West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-10-04
INDUSTRIAL REACTION.
Business Decline Worries the
Republicans.
WORK SCARCE AND WAGES SLUMP.
Hanna striving with Manufactur-
ers tn Postpone Wage Cutting I'm
I'll After Eiection-oar Troops to
Remain I'm China-RooseveIt wor-
rfes Campaign Managers.
Especial washington Letter !

rics Campaign Managers.
Especial Washington Letterl
The industrial reaction which set in
The first OF the current year IN becom-
Ing 80 evident that It Is seriously wor-
rying the administration.
The biggest strike ever known In the
anthracite coal region Of Pennsylvania
is now threatened. The operators re-
fuse TO meet the men on any basis.
aud the trouble under the surface IL
that the miners have only had two
days work week for the past six
months. This sort OF thing is not con-
ducive to the "full dinner pail"
The cotton workers OF Massachusetts
have been working on short time for
several months and are now asked TO
accept reduction in wages. Hanna
has been begging the manufacturers 10
postpone the reduction until after cleo
ton, but Massachusetts Is regarded as
so safely Republican that employers
do not see why they should allow poll
tics TO interfere with business.
In Indiana there are at least $4,000
men In idleness because the Iron and
steel and other trusts have closed down
'heit piuntS lhutuliitplN.
Thousands OF skilled workers I'm the
building trades In Chicago are walking
the streets In idlcness. To these most
prominent industrial troubles might be
added scores OF small strikes and lock-
outs all over the country.
The Dun and Bradstreet's weekly re.
ports nre becoming more and more
guarded as election approaches. Dun
now falls To give the number Of fail.
ures In the same week last year be-
cause 1t would show the alarming in
crease this year.
Russla's proposition TO get her troops
out of China was n surprise TO the
country. President Mckinley might
have had the credit OF withdrawing our
troops after their mission was accom-
plished. but he vacIllated until Russia
stepped In and took the credit.
The administration hates to offend
Great Britain. but with the campaign
ON 1t considers that It will be the pop
ular thing to at least give an appear
ance OF asserting TO the Russian prop
osition.
The English papers do not conceal
their disgust at the policy of the ad-
minlstration and openly charge the
president with trying TO curry favor
with the people OH account of the cam
paign.
This merely means that the admins
tration does not find itself so free to
follow the lead OF Great Britain as It
has for the past two years. and the
lion does not hesitate to show his teeth
and growl at the detection OF his recent
ally.
Mckinley hasn't really any notion OF
getting out OF China, hut is trying to
make the country believe that he Is
willing TO do so. Preparations are go-
ing on for quartering our troops at Ia
ku for the winter. The admInistpa-
ton Is exceedingly anxious TO be right
with the European powers If there is
any advantage to be taken Of the dis
organized condition Of China. General
Miles sounds word OF warning when
he says that the real crisis Is yet to
come and that this country is yet like
~ TO get into very serious entangle-
ment with the foreign powers.
Meanwhile the people are cheerfully
paying war taxes and pillng up fund
so that two unauthorized wars can be
carried on. one In the Philippines and
one In China.
Roosevelt has written about 40
speeches and handed them over to
Hanna to be blue penciled. Still Han
ma ~ not satisfied He has warned
Roosevelt that he must not forget his
written speeches and begin to extern
porizc when he gets on the stump. II
lie does. he VIII be recalled at any haz-
nrd. The Democrats would be glad to
have Roosevelt turned loose
Hanna has better luck with McISln-
ley. The latter gentleman is very
tractable. He Is staying quietly Mt the
White House and has concluded that
he viii not make any speeches. lie
asks no questions about the campaign,
but leaves It entirely to Hanna. IL his
policy Is not to be explained. he cannot
help that. He has the satisfying con-
sciousness OF having done everything
in the past four years. just as Hanna
and the trust interests dictated. He
bas only been passive instrument in
their hands, and he will continue TO
enact that role during the campaign.
The Republicans have now made 10
pretty clear that they do not intend to
appeal to the intelligence OF the voters.
They are going TO spend money colo
nizlng voters. manipulating returns
and dividing the Industrial vote I'm the
big manufacturing districts.
But facts are stubborn things. The
wageworkcrs will take stock Of their
condition. They know whether or not
they arc prosperous. and they will vote
accordingly. They know that the re.
election OF Mckinley means four years
more OF trust prosperity and trust
prices That Is about all the argument
they want.
The Democrats are organizing pre-.
clnct vigilance committees IN every
precinct I'm doubtful states. These com.
mittces propose TO take every ueces.
sary measure 20 insure free ballot
and fair count. Hanna will spend
ten times as much money rs the Dem.
ocrats. but this Is one Of the cam.
paigns when the issues are big enough
TO make II n campaign Of principle.
Money VIII not do NJ much for the
Republicans rs II did IN 1896
T.. a. WHITE.