Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1908-08-27
And what has bean the re-

OWH USE anu nave pdtu tuctE Ctnp tOy %
only such wages as trade conditions
compelled.
The Homestead strike occurred
after the Republican convention OF
1892, but before the Republican can
didste wrote bis letter OF acceptance.
He could not ignore the strike, for
it presented an object lesson which
even a high tariff Republican could
not fail TO see. So Mr.. Harrison,
the candidate, referring to the strike
said
Il regret that all employers of
labor are not just and considerate
and that capital sometimes takes too
large a share Of the profits!" TOO
large a share Of the profits? Yes
more than that The protected manu-
facturers have secured, in many
cases, tariff of more than twice the
PERCENTAGE paid to workmen in
wages. The net profits Of the steel
trust last year were just about equal
10 the entire amount paid in wages
and the wages consisted less than
twenty-five per cent of thes total
value of the product. According
TO this statemsnt, each working
man employed by the steel trust
earned, on an average. not only
the amount paid to him, but one
hundred per cent profit besides for
his employer. And, l may add.
while these .benefciaries ofprotection
have been pretending to make the
tariff laws for the direct benefit OF the
employees, these same employees
have, as rule. been kept close to
the hunger line, while many OF the
employers have become the possess
ors of the swollen fortunes" which
now menace the nation s morals as
as well its business.
And yet the Republican party was
not willing that single item on the
steel schedule should be touched,
and the Republican campaign COM
mittee will not dare to publish. be-
fore the election, the contributions
that baye been made or will be made
to the republican campaign fund by
the men most largely interested in
the steel trust
Let me show you how the tariff
operates. | have here a statement
made by Mr.. II. K. Miles, Chairman
OF the National Association of Manu-
facturers and head of the Agricul-
tural Implement Trust. The state
ment appears in the American In
dustries of November 18th, 1907, a
paper which is now supporting the
Republican ticket and making a spe-
cial fight against the labor plank OF
|.i.e roenUS BIC plasform. Here Is
what Mr.. Miles says
Il have made money every year
out of the Tariff Graft. Not much,
but still little.
The tariff barous raised their
price $4,000 to me. Imade charge
against the iobber OF $50, 900 and
know that he charged more than
$4,000 for the 500. 900 he paid me.
Before reaching the consumer the
500. 900 charge became about $780,
900 to be paid by the agricultural
consumer.
The manufacturer who would
prosper must make double profit,
one bv the shrewd management OF
his business and another by still
shrewder manipulation in Washing
ton.
We have no great difficulty shop
ping abroad for we could get as high
prices as at home. We are so held up,
however, by our supply people that to
NEST OF US there is very scant pro-
fit in foreign business.
When Congress gave US forty
tive per cent we needing only
twenty per cent. thew gave US a
congressional permit. If not an in
yItation. TO consolidate, form one
great trust and advance our prices
twenty-five per cent. being the diff
ference between the twenty per
cent. needed and the forty FIVE per
cent. given"