The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1914-03-18
100 LEADING MEN
ENDORSEPENROSE
Remarkable Statement Issued
by Penna. Protective Union
Most Prominent Manufacturers Ii
Philadelphia Unite In Stirring Ap
peal For Reelection of the Senior
Senator.


peal For Reelection of the Senior
Senator.
Philadelphia, March 16.-The cam
paign of United States Senator Boies
Penrose received new impetus to
day, when the Pennsylvania Protec
tive Union put out a statement In
his favor, signed by one hundred oil
the most representative manufacturers
and business men in Philadelphia anG
its vicinity.
This organization was recently form
ed and has opened headquarters in
the Real Estate Trust building. James
Dobson is president; Charlemagne
Tower, former United States ambassa
dor to Germany, is one Of the vice
presidents. Every name on the list
of officers and executive committee
stands high in Philadelphia.
Some of the signers were ardent
Roosevelt supporters in 1912. Others
have been frequently arrayed against
the Republican organization in local
controversies and even in state cam
paigns, but all are emphatic in theil
declaration for the protection of bust
ness in all its phases-agricultural
manufacturing and commercial.
Following is the statement in full
with the names of the men and firms
endorsing it:
In accordance with the spirit Of the
new statewide primary law providing
for the direct nomination Of United
States senators we, the undersigned
individuals and firms, desire to go on
record before the people as to our
preference for the nomination and
election of the Hon. Boies Penrose tc
succeed himself and our reasons fol
that preference.
We regard this as one Of the critical
periods in American history, perhaps
not less so than the epoch which was
marked by the birth of the Republican
party, the death of slavery and the
emancipation Of American industry
from the baneful influence of world
competition, with its tendency to de
generate the wage standards of all
peoples to the level of the wage stand
ards of the lowest of the peoples.
The great constructive policy of pro
lection is hanging in the balance. The
entering wedge of free trade has al
ready been driven into our economic
system by the so-called Underwood
tariff law which has compelled all in
dustries, with the exception of a ia
fored few in the Democratic south, tC
face competition from the cheap labor
markets of Europe and Asia previous
ly held at bay by the bulwark of pro
lection.
If we believed that American bust
ness could soon or ultimately adjust
itself to foreign prices and practices
without losing every advantage it now
possesses, prudence and self interest
would dictate that we should bear with
minor evils in the hope of preserving
stability of government. But we are
convinced that no such adjustment Is
possible. We feel that the Democratic
party has been false and unfair in its
treatment of the wage Garner. II has
endeavored to make him think that
the amount of an employers profits
has no legitimate bearing upon his
possible outlay for labor. It has as.
sumed to prove that capital will be as
active with prospect of poor divi.
dends or no dividend as II has been
with a prospect of adequate reward
for industrial enterprise and business
risk.
A proposition to bring down prices
and wages together might be defend
ed upon the ground that the world
standards of value in commodities
and labor are the natural standards; |;
but a proposition to bring down prices
without affecting wages is a prepos.
ferrous fraud.
Although the Underwood tariff law
has been gradually going into effect
since Oct. 3, none of the benefits prom
ised as a result of 1t has materialized
1t has disorganized the markets Of the
manufacturer and has exposed the
farmer to virtually unrestricted world
competition, lowering the prices he re-
ceives for his products without remov.
Ing penny from the prices paid by
the consumer; affecting agriculture
and all other forms of industry with
the uncertainty and doubt and the un,
willingness to attempt any line of de
velopment which are the first symp
toms of general business paralysis.
Believing that a law which does nc
good must inevitably do harm, we
submit to the voters of Pennsylvania
vast majority Of whom have been for
more than half a century firm In
their adherence to the principles Of
protection-that II is high time they
were rallying to the support of cause
too much and too long obscured by
minor issues.
Therefore, the undersigned repre-
sentatives of manufacturers and bust
ness men in this commonwealth, as
ISOLATED together under the name OF
the Pennsylvania Protective Union
have determined to use our best ef
forts for the correction of serious
economic mistake before it is too late.
and to adjure the voters to weigh well
the services and worth of our senior
senator, the Hon Boies Penrose, with
a view of making a united and vigor'
ous effort to secure his reelection.
Mr. Penrose, although still com
paratively young man, has been rep.
resentatlve Of the people for thirty