Evening journal., 1913-04-29
TUESDAY. APR. 20. 1913.
INTERESTS OF MILLIONS AT STAKE.

T.
TN certain Democratic quarters the jubilant cry is
heard that the tariff barons" are to be permitted
to have little if anything to say in relation to the
schedules in the Wilson Underwood Tarin bill and
that they receive little favorable consideration
IN connection herewith
In short, that the OF the Democratic majority in
Congress is to be closed to the representations of
men OF intelligence and thrift who have spent many
years building up industries the very existence Of
which is threatened by the proposed tariff legisla-
tion and that the eye of the Democratic majority is
to be closed to the interests OF the hundreds Of thou
sands OF American men and women who dependent
upon those industries for the necessares comforts and
iuxuries OF life.
We have heard much in the past Of the Democratic
spirit of fair play We have heard much Of the de-
sire Of the Democratic party the interests
Of the American wage-earners 1t is impossible to
reconcile the present policy of the Democratic Pres-
dent and the Democratic majority with those declara
tions
Does the destruction Of a mans business by legis-
iaon without giving him hearing and fair and ju-
dical consideration Of his protests constitute fair
play?
Does the destruction by legislation Of industrial and
other plants upon which hundreds OF thousands OF
wage-earners depend for a livelihood indicate de-
sire to conserve the interests Of American working
and working women?
Assurcdly not II is impossible to square the Dem
ocratc professions with the Democratic practices.
We hear much from the Democratic side relative to
low prices that to follow the enactment OF this
composite free trade and tariff for revenue only bill
that has been introduced In Congress by Representa-
tive Underwood with the approval Of our Democratic
President and But we hear little from tho
Democratic side relative to the low wages business
depression and disaster and widespread dleness that
to follow in tho train Of its enactment
Tho Democracy should remember that when IL
strikes blow at American industries It Is hitting
hundreds of thousands OF plants and employers Of
labor, millions Of employees and billions OF capital
Statistics compiled by the Census Bureau for 1909
relative to manufactures in the United States not in
cludng Alaska, Hawaii or Porto Rico. mako the fol-
lowing showing:
Number OF establishments ................ 26S 49f
Persons engaged in manufactures ......... 767s57S
Proprietors and firm members .........L... 27S 265
Salaried employees OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 790267
Wage earners (ayerage numhor) ........... 6615OA6
Primary horse power ....................1 1S6SO776
Capital ..k........ .siS42s 900
Expenses SIS S453 0S0 600
Services ..... ...s........ N3656 6i3 600
Salaries ....-....s 900
Wages ........ .S.......... S3427 O3S 900
Materials $l2141 791 900
Miscellaneous .......... S19456 676 600
Value OF products ................$ 672 O52 600
Value added by manufacture Nalue
Of products less cost OF materially $3.50 26 600
Those are official and public figures One would
think that such showing would cause the Democrats
to hesitate to make attack upon such great indus
trial system. With 7s7S57S engaged in manufactures
alone. and with 6,615,O46 of them wageearners and
7eo,267 salaried employees, the Democracy will COM
NIT crime against the welfare Of the nation IL il
lets down the tariff bars and becomes the ally Of
foreign manufacturers in assault upon the great
est manufacturing system in the world and also upon
the best-paid wage-earners in the world
II may be accepted a fact that II the Amer
can markets be thrown open 70 the manufactures
Of the world there tens OF thousands OF Ameri-
manufacturers who will be unable to pay present
high and compete with the foreign manufactur-
ers who pay what would be regarded here as miser-
ably low wages. They will be compelled to reduce
and other expenses or go out of business The
Democrats prate Of cheap meat cheap clothes
and cheap Shoes but what good will those things be to
men and women whose wage-earning powers have
been impaired destroyed by the operations of the
Wilson Underwood Tariff bill. which seeks to put
American labor upon the low European level and to
\ deprive it Of many Of the blessings and comforts
1T enjoys under protective tariff system.