Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-05-21
HE BELIEVES In PROTECTION.
=. II. MEYER SAYS 1T Is RIGHT EN-
CEPT As TO LEAD ORE.
Mass Meeting in Argentine at which
Speeches Were Made and ResO-
IutiOns Adopted Anent the
DinGIey BILL

About 80 people gathered in front Of the
city hall in Argentine last night to protest
against the adoption of tariff bill which
did not admit foreign lead ore into the
United States under a duty of not to ex-
ceed l cent per pound. and to demand that
the duty on refined lead be not less than
cents per pound. Mayor Marston presided
and introduced President y. r. Meyer, OF
the Smelling company, and Congressman
Peters, who delivered addresses from the
steps leading to the city Eall.
I'VE want to re-emplOy our old men,
said Mr.. Meyer. "They have given us faith
full service and We wish to give them per-
manent employment in turn"
He explained the technical processes of
the work at the smelter. showing that lead
ores containing silver are necessary If the
smelter shall continue to operate.
The smelter." he said. ''is not different
from any other business enterprise. Its
son bill, as well as under the proposed
Dingley bill, the Mexican smelters are
placed in a position of great advantage
over the American smelterS.
1t seems to me that in the matter Of
the duties on lead and lead ore our con-
crosses have lost all sense. Instead II
fostering the smelling Ghdustrys which
would give employment TO American labor-
ing men. they place higher duty on pig
lead than on the lead produced from the
ore. which affords protection to the Mex
ican smelling works.
Are we to subscribe to party fealty so
clos ely that we are to be ground down
and trodden under foot for the benent OF
six or seven senators who cwn lead mines
in the WeSt2"
He claimed the people of the West as 4
whole are opposed to the discrimindtinS
duties on pig lead as compared with the
lead product He said himself and his
associates owned extensive mining inttr-
ests in the West; hat he was one of the
original founders of the city of LeadV1lle.
and one of the three men who gave il Its
name, and he claimed to be familiar with
the wishes of the people Of the Western
mining states. and that they are opposed
to discriminating duties on pig lead and
refined lead.
Mi. Meyer said he had never allied him
SELF TO any party. Il grant you that pro-
lection is right" he said, but when you
corstrue protection to mean that six or
seven senators and wealthy mine owners
shall be protected to the exclusion am
injury of American labor, l grant you 1t
is not right"
g w. Green. William McGeorge and w.
A. Yearnshaw were appointed committee
to draft resolutions expressing the sense
of the citizens OF Argentine on the subject.
Congressman Peters was then intro
duced.
He told the crowd that he was here in
their behalf and If there was anything he
could do TO enhance their interests. II was
only necessary to issue the command. He
also branched into a political discussion OF
the tariff question and threw few hCu-
quets at the Kansas congressional delega-
tion. whom the citizens of Argentine were
about to petition.
The committee reported the following res
olutiOns which were unanimously adopted:
"'The committee of the citizens of Argen-
tine has thoroughly and carefully investi-
gated the question of the effect of the
tariffs on lead i'm ore on the operations of
the large industry I'm our city. and Is con-
WINGED that the admission of lead in ore
will result in larger operations OF smelling
works. and give increased employment to
our people in the smelling works. and more
general prosperity to our city. and its busi-
ness interests: therefore. be IL
Resolved. That the citizens of Argen-
tine here assembled urge upon the sena-
tors and representatives from our state
to refuse to vote for any tariff bill which
does not provide for admission of lead ores
upon n basis which will admit and insure
the largest operation of American smelt-
ing works. against further encourage
ment of smelling operations i'm Mexico and
that the duties shall not exceed ! cent
per pound of lead contained in the ore,
and that the duty on refined lead bullion
shall be not less than cents per pound
of lead.
THAT copies Of these resolutions he sent
to our senators and representatives"