am highly hon.
ored by this call from the workingmen of
the great JoneS-Laughln establishment of
the city of Pittsburg. Great applausel
bid you warm and generous welcome to my
home. (Renewed applause) You are pres
ent in such vast numbers this morning be-
cause in a few weeks you will be called
upon to give expression TO your individual
opinions upon public questions at the polls
You are here because you are deeply and
personally interested in the right settle
, mept of those questions (ADplause and
cries of And in you for Presidenti)
Mr.. Lincoln once sand that the question
of the tariff was question of national
housekeeping; that we must have a tariff
which would supply the meal tub of the
government and not interfere with the
meal tub of the people. The meal tub of
the government has been very low for the
past three years (cries of That's right.D,
and the meal tub of the people has also
been very materially lessened. (Applause
and renewed cries of That's right!D
Now. what we want in this country,
is such tariff policy that will secure to
the federal treasury ample revenue TO run
the government and protect American la
Dor and American work1nSmen from the
competition of the cheaper labor of other
lands. Great cheering and cries of 'Hur
rah for Mc<inley!) There is man in
this audience / care not what may be his
nationality, l care not what his party afll-
iations. who does not know that this coun
try has enjoyed throughout its history the
highest and largest prosperity when we
were living under an American protective
tariff system. Great applause and cries
of Right you are!) There never such
great prosperity in this country as there
was from 1880 TO. 1892 (cries of That's SOD,
ana had then a protective tariff which
defended American wages, American mar
kets from foreign competition, and we had
at the same time monetary system which
this country the best money known
in the world. Great aDplause.)
because that glorious State has always led
on this great doctrine OF a protective tariff
for the American people applause and a
in November, Major.0 | have seen it some
where stated that in 1884 the value of build
was So, ,26l, 600. The next year the buildings
erected amounted in value to 81, $1,000 and
in 1886 it amounted to $2,2s200o. The value
of the buildings put up III 1SS9-that was
after the presidential election of 1SoS-was
water mark OF the buildings in the city of
Pittsburg. This was when the protective
tariff system was in full force. and l sub
nit TO you that we must all want, irrespect-
i've OF party, TO produce similar conditions
in this country. We must get back to that
plane of prosperity from which we
away in 1892.
My fellow-citizens, I make no personal
appeal TO you. | make no appeal for mere
party's sake i'll this contest. This is a gov
ernment OF the people. Every man has an
equal right with every other man, but /
appeal TO you in the interest of your own
work, in the interest OF your own wages,
in the interest of your own families and
your own households to cast your vote for
that party and for those principles which
will best subSerVe those great interests
tremendous applause and cries of We
WILD Not only do we want a protective
policy in the United States, but we want
sound money. tGreat cheering and cries of
That's the stun. } When labor is paid it
must insist upon being paid in dollars
worth 10e cents every day anf eyeryWhere
Applause and cries of Good. good ) La
Dor loses more by a deprecated currency
than any other part of our populations
(Cries of That's right.) The men who have
money keep their fingers on the financial
pulse. They know what is the best money
and they know what Is the poorest money.
and they always pay out the poorest that
viii pass current; and the history of man