The river press., 1904-09-28
Sentiment Of Workmen at the
Big Iron Mills at Bay
View, Wisconsin.
DEMOCRACY FOR FREE TRADE
Informal Conference Of Employees at
Which the Republican end Demo.
cratic Tariff Planks We're
Discussed.

in the biz, Rayview iron mills and in 9TH
er manufacturing establishments in this
vicinity have begun to concern them
selves over the question of how far their
interests are concerned in the coming
political campaign. This is entirely in
dependent of the efforts or the politicians.
and has no;:liuE whatever to do with
the relations between the two parties in
This State. The American workingman
is himself an educated finished product.
ami he can 10 longer he attracted to this
OF that political party by mere clap-trap
or by the inslncere appeal Of unScrupu-
Ions tlenagoSues. He has learned to
study out economic questions for himself
And he has begun to do this in the pres
ent campaign, on the theory that his own
living may be ut stake. and that his vote
should be cast. not to suit his sentiments,
cut to suit his own interests.
Making an Investigations.
Among the men from the iron mills
this spirit of investigation has taken :,
deep hold and already they have insti-
tU1ed several independent inquiries
There have been quit. 81 number of i'll
formal conferences. and number of the
leaders have begun To study the plat
form adopted at Chicago. and that adopt
Ctl 1t St Louis. These men have ignored
the personality of Roosevelt and of Par
ker as well. They have eliminated from
consideration the general foreign policy
Of the government. the Philippine ques-
tion. the Panama canal. an! everything
else which does not bear directly upon
the Interests OF the workingman. They
do not believe the platform treatment
Of the labor question as such. or any
mere declarations Of either party should
weigh mnch, but they have instituted Il
careful comparison of the foundation
principles and of the muticr, record Of
the Republicans and the Democrats. SO
fur as il relates to the actual we'll being
OF the ishnr!ng man, today.
Almost everyone OF these labor lead
crs who has gone intes,he question with
out re=a!'! to political lreins!icr has he
cts'Ac convinced that in the ;"ea,nltut of
the tariff questions. the lAhoriny n4c,, of
the United States will tn,i the one great
lSsE" of the political campaign Of 1901.
In the lumber c"E,nS Of Wisconsin and
among the iron mills. there are plenty
OF men Yet in p"si1ullS OF responsibility
III labor organizations who remember the
terrible period FROM lS;I, tu 1897 aud
they Lave already begun To study every
phase of the ta:.iif Question and to con-
trast the record OF the two parties OH
this subject.
The Republican Declaration.
AS far as they have progressed these
representative worKinSnlen have diScov-
ert.,l that the two parties are really more
widely apart and their differences are
more 'iiS,inrtly outlined. "a! the tariff,
h.,h ft1cr
ta;nrl il, either Of the platforms. At
an informal conference of iro, workers
the other might t!.pre was II friendly de-
bate between two representatives OF the
two great parties. The first speaker read
the tariff plank of the Republican plat
form as follows:
''rrntec,ion. which guards and develops
our Industries. is Il cardinal principal OF
the Republican party. The measure of
protection should always, at least e,l,.ll
the difference in the cost of production
ut home and abroad
This declaration Of principles. it was
admitted by those present ut the confer
ence. was in every way ciea: and salts
facto:y. The issue was fairly stated,
and those present expressed themselves
w,hon, hesitation as being satisfied that
the policy Of protection to American in
dnst:ies would probably remain for
generation. !: "cardin;u principle" of the
Republican party.
The Democratic Plank.
The Democratic leader started in to
read the pla, form adopted at st. Louis.
which begins it's tariff plank with the
words:
1--WE dcnource protection as a robbery
of te,o J,
favor a tariff limited t. the needs Of the
government economically administered"
he was 1T once E:ct by ire Of ules-
tons as to whether this did not bring
tie issue directly before the American
lahoriNE man. SO that he must choose ut
oncc between protection and free trade,
voting for Roosevelt # he believed in pro-
lection and voting for Parker If he be-
Heved in free trade.
The Democratic representative at this
significant shop-talk made tie plea that
the platform adopted at st. Louis did not
actually mean free trade. lat that it was
intended to pledge the party merely to
fair and equitable revision Of the tariff.
so rs 10 curb the power OF .ilc trusts and
prevent the creation Of liunorolcs. He
declared that the Democratic leaders as
free rra'erS. and he urged that it was
unfair to draw the lines SO sharply. be-
cause the Democrats in their r!:uk on
tie tariff question make Il declaration in
1avcr of II revision and gradual reluc-
t:ru OF the tariff
Sentiment Toward. Republicans.
Al 'ht first Of these conferences. the
sentiment w"s strongly in favor Of the
EtpUi;iran$ un the one Issue OF rrotec-
t!o'.. lE1 two or three men who had
lce, accustomed to vote the Democratic
ticket suggested that an Adjournment
should lie had. during which time they
expected tn bring up the record of Il
humber Of the party leaders in Congress.
for the purpose Of showing that while
tie party arganizatiol as Il whcie theo-
rcticai,y believes that "Prc,ection is Il
robbery" the real leaders of the party.
tho lncn who would have the making OF
the laws if the Democrats were in power.
are at heart prutecl ionists and 90 not aim
At anything more 'han,a grndua! retluc-