Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-06-27
DISCUSSES CONVENTION.


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the benefit OF the protective principle.
We are undergoing a business depres-
sion. These things occur with some
regularity periodically. What would
be the situatioon in this valley IL the
tin plate and sheet mills had all been
shut down as some OF your other
plants have been. yet twelve years
ago we didn't have a tin plate mill Of
any size in this whole country. The
Mckinley tariff created the tin plate
industry and has maintained it. At
the present time our pottery and
glass trades are languishing on &C.
count of excessive foreign competit-
ion, and in my opinion when the tariff
Is revised you will find that in some
respects the schedules in these trades
will be advanced slightly instead Of
lowered.
There will Of course. be many
changes, lowering schedules. but
simply want to make clear this fact
that the republican party stands just
as firmly as 1t ever did by the protec.
tive tariff principle. We intend to put
our house in order: we intend to show
that protection builds up industry and
commerce, and that the party of pro
lection Is at the same time strong
Lenough and brave enough to correct
any schedules of which there is any
Just complaint.
A Splendid Record.
More important possibly than the
platform is the record of achievement
of the republican party in the last
two sessions Of congress. BY their
fruits We shall know them, and / say
without reserve that no sessions Of
congress in forty years have been
more productive of wise and bene-
fetal legislation than the last two.
have previously referred to the Hep
burn rate bill and the pure food law.
These were two splendid pieces Of
constructive legislation, touching the
most vital interests of the nation. BY
the one. absolute equity among rail-
rnoI ehir~or~ ;c orrvraJ. aihr,cac that
had grown up in the railroad business
are ended; in fact ! may say truth
| fully that the railroad business OF this
country, so far as relations between
the shipper and railroad are concern
ed, have been put on an entirely new
basis--a basis that in short, insures
a square deal to all. The pure food
law in another field has accomplished
equally beneficial results. Through
this law, American consumers have
substantial guarantee of the cleanli,
ness, healthfulness and purity of the
thousands of food products that are
offered them.
| AS to the work OF the last session:
First it passed the Aldrich-vreeland
currency bill. This is a temporary
measure in a sense, but it is the first
and a long step towards scientific
currency law. It's benefits are open
| to every bank of the country 1t alb
soulutely assures $500, 100000 of addi
ltional emergency currency whenever
it is needed. Had we had such Law
in operation one year ago, the october
panic would not have occurred and
countless losses and suffering would
have been avoided. Next it passed an
adequate employers liability law. re
understand what this means. may
say that it is a reversal in the theory
and practice of one of the Oldest prin'
ciples of English common law, name
| ly, that the contributory negligence OF
fellow employee barred recovery
| from damages. Under this law an
employee of an interstate railroad
may recover damages for injuries re-
sulting from negligence of the en-
| ployer, regardless of the fact that a
fellow employe may also have con-
tribrted to that injury Every rail.
road man in the country knows to
Nhat extent this insures his own
safety, improves his working condi-
lions and protects his wife and chill.
dren. This law will undoubtedly be
a standard for individual states in
dealing with the question of employ
ers' liabilities.
Other Good Measures.
We have a-so passed model Child
Labor law for the District Of Column
bia. Congress cannot of course legis-
late on Child Labor for the states, but
the passing of a model law in the Dis.
trict has set an example which will