Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-02-15
Washington correspondence,
BY CLYDE H. TAvENNER.

renee, Mass we're out of work be-
cause of a strike to prevent cut
in their Sc, 81 and SIS a week
wages, Mrs. Evelyn Walsh Nc
Lean, mother of the baby that is
heir to S1O0, 100000, gave a $4,000
dinner to so guests at Washington,
the nations capitol.
The hostess at this banquet wore
diam Jnds that actually cost more
than half a million dollars. In
her hair was displayed the
"famous" Hope diamond, worth
S1SO,OOO, and at her throat an
other widely celebrated gem,
"Star of the East" which was
even larger than the Hope dia-
mond.
The cost per plate at the M c
Lean dinner was S700. One item
in the expense was 1900 yellow
lilies imported from abroad at a
cost of So each.
One of the highest paid mill
workers at Lawrence would have
to work 81 years to receive the
cost of that banquet. The wages
of a dozen Lawrence workers for
half century would not have
purchased the gems worn by Mrs.
Mclean. A Lawrence worker
would have to labor 20 years to
pay for the yellow lilies alone.
The strike of the men, women
and children at Lawrence, and the
S7O0 a plate dinner in Washington,
is a striking example of condi-
tions existing under a system OF
excessive protection in the year
of our Lord 1912. Neither the
Lawrence strike nor the S35, 900
Mclean dinner are exceptions.
They are butsamples of many SIM
liar illustrations which could be
cited if space permitted. Only
recently, VIM. M. Wood. the head
of the woolen trust, whose en-
ployes are now on strike at Law
renee, was arrested for knocking
down and running over pedes-
trian with his automobile, When
arraigned in court he was asked
how many automobiles he owned,
and he replied he didn't know.
Imagine man so rich he doesn't
know how many autos he has on
hand!
Fortunes which make it pos
sible for one woman to wear a
half million dollars worth of dia :
monds at one time, and which en-
ables man to possess so many
automobiles he cannot keep track
of them, necessarily come through
the power to place a price on the
things which the common people
must have in order to live.
1t is significant in this connec-
tion, that the tariff, the cost of
living, $500 a plate dinners-ev-
cry thing but the workingman's
wages-have increased hand in
band, revealing the intimate re-
lAtionship Of one to the other.
THE STORY OF THE EXTRA SESSION
Congressman Ebenezer j. Hill
standpat protectionist of Connec'
ticut, made speech in the House
recently which he considered
gem. He extolled the Payne
Aldrich law to the skies proclaim.
ing in loud voice it had nothing
to do with high prices. Mr.. Hill
thought so well of his speech that
he named it "The Story of the
Extra Session." and sent 1t broad.
G lst,among his constituents, asking
them to read 1t and to commen
upon it. Some of the comments
however, we're not what Mr.. Hill
expected. The following commen
sent in from a resident OF STRAIT
ford, Connecticut, for instance
must have been severe jolt t.
Mr.. Hills standpat nerves:
"My wife and I came to New
York by steamer, having with u
seven yards of serge cloth, whicl
was to be made into dress TO
my wife. This cloth cost il
London S11.90, and was declared
I. dutiable by the customs officers
On those seven yards of cloth
!, was obliged to pay q double dut.
"a duty on the weight and dut,
on the value-A cents a pound anc
55 per cent. advalorem. Thes
duties amounted to 1924, maxim,
the cost Of the S1i.90 article
/ S2l a..
ga tax like this is unjust am
; excessive, ,and cannot be defended
If this is sample Of the pro
visions Of the present tariff law
am not surprised at the universe
II lioeSot;nFont;ou that, v,rauai1o xrftl