Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-09-08
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 Pianks Were
Discussed.

- Milwaukee, Wis, Sept 1.-Workmen
in the bi- Bayyiew 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 of the politicians.
and has nothing whatever to do with
the relations between the two parties in
this State. The American workingmau
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 insincere appeal of unscrupu-
lous demagogues. 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 at stake, and that his vote
should be cast, not to suit his sentiments.
but to suit his own interests
Making an Investigation.
Among the men from the iron mills,
this spirit of investigation has taken a
deep hold and already they have insti-
tnted 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
ed at 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-
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 labor question rs such, or any
mere declarations of either party should
weigh much, but they have instituted a
careful comparison of the foundation
principles and of the modern record of
the Republicans and the Democrats, 80
far as it relates to the actual well being
of the laboring man to-day.
Almost everyone 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 laboring 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 1892 to 1897 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 as. they have progressed, these
representative workingmen have discov-
cred thai the two parties are really more
widely apart and their differences are
more distinctly outlined, ON the tariff,
perhaps than upon any other issue con-
tanned 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
our industries, is a cardinal principal of
the Republican party. The measure of
protection should always, at least. equal
the difference in the cost of production
at home and abroad"
This declaration of principles, it was
admitted by those present at the confer
ence. was in every way clear and salts
factory. The issue was fairly stated,
and Lose present expressed themselves
without hesitation as being satisfied that
the policy of protection to American in
dustries would probably remain for
generation. cardinal principle" of the
Republican party.
The Democratic Plank.
The Democratic leader started in to
read the platform adopted at st. Louis.
which begins its tariff plank with the
words:
I'VE denounce protection as a robbery
o. the many to enrich the few, and we
favor a tariff limited to the needs of the
government economically administered"
He was at once met by fire of ques
lions as to whether this did not bring
the issue directly before the American
laboring man, so that he must choose at
once between protection and free trade,
voting for Roosevelt if he believed in pro-
lection and voting for Parker if he be-
hnHed in free trade.
Democratic representative ut this
ut shop-talk made the plea that
Im adopted at st. Louis did not
AN free trade, but that il was
pledge the party merely to
lita bic revision of the tariff,
he power of the trusts and
tion of monopolies. He
Democratic leaders as
reformers rather than
be urged that it was
lines so sharply, be-
in their plank on
ke declaration in
4 a gradual reduc-
Republicans.
conferences, the
in favor of the
Issue of protec-
men who had
be the Democratic
an adjournment
which time they
the record OF a
leaders in Congress,
showing that while
on as a whole theo-
hat Protection is a
leaders of the party,
Id have the making of
amocrats were in power,
kctionists and do not aim
Re than a gradual reduc-
FIJI.