Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-05-03
RepubIican PLATFORMS.


tariff: I'VE reaffirm our belief that
the greatest national issue is the main
tenance of prosperity, and we stand
squarely for the integrity of the priIl-
ciple of a protective tariff" That
principle. is required to maintain the
highest scale of American wages and
the supremacy of the American work
shop On thesday following the con-
vention the press dispatches from New
York city announced that an enormous
crwod of men and women, estimated
at 5000, stood around a new depart
ment store seeking work at very low
wages, so great was the crowd that a
large force of extra police We're neces-
sary tc Keep order DISC 1ss
The strenuous efforts of these poor
people to get chance for employment
did not verify the Republican claim
of prosperity, nor did the small amount
OF wages offered prove that protection
had maintained 1.-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 fix
ing 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 gIibly
resolved in favor of protection, that
sonae of the cog wheels of that de-
ceptive principle were out of gear
From Lawrence, Mass, came the news
that the Arlington mills had reopened,
which had been closed on account of a
strike among the employees, whose
wages had recently been reduced, and
the employees were returning to work
at the reduced wages. At Palmer,
Mass, the mills of the Thorndike Man
ufacturing Company at Palmer and
West Warren began a curtailment in
the output by reducing the running
time TO forty hours week That
means but four days work a week
and of course but two-thirds wages.
At Fall River similar condition 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 13
and nearly every day that newspaper,
which is devoted to business matters,
contains similar curtailments.
Meanwhile the protective tariff, by
its shelter to the monopoIists, keeps up
its deadly work of high prices. so that
the cost of living is higher than nearly
ever before. But the Republican plat
form of platitudes of President Roose-
velt's own State did not explain this
anomaly of diminishing wages and re-
dundant prices. This platform was
doubtless presented to President Roose-
welt for his scrutiny before the con
vention met and must have been ap-
proved by him or changed to suit his
N1tM 81 81 ~ludl, ldSly the
knows that he stands squarely for the
integrity of the principle of protect
i've tariff No reciprocity there. no
word for reforming the monstrous in
eGualities.
If any of the wage earners of New
York e=er read that platform, especial
" the thousands who are hunting the
job, instead of the job hunting them,
what a hollow mockery it must seem
70 be assured of protection and 1.-THE
highest scale of wages" when their
pockets are empty and the cupboards
are bare.
Other Republican State platforms
may be relied upon to speak in the
same strain and the national platform
will only be little more elaborate in
details, but will also ignore falling
wages and increased cost of living.
The Republican Leaders and Trusts.
The Tawney tobacco bill has ripped
open the Republican party lines in the
Ways and Means Committee, to the
great disgust of Chairman Payne. He
tod the Republican members that he
thought it was foolish for the commit
tee to attempt to do any business at
this session and useless to have any
committee hearings. So because the
Republican members of the greatest
tatives cannot all agree on one bill,
the whole machinery is to stop. What
a travesty on popular government.
The representatives of the people in
Congress assembled are supposed to
be engaged in legislating for the wants
of their constituents, but because some
of his associates do not agree with Mr..
Payne he threatens to shut up shop,
stand pat and go home The pluck Of
the Republican members has certainly
greatly deterlorated, or they would re-
sist this do-nothing policy when there
is so much legislation that is demand
ed. Mr. Tawney's bill. the matter that
raised this rumpus. was to prevent TO-
bacco manufacturers from putting
prize coupons into packages of cigar
cites. 1t is said TO be in the interest
of the tobacco trust, and because some
Of the Republican members Of the
committee voted with the Democrats
and defeated it led to this outburst OF
Chairman Payne When trust cannot
be accommodated the Republican lead
ers appear to think ii is time to quit
doing business. Possibly the voters
may take a different view of it when
they cast their ballots next fall.
Newspaper Publishers Call for Action.
The international Paper Company,
commonly called the paper trust, is
very indignant at the newspaper pub
fishers who lately appeared before the
judiciary committee of the National
House of Representatives and gave
evidence that the paper company was
a trust and combination in restraint
of trade. The company. through its
officers. presented an affidavit signed
by them DENYING practically all the
made by the newspaper
No