The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1912-10-16
CRISIS
EE@
Is Facing the First Congress
sional DISTRICT E. T.
Weir Declares.
WoRKMFNss FUTURE
Welfare Depends upon What
the Voters Do at Polls
in November.
WoRKMFNss FUTURE

letter 4EOm a man v A4O9S D01AAASss
genius is to help to make the Frs
district the largest, producer Of tin
plate in the United States.
The frst letter was from Mr.. viii
liam U. Follansbee, and the second
is from Mr.. E. T. Weir. Of weirton.
West Virginia, where is located one
: OF the largest tin plate plants in the
country.
In reference to the Fol1ansbee let
ter, which has been so much dis
cussed everywhere through the state,
and especially IN the First district
it will be remembered that Mr. Laugh
lin in a speech at Wheeling said:
II have a letter in my pocket from
Mr.. William Z. Follansbee, of Foil
ansbee Brothers Company large
and well posted manufacturer of tin
plate IN Brooke county-to the effect
that il the Underwood bill had passed
the mill at Clarksburg would have
had to close down entirely. am
sure that it would have been mat
ter OF deep regret to Congressman
Davis If the tin mill in his own town,
or. In fact, any other mill had been
compelled to shut down, but this or
a radical reduction in wages would
have been the result had President
Taft signed the Underwood bill, as
voted for by Mr.. Davis"
The letter that Mr.. Laughlin re-
ceived from Mr.. Weir, and which he
is now making use OF in his splendid
tarin talks to the workingmen and
to the people or the district, explains
itself. and is as follows:
.'PHILdlIPs SHEET AND TIN PLATE
COMPANY MILLS
wierton, w. Va, Clarksburg, w Va
Steubenville. o.
General Offices
weirton. W. Va, October :, 1912
f. T. Weir,
President.
Mr.. George A. Laughlin,
Wheeling. W. Va
Dear Sir:
am so impressed with the crisis
facing our First West Virginia district
that I feel compelled to address you
on the subject.
Nobody who gives the matter prac-
teal consideration can dispute the
fact that the tin plate industry
has been developed entirely on
protective tariff basis; while the
industry has gradually grown strong
Ger Yet .it.. has not reached the point
14here we can compete with the cheap
y 1abers of Europe. The protection (?(
-xrs.. AFFORDED by the Underwood bill
q 7rouJdt make it possible for foreign
u. .pla4es to. control our markets and we
svronld see an enormous development
abroad, and entirely at the expense
of the american industry. Ny own
: company would Immediately lose a
large aud growing tonnage on the
Pacific coast, and our Clarksburs
rIant would suffer first as they are
the chief shippers to that territory
%ow. then. the question is: Why
should the present condition be dis
tlTrbed? It is beyond dispute that
the 600 employees in the tin mills in
the First district are prosperous,
happy and contented; they work
under good conditions and are a ben
eft to the community at large. Go
abroad and the conditions are just
the reverse.
Now why should any practical
reasoning man who has. the interests
of his district and his country at
heart want to change the conditions?
There is no use of going into lot
Of statistics, because the situation is
so clear and apparent that it is only
the blind theorist that cannot see
Do we want to throw. the employees
out of work? Do We want to cut
their wagesi Do We want TO de-
crease their buying power? If SC
subscribe to the theories of the party
and the men who have had no prac-
teal experience, the men whose bread
and butter will not be affected II
we want the present prosperity anc
expansion in the First district. If We
want high wages, steady employment
and prosperous labor. then. let wei
enough alone and subscribe to Tho
good old Republican doctrine OF pro
lection to home industries. 1t seems
&c me that to the practical thinking
man the choice is easy and with al
my heart l hope the choice will b