Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-08
Specimen Of Democratic Fiction.

Specimen Of Democratic Fiction.
In an editorial headed Protecting
Labor" the mouthpiece of the Kenne-
bee Democratic Ring" sets up a man
of straw and then in a fine frenzy
deals it lusty blows, raising much
dust and making loud cutlery. AS this
pastime has become quite chronic with
our up-river exchange. this particular
instance would scarcely deserve notice
were it not peculiarly ludicrous and
wildly illustrative of the stuff of
which Democratic nightmares are fab
ricated
The editor appears to have got his
inspiration, though not his animus.
from a local in the Kennebec Journal
reporting the arrival of italian ma
sons who were to do the plastering
of the Federal building in this city.
BOUNDS: and Beeswax! How that edi-
tor did 20 into the air! Before he got
back to earth he had forged this mod
est little local item into Democratic
thunderbolts and hurled them right
and left; he had deduced therefrom
logic enough to seat Mr.. Plaisted in
the gubernatorial chair and provide
places about the throne for Messrs
Pattangall, Davis, Beane. ct al. also
to elect a free trade Congress with all
the concomitants. Here is the last
rocket fired:
How does the bringing in of Ital-
ian laborers hitch with the professed
protection to labor of which Republi-
cans have boosted for many years"
If this strident prose would yield it's
rugged nature to the embrace of poesy
we might quote Burns reply to Symon
Gray, or possibly these gentler lines:
Sac, We observe that a this clatter
rs naething but a moonshine matter. -
Thinking there might be some Sigh.
interest in tho exact facts the Journal
made inquiry of the contractors rep
ICoCitotlSC, diSo vi tiO iiiuSOAAo' NOV,
about whom this ado was made, num-
berssix, and anyone watching them at
theft work would realize that they are
skilled artisans. The superintendent
stated that he paid them each $3.50
per day. They corroborated his state
ment. They said they We're residents
of New York city and members in good
standing of the International Plaster
er's Union, though most if not all of
them We're born in Italy. One of them
who had learned his trade of his
father in that country was asked what
that for which in this country they
receive $3.50 per day. He replied that
in Italy, hired by the month. the pay
is about one dollar per day. The su-
perintendent said that these men were
familiar with cornice work and with
the kind of finish required by the gov
eminent, all of which accounts for
bringing them here from New York.
One of the older men, a workman OF
more than ordinary skill and intelli-
gence, proudly remarked that he had
ten mouths to feed in his New York
home. Another fact apparently over
looked by the editorial critic is that
Uncle Sam, nowadays, is businesslike
in his building methods and let's con-
tracts for building, not to those with
political pull" but to the lowest re-
sponsible bidder. He in turn employs
as best he may. The fact that he en-
ploys high skilled union plasterers at
$3.50 per day ought to relieve the ten
sion under which the up-river editor
wrote and demonstrates conclusively
that labor is protected.