The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1902-10-31
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.

leaders that the people have an
excellent opportunity to Judge of
the sincerity of Republican pro-
testations by their action at The
approaching short session. If they
open the tariff revision question
they will have ample opportunity
to demonstrate to the country that
they have the interests of the peo-
pie at large at heart; but unless
Republican methods and loyalty
have changed quite recently, the
people can look for little relief
from Republican Congress. On
the other hand the attitude of the
President, and the facts which are
coming out in regard to senatorial
action connected with the framing
of the Dingley bill, make daily
more evident the Democratic claim
that a Democratic majority in the
lower house could accomplish mach
for the relief of the people.
In his recent speech in New York
the Secretary of the Treasury made
an appeal which appears to have
been overlooked by the daily press.
1t was for mon partisan support
of such measures as will establish
lines of steamship communication
with South America and South
Africa" This was simply an APP
peal for the notorious ship subsidy
bill which was engineered through
the Senate last session by Senators
Frye and Hanna, and which ROW
rests in the house committee on
commerce. There is no doubt but
that vigorous effort will be made
to pass the bill at the approaching
session, and if sufficient number
of votes can be secured it will go
through with rush. No appeal
for non partisan support Of the
measure will avail, however. The
Democrats are unalterably opposed
to the bill, which would take mil
lions of dollars from the public
treasury and place them in the
pocket Of j. Pierpont Morgan,
the Standard Oil Company, which
is the largest owner of ships of
American register, and other cap
italists. 1t is significant oG s.-Pu5-
lican determination to take care Of
their friends, that the Secretary of
the Treasury should have seen fit
so early to undertake to pave the
way for this meretricious measure.
In recent newspaper interview
Mr.. Cleveland utters q warning to
the Democrats against permitting
the Republicans to steal their thun-
der and their credit for bringing
about a demand for tariff revision
''It is my clear conviction that the
best assurance for the success OF
Democracy in the next national
campaign will be found in a sim
cere and unremitting demand for
it's old-time doctrine of fair and
benefcent tariff adjustment. This
insistence should be from now on,
says Mr.. Cleveland. The state
ment is not one that calls for any
great perspicacity, but it is never
theless true and timely warming;
and one that the Democrats will
doubtless heed, if not because it
comes from Mr.. Cleveland, but
because it is to the point. The
trust problem has precipitated the
issue, and Democrats are in po-
sition to take advantage of it.
According to President Baer's
own figures his mine employees
receive wages to S296,2O per year.
From this amount comes rent,
cost of powder, oil, company doc
tor, ETC., leaving $148 net, little
over 1916 per week, and some
miners pay life insurance, made
doubly necessary by their pre-
carious employment, and also
doubly expensive, out of this
small income. What prosperity
They are experiencing the full