Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-08-25
Continued from yesterday


In ordinary affairs there is diff
ference between tariff reformer
and protectionist. They meet to-
gether In business, in society, in the
lodge room and in the church. In
their daily life they apply the same
ruise and are guided by the same
business rules. This similarity man
TESTS itself all through life and up
TO the very hour OF death. III a pro-
tectionist makes a will, he makes II
upon the same plan that the tariff
reformer follows. AS death an
proaches he estimates the value OF
his property, leaves to his wife and
children what he wishes them to
have. AMI then makes such beauests
as he likes to public institutions and
to those outside OF the family; and
such part as he leaves to his wife
and children, he carefully divides
among them. giving to each def
mite share. He does not give all his
property TO one child ami say he
trusts the child to deal fairly with
the rest of the family. Why? Be-
cause he knows his children and
would not put a child in A position
where selfishness might lead him to
do injustice to other members OF
the family. No. he would not trust
his own aesh and blood to deal fair
ly with those reared at the same fire
side with him; and he is wise in not
placing this temptation before one
OF his own family. But when n
protectionist comes to make a tariff
law. he acts on an entirely different
plan; he votes millions, yes, hun
dreds OF millions OF dollars to man.
ufactursrs whom he has never seen
and trusts them to be just in the
distribution of the trust fund among
their employees. And what has
been the result? Just what might
turers have appropriated the trust
fund to their own use and have
paid their employees only such
wages as trade conditions compelled
The Homestead strike occurred
after the Republican convention of
1892, but before the Republicans
candidate wrote his speech of ac-
ceptance. He could not ignore the
strike for ii presented an object les
son which even a high tariff Re-
publican could not fa!l to see. so
Mr.. Harrison, the candidate. referr-
ing to the strike. said:
al regret that all employers of
labor are not just and considerable
and that capital sometimes TAX
too large a share of the profits!"
TOO large a share OF profits?
Yes; more than that. The protect
ed manufacturers have secured. in
many cases. a tariff of more than
twice the percentage paid to work
men in wages. The net profits or
the steel trust last year were just
about equal to the entire amount
wages. and the wages constituted
less than twenty-five per cent. OF the
total value or the product. Accord
ing to this statement 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 TO his en-
employer. And. ] may adj, while
these beneficiaries OF protection
have been pretending to make tn
tariff laws for the direct benefit OF
the employees, these same employs
have. as a rule, been kep. close to
the hunger line. while many OF the
employers have become pOssessors
OF the swollen fortunes which now
menace the nations morals as well
as 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 have been made or will be
made to the Republican campaign
fund by the meR most largely IN
terested in the steel trust.
Lee me show you how the tarih
operates. have here a statement
made by Mr. H. e. Niles, chairman
of the tarin committees OF the Ma
tional Association Of Manufacturers
and head Of the Agricultural lmpie-
ment Trust The statement appears
in the American Industries OF NO
yember 18th, 1907, a paper when
il now supporting the Republican
ticket and making a special fight
against the labor plank OF the Dem
ocratic platform. Here Is what MI
Miles says:
81 have made money every year
ont OF the tariff graft. Not much'
but still little. 81.
"The tariff barons raisad their
,,,ce SsO 600 10 me made charse