The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-08-05
BRYAN'S DILEMMA.
MANY workers becoming Convinced
Of the Benehts OF a Pro-
tective Tartin.

"'F~%.-N N@fN V1htA dAl at linDldlC NOTkh
scattered through all the great states
between Boston and St. Louis, are to-
day receiving higher wages than they
ever received before, and higher than
have ever been paid in the tinplate
manufacture anywhere else. Most of
them are men of more than ordinary
Intelligence. and are likely 10 have con-
siderable influence where they live.
They are certain TO be assured that
the payment of such wages would not
be possible had not the many tinplste
concerns been united by the formation
OF one great company, and in view of
the intense competition which did pre-
vail in that business last October and
earlier, resulting in some reduction of
wages and the closing of some works,
they are likely 10 believe it. When
Mr.. Bryan comes before them and de-
mands the destruction of all these
trusts" as enemies of the people and
cruel monopolies, the $4,000 tinplate
workers will consider among them
selves whether they would prefer no
combinations and lower wages. They
viii be likely TO present the question
in that form TO other workingmen
wherever they live, and Mr.. Bryan's de-
nunciation may have kind OF influence
which he does not expect or desire.
But this is only sample. There are
over hundred Of these large corpora
tions recently formed, which employ
great number of men. Though not one
of them-not even the tinplate concern
itself-has complete monopoly, they
all have so far checked competition be-
TWEEN different works, and cut off ex-
penses of management and distribu-
ton, that they are able to pay higher
wages than were paid year ago. But
the wages of several hundred thousand
men, not i'm these industries only, were
raised within few weeks last spring,
and similar changes have been made
at all sorts of works throughout the
year. They have not been confined 10
works controlled by new corporations,
but il will be easily claimed that the
restriction OF competition among those
which have been united has materially
affected the market for others also.
and 10 some extend influenced the
NAEto intf Ai1 Akit W Dals II 10 diSO
the plain truth that this tremendous
change in the condition OF industries
and in the wages of labor has not been
due TO new corporations, either wholly
or i'm the main, but was i'm progress be-
fore they were formed, and would
have gone far If they had never been
formed. The question for Mr.. Bryan,
however, is whether he can charge pros
perity TO the tariff or to 'the trusts"
II is becoming clear that great
many of the workers, who have not
been educated to comprehend the bene-
ficent work Of the protective tariff.
will be inclined 10 give credit largely
TO the consultations which appear on
the surface of things most useful 60
the men they employ. While vast
number of republicans, who know what
came 10 pass under Cleveland and n
Wilson tariff and what followed under
Mckinley and Dingley tariff. will un-
derstand that the prosperity OF all in
dustries has been restored, and not of
those only in which consultations have
been effected, the other multitudes with
which Mr.. Bryan has 90 deal have been
educated i'm democratic notions about
the tariff. IL will be easier for many of
them 10 refuse credit for wonderful
prosperity 60 a republican tariff, and 90
conclude that the curbing of COMPETE
ton by industrial organizations has
been 20 them n source of direct and inn
portant gain.
The trouble for Mr. Bryan and for all
democratic demagogues in the cam
paign they are planning for next year
is that they win have 10 deal with great
corporations which have been advanc-
ing the wages OF many thousand dem
ocratic workingmen. II they go up
and down in the land declaring that
the corporations have been robbing the
public great many people will have
doubts about that, because they find In
their own experience that wages have
been advanced. II others pay little
more for this or that article, there is
always the question how far the higher
cost OF materials made that necessary,
and the argument on that point Is too
complicated for ready popular appre-
citation. but the thing which every man
can understand is that his wages have
been raised. Since Mr.. Bryan will not
admit that any credit is due TO the
tariff on that score, what luck is he
likely To have In denouncing the indus
trial corporations?- Y. Tribune.
GyThe meeting Of the democratic
national committee at Chicago and the
various side shows connected with IL
indicate pretty conclusively that Mr..
bryan is 20 be the next nominee OF his
party for president. and also that when
the time comes for making platform
he can make Ii to suit hinlself,--N, 4.
Post (Dem,).
TIA curious felicity OF pleasure Is
given TO Col. Bryan. A few weeks ago
he was taken 10 the Dismal Swamp.
Then he compared himself with the
Mammoth cave. Young Carter iar-
rison took him on an excursion along
the big Chicago drainage ditch. No
n A a A. -. - NJ