Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-07-26
THE CORVALLIS GAZETTE,
WORKING MISCHIEF.

Several months Since the GA
zETTE gave a clear statement Of
facts showing that Mr.. Carnegie
does not owe his accumulation
of immense wealth to protection,
but to his sterling integrity, in
dustry, good judgment, energy
and daring courage, his wise Sc
lection and generous treatment Of
subordinates and his control of
natural sources of wealth. These
are facts known to every one ac-
quainted with the history Of the
man and easily obtainable by
whoever seeks the simple truth.
In face of these facts certain
newspapers persist in a tieesome-
reiteration that Carnegie acquired
his wealth chiefly by the opera
ton of the protective feature of the
tariff, and therefore protection
should be destroyed. This is bad
enough if they stopped here, but
they do not. With the same
text and reckless disregard of
truth they strive to array labor
against capital.
One of these recently asserted
that Carnegie got away to Eu-
rope with two hundred million
dollars which he had amassed out
of the iron and steel trade through
operations like that bloody affair
at Homestead and through un-
considerable prices for iron and
steel products to American con
sumers.''
Why this reference to the
Homestead affair? That affair
involved immense loss and was
alike discreditable to capital and
labor. Is it not true that the
American consumer now pays less
for his iron and steel, especially
the Structural kinds, than ever
before? Is there any conclusive
evidence that our manufacturers
are not selling their products in
foreign markets without profit to
themselves? We have known
mine operators and manufacturers
do this repeatedly and for long
periods, in order to give their
workmen employment. Men de.
void of conscience do not do such
things.
So, also, the present strike in
the steel works is caused by "plu-
tocratic greed" in face of the
truth that it is a strike of organic
ed labor against unorganized la.
Dor; an attempt of the former to
force the latter into membership
In the labor unions by rendering
it impossible for non-tnion men
to obtain employment.
We are prepared to see dema.
gogues, socialists and anarchists
operate on lines such as these, but
we know the editor of the paper
from which we have quoted is az
far from being any of these as
day is from night. So of some
others.
We confess we do not discern
what motive such men can have
in disregarding some facts, mis-
representing others, arraying labor
against capital, the poor agains
the rich. It is unpatriotic, in.
human and supremely mischevi
Gus. It is sowing to the wind tt
, reap the whirlwind. Whether
done ignorantly, thoughtlessly ol
malicious1y it can bring results
only deplorable and disastrous.
Let us have the truth in its
right setting so that we may
reach correct and just conclu-
sions. If protection works wrong,
if any take advantage OF it to
perpetrate wrong let it calmly
and considerably be made known
and protection will be modified,
and by the republican party; but
no more appeals to passion, preju
dice and ignorance; 40 more at
tempts to array labor against
capital; no more senseless dla'
tribes against wealth.