Courier Democrat., 1904-04-28
DINNER PALS
Size Must Be Decreased if They
Are to Be Full This Year.
WAGES REDUCED, MILLS CLOSING

Republicans Anxious to Adjourn
Congress Before Actual Facts BE.
come Known-Fear Their "Stand
Pat" and "Prosperity" Speeches
VIII BE Made Worthless.
The Republicans are doing their best
to deceive the people as to the real
conditions in the business world. They
are pouring speeches into congress for
use in the coming campaign the tenor
on which is "stand pat" "all is WE'LL"
prosperity is still rampant" despite
few facts to the contrary. They would
have the country believe that we are
rapidly recovering from the temporary
setback to industry which occurred
last winter, from October to January,
when wage reductions became general
and when nearly half the mills in
many industries had to close.
Although there never was more Inn
portant business for congress to attend
to than at present in order to bring re-
lief from the tyrannical trusts which
have put up prices and increased the
cost of living to the highest point
ever known, while reducing wages in
all directions, yet it is the aim and
policy of the Republicans to adjourn
congress just as soon as the appropria-
tion bills can be rushed through. They
will then begin to circulate their stand
pat" and prosperity" speeches, hoping
to lull to sleep the great mass of voters
and to keep them ignorant Of the real
facts as to the industrial depression
which is still on and which cannot be
vanquished even by Republican rheto-
ric. The Republicans know that every
day they remain in Washington will
not only bring to light new scandals IN
their administration, but that it will
add new evidence of the depression
which is now running its course. They
know that the Democrats hesitate to
picture conditions as bad as they really
are and that If congress adjourns ut
once the Democrats will practically be
without frankable speeches to offset
the frankable prosperity speeches OF
the Republicans. This, they think, will
give them another opportunity to fool
the voters. This accounts for much OF
their unseemly haste to adjourn con-
gress.
That the business world, after some
slight recovery in February and early
March, is again on the down grade is
reasonably certain. The testimony OF
the trade papers is conclusive. Thus
that great trade journal, the Iron Age,
In its issue of March 81, mentions nu'
merous wage reductions and closed
mills, some of which are:
"McKinley lodge, Amalgamated As
sociation Of Steel and Tin Plate Work
ers. Elwood, Ind, all hot mill men,
numbering 500, has decided to quit
work rather than accept the 20 per
cent reduction in wages proposed by
the American Sheet and Tin Plate COM
pany and is indorsed by the officers OF
the Amaleamated association"
"At New Castle, Pa. the men IN the
lodges of the Amalgamated association
employed in the tin plate mills IN tne
Greer and shenango works Of the
American Sheet and Tin Plate COM
pany have voted to accept the reduc-
lion Of 20 per cent in wages wnicn
vent into effect on March q. At South
sharon, Pa. the men in the lodge OF tne
Amalgamated association have voted
not to accept the reduction In wages.
A Pittsbdrg special says: "Whiie the
Amalgamated officials refuse to give
ont anything 40 to whether the vote
= in favor Of or against the reduction
N wages we learn from reliable
aources that the Tin plate workers have
voted AGAINST reduction. It y not
known At this time what action VIII %
taken BY the association In this event.
Int Il u probabls that q number of ~
-. -.ANNa y 4~N~