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MAY 5, 19il
The Commoner.
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pressed the views of tho Intelligent laboring
men, as ho did the views of tho general public,
when he said:
"Above all and beyond all, the leader in
trusted with the conduct of a strike must be
alert and vigilant in the prevention of violence.
The strikers must bo made constantly aware
of the imperative necessity of remaining peace
able. Under no circumstances should
a strike be allowed to degenerate into violence.
A single act of violence, while it may
deter a strike-breaker or a score of them, in
flicts much greater and more irreparable damago
upon tho party giving than upon tho party re
ceiving the blow. It is sometimes
claimed that no strike can bo won without tho
uso of physical force. I do not believe that this
is true, but if It Is, it Is better that the strike
be lost than that it succeed through violenco and
the commission of outrages. The cause of
unionism is not lost through any strike or
through any number of strikes, and if it were
true that all strikes would fail if physical force
could not be resorted to, it would be better to
demonstrate that fact and to seek remedy in
other directions than to permit strikes to de
generate into conflicts between armed men.
The employers are perfectly justified
in condemning as harshly as they desire the acts
of any striker or strikers who are guilty of
violence. I welcome the most sweeping de
nunciation of such acts, and the widest publicity
that may be given to them by the press."
THE CHANGING TIDE OF POLITICS
Those "who have memories encompassing the
campaign of 1908 will remember that during
Mr. Bryan's memorable speaking tour he took
occasion to advocate the limiting of any concern
to fifty per cent of the country's production in
any line. He proposed this that monopoly in
that line might bo prohibited. Tho proposition
was received with ridicule by our business
guardians. Now, E. H. Gary, of the United
States Steel Corporation, comes forward with
tho same plan, but puts the percentage at 60.
His company now produces 55 per cent of the
steel products 'Of the country. His proposition
will be received, by those who scoffed at that
offered by Mr. Bryan as a good business regu
lation. If this purloining of democratic doctrino
continues during the next decade as it has
during the last, the democratic party will soon
have nothing left that it can call its own but
the rooster. Indianapolis New Era.
McDERMOTT'S VOTE
John 0. Hamm, Los Angeles, Cal: At the
bottom of the right hand column, page two, in
the issue of April 21st, The Commoner charges
Mr. McDermott with having voted against the
election of United States senators by direct vote.
This is in accordance with the Associated Press
dispatch of the day on which the vote was taken.
It seems to have escaped your notice that tho
next day Mr. McDermott arose in his place in
the house and asked to have the correction
made in the record according to the fact that
ho had intended fully, and wished to be re
corded, as voting in favor of tho amendment.
This correction should be made not only in
justice to Mr. McDermott, but as showing that
not a single democrat in the house of repre
sentatives voted against the Rucker resolution.
Practical Tariff Talks
Readers of Tho Commoner havo noticed in tho
'daily papers the record of the proceedings in
stituted by tho government against the sanitary
namelware trust. This organization, composed
of sixteen different manufacturers of goods em
braced in tho list of plumbing supplies for
(modern houses, is one of the comparatively re
cent feats of modern finance. It is another one
of the trusts made possible by high tariffs, but
the enamelwaro business seems to be so large
that it can afford two different trusts. During
the hearing before the ways and means com
mittee of the houso in 1909, a very thorough
exposition was given of the conditions which
make possible a' monopolization of this industry.
The raw material of the business is steel; and
the trade is protected by a forty-five per cent
tariff which is several times the average protec
tion given by the steel schedule. A sharp
division of the business between those factories
which make sanitary appliances and those which
make household articles has permitted a trust
in each line.
There aro twenty-eight factories in this coun
try which manufacture this enamelwaro and
about 15,000 working people aro employed in
the Industry. The product embraces a groat
variety of useful articles made of steel which
has been stamped or worked into shapo, coated
with a glaze and then fired in an oven from one
to four times to harden the glaze. The articles
produced range from tho dinner pail of tho
workman to numerous kitchen and household
articles, such aB sauce-pans, kettles, wash-basins,
milk-pans, dippers, etc., and hygienic utensils
for hospital and medical uso, such as hospital
trays, bed pans, pus basins, sterilizers, medicine
cups, bandage baskets and the like. All of thcso
articles belong to tho list of necessities, and the
fact that a republican congress, with full
knowledge of the facts, would continue a pro
tection that placed the price control In tho hands
of a few men, demonstrates the remarkable
method of tariff making and points out a clear
path of duty to the new democratic house.
A glance backward over tho history of this
enamelwaro schedule shows how deliberately
tariff makers in tho past havo gone about tho
business of creating conditions favorable to tho
formation of trusts. Under tho tariff act of
1894 a duty of thirty-five per cent ad valorem
was fixed upon theso goods, then just coming
into general use. Tho effect was to tremen
dously increase the domestic production. "When
Mr. Dingley and his friends set about tho remak
ing of the schedules they Ignored the fact that
the thirty-five per cent duty was accomplishing
all that protection is supposed to provide, and
raised the rate to forty per cent on the finished
article. This raise was followed by a largo
amount of new capital going into tho business,
but Instead of this bringing about those com
petitive conditions under which tho consumer
profits, nearly all of the companies had, within
'two 'years, gone into a trust. This trust, which
operates under the title of tho National Enamel
ing & Stamping Co., does, seventy per cent of tho
business of tho United States, and has been'"the
dominating factor for ten years, raising prices
and depreciating tho product.
This trust, for some reason or another, seems
to have been more fortunate than those enamel
ware manufacturers who have been making bath
tubs, lavatories, sinks and laundry supplies. It
has not been prosecuted. The high duty on the
raw material gives all that business to the steel
trust, while the high duty on the finished pro
duct enables the trust to fix prices as it pleases,
subject to the national trade limitations that
if it asks too much or turns out too poor a pro
duct it invites Importation. The figures, how
ever, show that the importations, notwithstand
ing Germany has been turning out a very good
article and has been pushing its sale in our
market from only about from seven to ten per
cent of tho entire consumption In tho United
States. C. Q. D.
WATCH IT GROW
Mr. Bryan has given instructions that every
new subscriber shall receive The Commoner for
a period of two years (which will carry it be
yond the presidential election of 1912) for the
sum of one dollar. Every Commoner reader is
askqd to secure at least one new subscriber.
Many will be able to secure more than ono.
Everyone, however, may render some aid in this
work. Following are sample letters:
H. Woodruff, Nebraska Enclosed find $8.00
to pay for eight two-year 1912 special educa
tional campaign subscriptions at $1.00 each.
R. V. McDermott, Oklahoma As a member
of the democratic executive committee on the
last presidential campaign I assisted in circu
lating The Commoner and consider It the most
effective campaign literature used. Our vote in
tho county was increased over 150 of previous
majority in presidential election. I heartily ap
prove of the course taken by The Commoner in
regard to candidate and platform next year.
New subscribers have been sent in in numbers
as follows: Wm. H. Hamlett, W. Va., 10; Jno.
H. Cochran, Tex., 5; Louis Henne, Tex., 5;
Jacob Bandfleld, N. Y., 7; L. M. Hilbish, Kan.,
5; J. E. Watts, Kan., 5; J. L. Wheaton, O., 6;
A. M. Clark, Okla., 5; W. R. Hcrteg, Mo., 14;
Peter Hahn, Ind., 13; J. B. D. Evon, Cal., 5;
J. W. Crawford, Ky., 5; G. M. Home, Ky., 5;
Gilbert Faber, 111., 5; Jas. Foley, 111., 6; F; A.
000000000000000
0 0
0 "MOST DEPLORABLE FAILURE" 0
0
0 Philadelphia North American, ropubli- 0
0 can: From Alaska' to Mexico and In 0
0 Washington ovory day tho same spirit of 0
special privilege is making tho Taft ad-
0 ministration tho most deplorablo falluro 0
0 in American history. 0
0 0
0000
Smith, Kan., 10; W. W. Kesslor, Mo., 6; T. W.
Huston, Mo., G"; Jas. Lindsay, Mich., C; Col. W.
H. Conrad, O., 7; M. A. McAullffe, Cal., 8; Wm.
Conrad, Intl., 11; Allon J. Goddall, Mich., 9;
Jno. C. Smith, Okla1., 5; Wm. II. Shalor, Pa.,
G; Martha R. Haven, Cal., 5; Sahi Pitman, Nob.,
5; Jas. E. Warren, N. C, 5; Cc. Bcamer, Mo.,
6; D. W. Mugan, la., 5; E. G Smith, la., 9;
Lewis Stentz, 0., 5; Allen R. Brown, Wash., 8;
Q. C. Rightor, 111., 5; J. M. Lamar, Mo., 9; A. E.
Clark, Mo., 5; D. E. Biggs, W. Va., G; J. T,
Quinn, Md., 8; Jons. Davidson, Wis., G; W. II.
Pearco, Tex., 6; D. Guthrlo, Neb., 8; Wm. II.
Anthony, Ind., G; J. O. Shilling, O., 5; C. J.
DeJean, Wis., 5; J. E. Candolfa, S. D., 7; J. B.
McGlnloy Neb., G; Peter A. Rlgden, Mo., 5;
Lloyd Johnson, Kan., 5; J. C. Reams, la., G; J.
J. Kramer, la., 9; D. S. Churchill, la., G; C. B.
Coo, Okla., 5; W, T. McClard, Cal., G; W. S.
Ives, Minn., 5; W. C. Marshall, Cal., G; Bon P.
Porter Colo., 5; L. E. Ickes, O., 5; R. E. L.
Yankeo, Mo., 5; J. W. Clino, Mo., 5; H. C.
Dray, Ore., 5; G. W. Dalby, HI., 8; J. W. Head
don, Ga., 7; J. V. Wayman, Cal., 5; G. E. Weeks,
la., G; P. C. Schlytter, Wis., 8; Goo. W. Fergu
son, la., 5; Ralph W. Meyer, Mo., 6; F. J.
Steldl, Minn., 8; T. A. Berry, Kan., 6; A. D.
Morgan, Mo., 7; Geo. O. Mnthows, Tex., 8; Dr.
M. A. Richards, N. Y.f 5; Geo. W. Goodo, Ky., G;
Aug. Soderstrom, S. D., 12; Jno. Hlgly, Ind., 5;
J. F. Busey. Cal., 7; J. T. West, Mo., 7; J. W.
Hamilton, Tex., 5; J. N. Walker, Va., G; D. P,
Weems, Mo., 5; G. T. Jones, Mo., 5; S. II. Myers,
Ky., 5; D. T. McMullen, Fla. G; S. R. Durbln,
Ky., G; C. E.i Layman, Va., 5; Jas. C. Miller,
Ind., 10; Chas. F. Jenks, S. D., 5; D. H. Rush,
S. C, 8; H. S. Weary, Neb., 9; E. Bf Perry,
Miss., 13; T. L. Hungerford, Cal., 6;- Thos.
Peters, 111., G; Chas. F. Hood, Ala., 5; M. P.
McGraw, W. Va., 6; Frod H. Sinclair, 111., 5;
Andrew McMehen, Mo., G; J. E. Evrat, Cal., 7;
Lewis Straight, O., 5; Dr. Chas. P. Lashello, Pa..
6; M. V. Hudson, O., 5.
JOIN THE COMMONER WORKERS
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This blank may bo cut out and used, or regu
lar blanks will bo furnished on request. For
additional names pin blank sheet to this form:
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Campaign Offer.
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