Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-09-10
Sentiment of Workmen at the
Big Iron Mills at Bay
View, Wisconsin.
DEMOCRACY Foa FREE TRADE
Informal Conference Of Employees af
Which the Republican end Demo.
cratic Tariff Planks We're
Discussed.

Mnwaukee, WIS. sept l---N orkUen
IN the big Bayviev iron mills and in 9th
er manufacturing establishments In this
vicinity hare 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 OF the politicians.
and has nothing whatever TO do with
the relations between the two parties in
this State. The American workingman
is himself an educated finished product.
and he can no longer be attracted to this
or that political party by mere clap-trap
or by the insineers appeal OF unscrupu-
lous demagoSues- He has learned to
study out economic questions for himself,
and be has begun TO do this In the pres
snt campaign. on the theory that his own
living may be at stake, and that his vote
should be cast. not TO suit his sentiments.
but to suit his own interests.
Making mn Investigation.
Among the men from the iron mills,
this spirit of investigation has taken a
deep hold and already they have insti-
tuted several independent Inquiries
There have been quite a number of In
formal conferences. and a number OF the
leaders have begun to study the plat
form adopted at Chicago. and that adopt
~ NJ 81 A-DuAs- ht,c bieh bhNt AbapAth
the personality of Roosevelt and of Par
ker ms we'll They have Eliminated from
consideration the general foreign policy
of the government. the Philippine aues-
ton. the Panama canal, and everything
else which does not bear directly upon
the interests Of the workingman. They
do not believe the platform treatment
Of the lnbor question as such. or any
mere declarations OF either party should
weigh much. but they have instituted q
careful comparison of the foundation
principles and of the modern record of
the Republicans and the Democrats. 80
FAR ns II relates to the actual well being
Of the laboring man to-day.
Almost eteryone Of these labor lead
ers who has gone into the question with
out regard to political prejudice has be-
come convinced that In the treatment OF
the tariff question. the lnborins men OF
the United States will find the one great
Issue OF the political campaign of 1904.
In the lumber camps Of Wisconsin and
among the iron mills. there are plenty
! OF men yet in positions OF responsibility
In labor organizations who remember the
terrible period from lS92 TO is9T. and
they have already begun to study every
phase of the tariff question and to con-
trast the record of the two parties on
this subject
The Republican Declaration.
As far rs they have progressed. these
representative workingmen have diseov-
cred that the two parties are really more
widely apart and their differences are
more distisctly outlined. on the tariff.
perhaps. than upon any other issue con-
tained In either OF the platforms. At
an informal conference of iron workers
the other night there was a 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:
Protection. which guards and develops
eur industries. is q cardinal principal of
the Republican party. The measure Of
protection should always. at least. equal
the difference In the cost Of production
At homo and abroad"
This declaration Of principles, II was
admitted by those present At the confer
ence. was In every way clear and salts
factory. The issue was fairly stated,
and those present expressed themselves
without hesitation a. being satisfied that
the policy of protection to American in
dustriss would probably remain for
generation, . cardinal principle" Of the
Republican party.
The Democratie Plank.
The Democratic leader started In to
read the platform adopted at St Louis.
which. begins it, tari6 plank with the
words:
1--WE denouncs protection a. q robbery
Of the many to enrich the few. and we
favor . tariR limited to the needs Of the
government economically administered"
He was at once met BY q Ere Of ques-
lions ~ to whether this did not bring
the issue directly before the American
laboring man, 20 that he must choose at
once between protection and free trade.
voting for Roosevelt IL he believed in pro-
lection and voting for Parker IL he BE-
neved In free trade.
The Democratic representative at this
significant shop-ta1k made the plea that
the platform adopted at st. Louis did not
actually mean free trade, but that ii was
intended to pledge the party merely to
q fair and equita Bile revision Of the tariff.
% NJ 70 curb the power of the trusts and
prevent the creation Of monopolies- He
declared that the Democratic leaders a.
. whole were tariff reformers rather than
free traders, and be, urged that Il was
unfair to draw the lines 90 sharply. be-
cause the Democrats In their plank on
the tariff question make . declaration In
favor Of q revision and . gradual reduc-
ton Of the tariff.
eentiment Toward Republicans.
At the first Of these conferences, the
sentiment was strongly in favor Of the
Republicans on the one Issue Of protec
tion, but two or three men who had
been accustomed to vote the Democratic
ticket suggested that an adjournment
should be had. during which time they
oA fo hrin0 nn the roeord af =
number Of the party leaders in Congress.
for the purpose of showing that while
the party organization ms n whole theo-
reticalIy believes that Protection is
robbery" the real leaders Of the party.
the men WIN would ha ye the making of