Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-05-09
Republican Promises.

The representatives of the Republic
an party of the state Of New York met
in convention recently and among 9th
er planks adopted the following on the
tariff:
I'VE reafIirm our belief that the
greatest national issue is the mainte-
nance OF prosperity, and we stand
squarely for the integrity of the prin-
ciple of a protective tariff" That prin-
cipIe is required to maintain the high
est scale of American wages and the
supremacy of the American workshop.
On the day following the convention
the press dispatches from New York
city announced that an enormous crowd
Of men and women, estimated ut 5000.
stood around new department store
seeking work at very low wages So
great was the crowd that 4 large force
Of extra police We're necessary TO keep
order.
The strenuous efforts of these poor
people to get q chance for employment
did not verify the Republican claim
of prosperity, nor did the small amount
Of wages offered prove that protection
had maintained the highest scale of
American wages" rather the reverse.
The prosperity that the Republicans
used TO boast of was that the job was
seeking the man. and not the man seek
ing the job. That boast can no longer
be made. for evidently there are thou
sands seeking work at low wages with
the protective tariff in full working
order, supposed TO be automatically
fixing high wages for the wage Garner.
More evidence was published in the
news dispatches on the same day that
the Republicans Of New York SO glibly
resolved in favor Of protection that
some of the cogwheeIs of that dccep-
tive principle were out of gear. From
Lawrence, Mass, came news that the
Arlington mills had reopened. which
had been closed on account of Il strike
among the employees, whose wages
had recently been reduced. and the en-
plOyecS were returning 10 work ut the
reduced wages. At Palmer. Mass. the
mills Of the ThOrndike Manufacturing
company at Palmer and West Warren
began a curtailment in the output by re-
duciug the running time to forty hours
Il week That means but fourdays' work
IL week and of course but two thirds
wages. At Fail River i similar condi-
ton was announced. At Minneapolis.
Mimi. the -four mills were to be closed
down the end Of the week.
These announcements all appeared
| in the New York Journal of Commerce
and Commercial Bulletin of April -
and nearly every day that newspaper,
which is devoted to business matters,
contains similar curtailments.
Meanwhile the protective tariff. by
| its shelter to the munopOlists, keeps up
its deadly work of high prices. so that
the cost of living Is higher than nearly
ever before. But the Republican pat
form Of platitudcs OF President RooSe-
vcIts own state did not explain this
anomaly of diminishing wages and
redundant prices. This platform was
| doubtless presented 10 President ROoSe-
| Welt for his scrutiny before the con
vention mot and must have been ap.
proved by him or changed 10 suit his
| views. so that, ut last. the country
knows that Ee Stands squarcly for the
| integrity of tie principle OF 4 protec-
tive tariff" No reciprocity there. no
word fGv reforming the monstrouS in
| capabilities.
If any of the wngc earners of New
York ever read that platform. especial
! ~ the thousands who are hunting the
! job instead Of the job hunting thCIl
what Il hollow mockcry ii must seen
| 10 be- assured of protection ana THE
! highest scale of wages when their
| pockets are empty and the cupbOards
! are bare
| Other Republican state platforms
may bc called upon 10 speak in the
same strain. and the national platform
| will only be u little more elaborate il
details. but Will also ignore falling
wages and Increased cost of living.