Plattsmouth weekly journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1881-1901, September 06, 1894, Image 2

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THE 'LABOR
COMMISSION.
Concluding Testimonie s Submit te d
to It About the Strike.
President Gompers Says Strikes Do Good
George M. Pullman Is Heard Rail
roads Count the Cost Mayor
(Hopkins and His Story.
BAYS STRIKES DO GOOD.
CHICAGO, Aug. 2S. President Samuel A.
Gompers. of the American Federation of La
bor, being called to testify, told the commis
sion about the Britrgs house conference of July
12. ut -which there were present representatives
of all the prominent national labor organiza
tions. This conferenco was called upon by a
committee from several Chicago unio'hs asking
that a general st-rike be ordered as sug
gested. The request was considered care
fully, and the conference of the American
l'ed. ration of Iabor came to the conclusion that
the president of the United Stales should be
culled upon to do whatever there was in his
power to bring the great labor trouble to an
amicable settlement. To that end a toleirrani
was setit to the president asking that he either
come to Chicago or send tome one to act for
hiai in a conference with the executive
council of the American Federation of Labor.
The president did not reply to the telegram.
The council decided that it would be detri
mental to the cause to indors-e a penenl strike,
as the American federation had no such au
thority, even were its members so disposed.
Mr. Ciompers said he had no scheme for the
abolition of strike, boycotts and industrial
disturbances, lie slid that he did not join in
the denunciation of strikes. So long
as the present system of labor and
trade exists there would be strikes. The
strike shows that the workingnian has
left yet some honcr, manhood and courage.
Strikes have forced the employing classes and
the rest of the world to pay some attention to
the labor question. Strikes were not the fail
tires they were usually written down to be.
More than two-thirds of the strikes were victo
ries for the laborers involved. Mr.Gompers said,
that strikes bettered the conditioner the people
generally, eveu when they failed. Employes
of a railroad strike. The corporation hires
other men. These now men certaiuly elevate
their economic condition, else thry wouldn"t
make the change. Mr. ciompers saia his obser
vations hud led kin to believe that the men
who strike are not lowered; do uut take rela
tive r'MUons witu the other rwn. So that
even faiiing strikes benetit tlifr community,
lie did not advocate strikes whT it was pos-sii!-
to do without them. He believed in vol
untary arbitration.
lie was not prepared to say ttut tate social
ism would be the remedy: he did believe in the
government ownership of railways and all
n.eiins of transportation and communication,
l.c s ud:
"The government already operate a great
number of railroads. If it cart operate a bank
rupt road 1 do not see why it c-oild not operate
it UK.re it becomes tiankrutt-
ir. t louvers thought the boneticial outcome
of the recent strike was tue appointment of
the cemmissioa before v.-hl.-h he was testifying-,
only it would hare teen better if the com
mission had been sent to Chicago earlier dur
izi; the strike. He thought that it would have
been able to bring the Gene ral Managers' asso
ciation and tho leaders of the labor organiza
tions together.
Tho witness had some thlntrs hp wanted to
say about the injunctions issued by court. He
held that these injunctions were not rightly
bnsec! on tho inter fcttite commerce law, that
that law was tot intended to apply
to labor organizations. lie said the
injuacticri-i were based ca court-made
law. unoa decisions given in the absence of
law. lie held further that "old musty laws"
m i.'.e a hundred veal's ugo. before the appli
cation of steam and electricity to industry
h:;d ever been dreained of. were
not pliable enough, elastic enough to deal
w.th the problems of to-day. Conditions
h.-.d changed so tiiat the laws should be
changed. A uumane and beneficial law, when
passed, was not infrequently pronounced un-co-istitutic:;aL
George 51. I'ulliuan Appears.
I PK iGO. Aug. 9. George M. Pullman ap
roure'l before the nationiil labor commission
Monday as a voluntary witness.
As president of the I'ullman com
pany he told about the organization of the
corporation, its financial standing-, and an
swered questions regarding the manner in
whit-h its affairs are conducted. The object in
establishing th6 town of Pullman, he said, was
that convenient homes might be provided for
th workmen and that they might enjoy better
iK-L-ommodatious than were obtained elsewhere
for the suae outlay on their pari. The ad
vantages trained by residence in the model
towa were set forth at length by the capitalist.
Asked r.bout the rent paid by tenants, Mr.
Pullman paid it was just 5 per cent, on the in
vestment. 1 he capital of the Pullman company, he
staled, is S36.00.1.000. Being asked about the
report that the company had a surplus of $1(5.
0Oj.H. he said that It was more than that.
The dividends are based upon the capital of
836.u00.coo, and arc 2 per cent, quarterly. He
was then asked about tae reductions of em
ployes' wages. He replied:
"I am not familiar with the daily workings of
the town of Pullman. 1 will have to refer the
commission to the second vice president for
these details. I will say. however, that
for entire months we did not have an
order for a car. I realized that unless some
thing was done there would Iks suffering
at Pullman. and af.er a consultation
with Vice President 'Wiekes 1 determined to
make bids under the actual t ost of construc
tion. We did tb.;s. and I remember the first
order was for fifty-live cars. I put in a bid for
these cars ut from to $40o below tho cost
a car, making up my mind to make this con
tribution rather than see my men idle. I re
lieve many other carbu.lders in the country
felt the s'ime way. .As evidence of this
the next lowest bid to mine was only $J4 high
er than mine. On another occasion I bid for a
lot of TiO cars at a loss of 15 on each car. pre
ferring to tio this rather than sec the freight
hops closed. I underbid the next com
petitor only $1 a car. It cost us
about CjOOUO to keep the men in work
as long as I did. I e? plained all
this to Mr. Heathcote. the leader of the strik
ers, who said to me: 'V.c want the wages of
'V.i.' 1 informed him taut was impossible: I
told him it would be a most unfortunate thing
if the wages of t3 were restored; that there
was only six or eight weeks' work here as it
was. and there was none in sight at the rate on
w hich the wages of '93 vvere based."
He admitted that the company taking the
-whole year through bad made money, and paid
its regular dividends. . which amounted to
ubout iS.bCO.Ouu. In explaining why the com
pany chose to reduce wi.ges while paying large
dividends Mr. Pullman said:
"The manufacturing business is sep t rate
from t'ae business of the sleeping car company,
i see no reason w hy I should take, tho prolltsof
Che 4JoO stockholders in the Pullman Sleeping
Car company and puy mea a higher rate of
Wi'.ges than was pid in other parts of the
country for the same work, or than was paid by
other companies for tho same work. Hecausc
Mc have been careful and accumulated a sur
plus I do not see that it Is a reason we should
take the surplus tow and pay it out tor ex
ceptionally high wages."
Concerning arbitration he said: "There are
some matters that are proper subjects for ar
bitration, such as a disputed title. Hut there
are others that are impossible of arbitration.
1 cannot arbitrate on a question where 1 know
the facts to be thus and so. The question as
to w Let her our shops should continue to run
at a loss is a thing that could not be arbi
trated." Q. "Why was it impossible?" A. "Because
it violates the principle vhat a man has a right
to manage his own business."
"We make it a cond.tion of return to work
that the member of the American Kailway
iini'.n shall surrender his card. That is the
only union we have ever discriminated against,
alti.ough 1 bebeve our men havo belonged to
other organizations. It is the fixed policy of
tho Pullman company to retain no on-j con
nected in any way with the American Railway
iniou-" '
-Were rents reduced when wages went
dov;i':" asked Judge Worthington.
"Tiiey were tow So little iixome was com
deFarte'TuesdaymdrfiiDg-TOr-a
visit at Ashland.
attorney, PlattaiWtb.l rjon't buy a biaycle until
ing from rents that wo could not aSord to re
duce them further."
"Were your wages and those of the other
officers of the company reduced?"
"They were not."
"Why was this not done?"
When Mr. Pullman fully recovered from th
effect of the audacity of the questions he said
It was not good policy to reduce tho salaries of
high officials, because men of their caliber
were not easily replaced and would not stand a
reduction of any considerable amount.
Losses Occasioned by tlic Strike.
Chicago. Aug ro. When the labor commis
sion assembled for Tuesday's session sev
eral railroad officials who had been sum
moned to furnish statements of the losses
caused to various roads by the strike were
heard. Summarized their statements show
that the aggregato loss of the Chicago & Alton
cud was $:fi.:tt:0: the Lake Shore, damage to
cars, .'J5.154; the Chicago & Kastorn Illinois.
$lv3.706; the Hurlington. $115,000; the St. Paul,
$lJ0.(.t5; tho Northwestern. $ut:.C'.0.31: Chica
go & Krie. $1M.7sh.77. Tho same statement
showed a total los.- of wages to employes of
&us.vt:.v.Ki.
Then Mr. Wick.es took the stand. Questioned
by Chairman Wright, he said that the cost
to the company of building the cars
under contract at the time of tho striite
was about $l.H.0uo. 'lhe labor would
cost ubout i.Mo.tw. The contracts were
taken on a basis of a reduction of 20
per cent, and thus umier the old prices the
labor would cost about j3!0.iHW. On this basis
Mr. Wright said that, according to the testi
mony of -Mr. Wiekes. the company had contrib
uted 8'i2.ot!0 for the purpose of securing these
contracts and keeping tne people t-roployed
and the wage earners iOO.UW.
The wages of workmen had been raised,
Mr. Wiekes said, time and again where
there had been no request from the men. The
company's officers were always ready to pay
every man for his ski.l: but, too, they were
entitled to just profits occurring from
the use of improved machinery. Witness
had been in close touch with labor men for
the past twenty-six years. lie thought the
present principle of operation had worked ad
mirably until last May. In the works of the
Pullman compiny at Wilmington and at St.
Louis there had never been any trouble of
any kind. He thought that if there had
been no outside interference there the men
would not have gone on strike. The company
was preparing au investigation and a state
ment of it3 actual condition to set before the
men when the strike was called. That state
ment would have been identical with the one
given in evidence before the commission.
The subject of arbitration and the Pullman
company's refusal to arbitrate with its for
mer employes was taken up by Commissioner
Kernan. The witness thought that the ques
tion of wages co4U not be submitted to arbi
tra ion. An employer knew what bo could
afford to pay for the work needed and
that was a fixed amount. It could vary only
as profits to the manufacturer change The
l'uilman company had never objected to
unions except in one instance. The objection
to the American Kailway union was that the
company would not treat with its men through
any union. It would treat with them individual
ly only.
Gen. Nelson A. Miles took the stand when
the commission met after luncheon. In an
swer to questions he said his occupation
was major general of the United States
army. He denied flatly the story that on his
arrival here from Washington he had ut once
consulted with the general managers, eta
July 2. when this conference was said to
have taken place, he was in Washingtoa.
end he arrived here on July 4. Asked if
it was true that he had declared he had
broken the backbone of the strike, the gen
eral said this was not quite exact. hat
he said was that he had broken the back
bone of the opposition to the federal troops.
The commissioners wanted to know if the
troops forced railroad men to work at the
point of the bayonet. Gen. Miles said that
while this might have happened in some in
stances, he had not been aware of it and had
issued no orders to that effect. He said he
knew nothing about the strike. That the
troops were ordered here by the president to
see that the decrees of the United States
courts were enforced, and beyond carrying out
such instructions he had nothing to do with
the strike.
More Testimony Taken.
Chicago. Av.g. 81. Chairman Wright has
snncumed that all the witnesses on both sides
who had been suggested to the commission
ki'.d been examined, and there remained no
more evidence to be heard, except what testi
mony may be added in rebuttal which either
sice may care to offer. The testimony given
on Wednesday was brief and comparatively
unimportant.
The first witness was Town Agent Hoorn
beik. of Pullman, who was questioned by Mr.
Kernan. He said that he had charge of the
houses and real t state in the model town. The
witness said that he signed the leases of the
houses for tho company, and produced a form
of the lease.
The agent said that In the matter of repairs
the company paid all the bills. Tho repairs on
the houses last year amounted to $-U.Ooo. Tho
repairs were not charged to the tenants. Ho
could not say why the lease provided for the
charging of repairs to the tenants. He only
knew that the company did not charge the ten
ant with repairs.
The Kock island road furnished about thirty
wit lesses from Hiue Island to show the char
act.'r of the strike meeting at the village on
that road. There were tailors, painters, car
penters. storeke'iers and railroad mea. but
inestof them knew nothiug and were dismissed.
TLtlr testimony show ed that of about 100 men
who attended thi meeting less than one-third
were railroad m n.
Kach testitled that Vice President Howard,
of the American Kailway union, had used most
violent language in the speech he made at the
Blue Island mc.tin?, suggesting violence and
calling Mr. l'uilman and the railroad man
agers bard and vile names. These witnesses
said that Howard caused the strike on the
Kock island Debs helped only incidentally to
bring it on.
H. H. Saunders was recalled after the others
had testified. He said thut .n his s;eech Mr.
Howard had said that Pullaian ought to be
hanged, and that he. Howard, would like to
help h.mg him. lioward had i.lso said the men
who would take the places of tho-e on strike
should be killed with a coup.ing pin.
C HicAuci. Aug. 31. Alter hearing the testi
mony of Mayor Jopkins Thursday afternoon
C li-iirmnn Wright announced that the work of
the labor commission in Chicago was at an
end.
Mayor Hopkins being called testified that
Mr. Wright, counsel for the Kock Island road,
cl dnied cn July 5 that mobs were inlerfer.ng
with tho operation of trains. At that time the
Hia.n liue was clear to Thirty-seventh street,
but at that pi ce about 3,!HiO persons, mostly
women and children, hail congregated. A car
had been overturned north of Thirty-seventh
t-treet, and the wrecking crew was working
on it.
He continued:
"That same evening I learned that the First
regiment was going into camp at Springfield. I
wired the governor that they ought to be kept
here, aS they might be needed within twenty
four hours. At my suggestion he had them re
port ut their armory for duty instead of
going to Springfield. About 10.30 o'clock
that night I learned that the Diamond
special on the Illinois Central was
staded at Kensington and had the police clear
the way for it. Friday morning. July 6. in
formation came that crowds were gathering
on the Kock Island tracks, and after consulta
tion 1 decided to call on the governor for rlvo
regiments of state militia, which he ordered
to report to me immediately.
"I telieve tho police did their full duty all
through the strike. I have been assured by a
number of railroad officials that the protection
or the police was all they needed. General
Superintendent Sullivan, of the Illinois Cen
tral. President Thomas, of tho Western In
diana, and Superintendent Ashby, of the Union
Stock Yards Jt Transit company, have all con
j gratulatcd the city authorities oa the conduct
of the police and the management of the dis
j turbances.
J "In :11 the; evidence produced before the
commission, so far us I could discover, 1 have
seen no instance where a ch rgo has been made
against the city police that they havo failed to
do all that could have been expected of them.
I suppose Mr. Kgan might have made some
! complaint, but he was continually putting the
police force to unnecessary trouble uud eilorl
Constipation and sick headache per-1 j
manently cured, and piles prevented! .ttOrpeVS L
you see ua.
by alarms of violence where there were none."
"Would you say, Mr. Mayor, that tho police
bad shown no sympathy for the strikers or had
not let their sympathy influence their con
duct?" "I would not like to Bay the police had no
sympathy with tho strike. Doubt'ess some of
them had. I am free to say that so far as the
strikers at Pullman were concerned I was in
sympathy with them myself. What I do mean
to say is that no policeman let his sympathiea
keep him from doing his full duty during the
strike so far us I have been able to discover,
lhe police were on duty for ten days without
going home. They lived at their posts or at
the stations, and I think they did all that
could have been expected of them."
The major told ubout tho failure of his ef
forts to secure arbitration or other settlement
of the trouble. July 12 tho witness had ac
companied Mayor Pingreo to call on Mr.
Wiekes. Mr. Hunnells and Mr. Hrown, but they
persisted in their statement that there was
nothing to arbitrate. On July 13 came the
communication from I'ebs and Howard totho
general managers which tho mayor agreed to
take to the general managers.
"I took it to their headquarters and found
Mr. St. John, who jid that tho general man
agers did not wish to consider any communi
cation comiug from those men. Ho said, how
ever, that since I had brouuht it he would con
sult the members of the association personally.
He did. ami the result was a letter returning
the communication."
"It has been intimated that I protested
against the presence in the city of federal
troops. That is not so. I was not consulted
with nor advised that federal troops wero
to be sent here. I had not up to that
time been advised that anybody or any
corioration needed protection of any
kind that was not already supplied. I did not
protest against tho sending of federal troops,
although 1 might have felt that the persons
desiring protection should have called first
upon municipal and state authorities for pro
tection before they called for United State
troops."
The commission then adjourned.
BIG DEAL FOR PAPER MILLS.
English Syndicate lluys All the Plants In
Wisconsin for 8 1 4.00O.001).
Appi.ktox, Wis., Sept. 1.- An ling
lish syndicate represented hy Frank
IJutterworth, Chicago, has practically
closed a deal for the purchase of all
the paper and pulp mills in Wis
consin. The mills in the deal
number thirty-four and the price
agreed upon is S14, 000,000. The trans
fer will be made March 1. Half the
price is to be paid in cash and half in
bonds secured by mortjrae. The deal
has been on foot several weeks, but in
formation has just leaked out. The
facts as stated are admitted by inter
ested parties. Most of the property
involved is located on Fox river and
fifteen of the mills are at Applctou.
The deal, if consummated, will be the
largest tra nsfer of munufaeturiny prop
erty ever made in the northwest.
CELIA THAXTER DEAD.
The Well-Known Authoress I'asees Away
at the Isles of Shoals.
IiosTox, Aug-. 128. A telegram from
the Isles of Shoals says that Celia,
Thaxter, tho authoress, died there
suddenly Sunday night. Celia Leigh
ton Thaxter was born in Ports
mouth, N. II., June 29, lJOi.
Her father. Thomas Ji. Lvighton,
took her when fch wiui a child
to the Isle of Shoals, where she
spent most of her life at Appledore.
She married there Levi Lincoln Thax
ter, of Watertowu, Mass., in Ibol.
Among the finest of her single yoeius
may be mentioned "Courage," 'Kit
tery Churchyard," "The Spaniards
Graves," "The Watch of IJoou Island,"
"The Sandpiper," "A Tryst" s.nd '-The
Song Sparrow.'
SWAMPS ON FIR E.
Crops and Timber I. audi Ietrojed SraT
Waterloo, Tenn.
"Waterloo, Tenn.. Aug. US. The air
in this vicinity is full of a dense
smoke. It comes from the burning
tamarack swamps turrounding the
city and the lire has encroached
upon the farming and timber
lands. Some crops have already been
destrxn'ed and if rain does not soon
come great loss will result to the com
munity. Farmers are digging large
trenches to protect their property and
every effort is being made to check the
fire.
DROWNED AT A FORD.
lii-tounty Commissioner I'arratt. Wife
ntl v hildren 1't risli Near I'ortHinouth.
1'oitTS.Moi'Tii, O., Aug. US. Word has
reached here of the drowning of four
persons iU miles north of this vil
lage. Adam A. I'arratt, ex-county
commissioner, and his wife and
three children riding in a spring
wagon, attempted to ford the Scioto
river, it being very low, but the team
struck a sinkhole and all the occu
pants of the wagon were drowned ex
cept a lU-year-old boy, who managed
to get to shore.
GERMANY DON'T LIKE IT.
She Takes Umbrage at Our Increased Tax
on Sugar.
L-oxnox, Aug. SI. The Standard's
conespondent at Berlin says:
-The new American tariff law gives umbrage
in Germany, especially the proviso which in
creases the duty on sug ir from countries giv
ing bounties. This change Is felt moro keenly
here, as the anount of increase is tho same for
all bounty-giving countries regardless of the
amount of the bounties. The effect of this, ac
cording to German opinion, will not be to in
duce such countries to abolish the bounties,
as tho American senate wishes, but on the con
trary to raise them."
His Life Crushed Out.
Erie, l'a., Aug. US. A Lake Shore
freight train was wrecked near this
city on Monday, llraketnan William
Lohr, of Collinwood, O., who was on
the top of the caboose at the time, was
thrown against the cupola so violently
as to inflict very serious injuries. Tho
crew found a young man of very re
spectable appearance, well-dressed and
wearing a jockey cap, crushed to death
between two large stones on a Hat car.
LiiiiiIht Yard Destroyed.
St. Paul, Minn.. Aug. 31. Fire
started in the Brooks Bros. lumber
yard. Union park, Wednesday after
noon. A representative of Brooks
Bros, estimates that there were 10,000,
O'JO feet of lumber in the burned yard
at Union park. This would make tho
loss $110,000. It is fully insured.
Congress Adjourns.
Washington, Aug. 29. The first
regular session of the Fifty-third con
gress is a thing of the past. It became
a matter of history at 3 p. m. Tuesday.
Compared with previous adjourn
ments, it was a very tame affair.
There was not a quorum in either
house.
REFUSED TO SIGN IT.
President Cleveland Allows the
Tariff Bill to Become a Law.
It Does So Wlthoct Ills Indorsement II
Explain His Attitude In a Letter to
Mr. Cwtchlngs End of Lone
Struggle.
NEW TARIFF GOES INTO EFFECT.
Washington, Aug. US. At 1U o'clock
Monday night theMclvinley tariff law,
which had been in operation since
October 30, lS'JO, practically four years,
died oq the statute books and tne new
democratic tariff bill passed by the
Fifty-third congress became a law
without the signature of President
Cleveland.
"Executive Mansion, Washington. Aug
rr. Hon. T. C Catihings My Dear .Sir: Sinca
the conversation 1 had with you and Mr. Clark,
of Alabama, a few days ugo la regard to my
action upon the tariff bill now before me I
have given the subject further and most se
rious consideration. 1 he result is, I am more
settled than ever in the determination to al
low the bill to become a law without my signa
ture. When the formulation of legislation which
It was hoped would emboiiy democratic ideas
of tariff reform was lately entered upon by
thi.s congress nothing was further from my an
ticipation than a result which I could not
promptly and enthusiastically Indorse. It U
therefore with a feoling of the utmost disap
pointment that 1 submit to a denial of this
privilege
"I do not claim to be better than the masses
of my party nor do I wish to avoid any respon
sibility which on account of the passage of
thi.s law I ought to bear as a member of the
democratic organization; neither will I
permit myself to be separated from my
party to such an extent as might be
impliod by my veto of tariff legislation, which,
though disappointing, is still chargeable to
democratic effort. Uut there are provisions in
this bill which are not In line with honest
tariff reform an l it contains inconsistencies
and crudities which ought not .to appear is
tariff laws or laws of any Kind.
"Besides, there were, as you and I well know
Incidents accompanying the passage of th
bill through congress which made every sin
cere reformer unhuppy, while influences sur
rounded it in its latter stages and Interfered
with its unal construction which ought not to
be recognized or tolerated in democratic tariff
reform counens.
"And yet, notwithstanding all Its viclssl
tude aud all the bad treatment it has received
at the hands of its pretended friends, it pre
sents a vast improvement to existing condi
tions. It will certainly lighten many tariff
burdens that now rest heavily upon the peo
ple, it is not only a barrier against the return
of mad protection, but it f uruishes a vantage
ground irom which must oe waged further ag
gressive operations against protected monop
oly and governmental favoritism.
"1 ta..e my placo with the rank and file of
tho democratic- party w ho believe in tariff re
form aud who know what it is, who refuse to
accept tho results embodied in the bill at lie
close ot the war. who are not blinded to tlm
lact that the livery of dtmocratic tariff reform
lias been sto.en uud w-uru i:i the service of re
publican protection, and who have marked the
places where the deadly blight of treason has
blasted the councils of the brave in their hour
of ni. gat.
"ihe trusts und combinations the com
munism of peif, whose machinations have pre
vented us from reaching the success we de
serve, should not be lorrotteu or forgiven. We
shall recover from our uslouishmeut at their
exhibition of power, and if then the question
in forced upuu us whether they shall suomit to
tho free legislative will of tho people s repre
sentatives, or shall dictate the laws which the
peop.o must obey, we will accept and settie
tiiat issue as one involving the integrity und
safety of American institutions.
"i love the princip.es ol true democracy be
cause they are founded in pa iotism and upon
justice and fairness tow aril all interests. 1 am
proud of my party organization oecause it
is conservatively sturuy aud persiste.it in the
enforcement of its pr.ucipies. Therefore. I uc
not depu.r of the tllorts made by the house of
representatives to supplement the oul already
passt d by lurther leg'sat:ou and to hive es
g rutted upon it such mouincatior.s as will more
nearly meet democratic hupes and aspirations.
"1 i au t be mistaken a-, to the necessity of
free raw materials as the foundation of logical
aud sensible tariff reform. The extent to which
this is recognized in the legislation already se
cured is one of its encouraging and redeeming
features, bat it is vexutious to recall that w hba
free coal aud iron ore have been denied a let
ter oi the secretary of the treusury discloses
the fact tnat both might have been madj frto
by the annual s. rrcnuer of only 700,0 O of un
necessary levenuo.
i uia sure thai there is a common habit of
underestimating tne importance of free raw
niuleriais in tariff legislation, und of regard
ing thvm us only related to concessions to be
niude to our manufacturers. The truth is.
their influence is so lat-ieaching tnat if disre
garded a complete and oeuetlcent scheme of
tariff reform cannot be successfully inaugu
rated. VV lien we give to our manufacturers free raw
materials we uush.ickle American enterprise
and ingenuity, und these wiii open the doors of
foreign marvels to the reception of our wares
unu give opportunity for tne tontinuous and
remuuerat.ve employment of American lab.ir.
With materials cheapened by their freedom
from tu rill ihuigcs, ino cot of t. eir prouuet
must te correspondingly clieajeued. i here
upon justice iiUii fairness to the consumer
would den, and that tno manufacturers bo
obliged to submit to such a readjustment and
ln-jdillcaliou of the tana upu liieir finished
goods as would secure to the jieople the benetit
tf the reduced cost of thoir manufactures and
(,'uiclu the consumer against the exactions of
inordinate proms.
"it will tnus t.e seen that freo raw mater ais
und a just un i fearless regulation and reduc
tion oi the tariif to meet the changed condi
tions wou.d carry to every huimle home
in tt.e lund tho blessings of increase J com
foit and cheaper living. The mi. lions
of our countryuen who havo fought
braveiy and well for tariff reform
should bo exhorted to continue the struggle,
boldly challenging to opou warfare and con
stantly guard.ng against treachery and h.ilf
he.irtuducss In tueir c.unp. Tnnff reform will
not bo scttioJ until it is honestly and fairly
settled in the interest and to the benefit of a
p..tieut and long-suffering people. Yours very
truly, "c.koveh Cleveland."
'lhe placing of the bill uion tho statute
books ended one of the longest und most
remarkable struggles in tho parliamen
tary history of the government. it was
practically a year ugo tuat the compilation of
the new tariff was commenced, 'lhe extraordi
nary session of congress was called August
7. 13, for the purpose of repealing tho
ishcruuin silver-purchasing law. Two weeks
later the ways and means committee of the
house, with Mr. Wilson, of West irginla. as
chairman, was appointed, and almost imme
diately the work of framing the democratic
tiiriff-retorm measure began. Mouths were
spent in its preparation, and it was not re
ported until alter the holidays during the
rcgulur session beginning in KccraotT. For
three weeks it was debated in th house, pars
ing that body January seventeen houso
democrats voted agains it. The bill went to the
somite, und. after being considered until March
to. wus reported, greatly i hanged from the
house bill, lhe debate which began in tho
senate April U lasted until July 3. when the
bill passed by u vote of to 1M. The crisis
occurred when the bill reached conference.
On August the house yielded and accepted
the senate bill in toto. Two days afterward,
Weducsday. August 15. it went to the presi
dent, und Monday night ut the expiration of
the constitutional dit.vs (Sundays not counted)
it became a law without Mr. Cleveland's ap
proval FOR A NATIONAL PARK.
Gen. Sickles Wants the Government to
Acquire 4,000 Acres at Gettysburg.
New York, Aug. 2S. Gen. Daniel E.
Sickles has a scheme for the creation
of a grand national park which
will include the battlefield and
other historic points of interest at
Gettysburg. The purchase of some
thing like 4.000 acres iu and around
Gettysburg is embraced in the plan.
The government already owns several
hundred acres at the scene of tne de
cisive battle of the war, ana Gen,
Sickles proposes to acquire abefit 0,500
acres morw
'' jr--t-
j
WW)
A KNIGHTLY ARRAY.
"Pythlans I'arade In Whirzton Reviewed
by the I'renident.
Washington. Aug. 20. The feature
of the Pythian encampment was tV
prand parade of the uniform rank
Tuesday afternoon. Fifteen thousand
knights were in line, inarching by
State brigades, and the procession was
more than two hours passing the presi
dential reviewing stand. Penusjl
vania avenue was crowded with mor?
than 100,000 people, a large proportion
of them visitors from out of the city.
The president reviewed the proces
sion from a small stand erected on the
curbing just in front of the white
house.
The conclave of the supreme lodge
was culled to order by Supreme Chan
cellor W. W. lllackwell in lluilders
exchange hall at 10 o'clock. Great
beereey was observed and the entrances
were carefully guarded. The roll call
was answered bv delegates from near
ly evorj' state ami territory. Supreme
Chancellor lilaokwell and Supreme
Keeper of Record and Seal IJ. L. C. !
White read their biennial reports, j
The supreme officers wore crape budges i
on their arm as a token of respect to
tho late Past Supreme Chancellor J
Shaw, of Wisconsin. j
In view of the action of the supreme I
lodge at Cincinnati in 1SSS the su- ;
pretne chancellor advises the abroga- !
lion of the edict of the Kansas City i
session, which placed under the ban !
the order of Pythian Sisters. I
The saloon q use t ion is not unno- I
ticed. Many lodges, the report says,
have under act of grand lodges per
mitting a vote on the subject exclude !
saloonkeepers from membership in the
order. This, the chancellor thinks, is
a grand thing, as it will have a ten
dency to elevate the character of the
lodges, lie holds that quality, not
quantity, is what is wanted. He says:
"I heartily commend that saloon keepers.
bartenders and professional gamblers bo pro- j
nounced ineligible to further membership in i
our order and that the supreme lodge lirmly
plant itself upon this moral and progressive i
platform, that ull the world may know just j
where we stand." j
Washington-, Sept. 1. The supreme
lodge Knights of Pythias elected of
licers as follows:
Supreme chancellor, Walter IS. Kiche. Ohio:
supreme vice chancellor, 1'hilip T. ( oigrove,
Michigan; supreme prelate. Albert Stciiihurl.
Alabama: keeper of seals und records. A. S. C.
White. Tennessee; master-at-arms. A. 1). iar
diner. New York; inner guard. James Moulson.
New Urunswick; outer guard. John
Thompson. Washington. U. C: chairman board
of control, John A. liiusey, Wisconsin.
SIGNS OF IMPROVING BUSINESS.
Large Orders Coming in from the South
and Southwest.
New Yoiik, Aug. 'J'J. Merchants here
say the best indication of improving
business comes from the south and
southwest, where the orders for goods
are almost normal and the buyers say
the merchants see an outlet for all
they are buying and expect to in
crease their orders. Two large houses
have sent their drummers out again
through the southwest, and particu
larly through Texas, where the orders
have been particularly good. In the
west and northwest they say this con
dition is i reversed, and the buying
is only aTjotit per cent, of what it
is in nominal years, the merchants
saying that the people will be too
poor to buy heavily. A prominent dry
foods merchant says he hus given up
his vacation, arranged for the latter
part of this month and early in Sep
tember, because he is compelled to re
main and attend to buyers who are
coming here in large numbers. He
further says the demand for drum
mers exceeds the supply, and those al
ready on the road are sending in satis
factory orders. If retail trade is what
is expected fall business will be large
in dry goods.
THE NORTHWEST STRANDED.
A Hig Steamer Strikes
lirie Many l'assen
a liar on
rem Hurt.
Lake I
Amhf.isstiu'Kg, Out., Aug. 31. The
new passenger steamer Northwest, of j
the tireat Northern railroad line, !
stranded at liar point light on Lake !
Erie, about '2 miles from the mouth of j
the Detroit r.ver, at 4 o'clock Wedues- I
day afternoon. Dense smoke from
forest fires lay on the surface of the
water, completely obscuring the light
ship maintained by the government at
that dangerous point The steamer
ran out 10 feet forward, and as she
draws but 14 feet of water astern her
bow is practically lifted in the air bv
the tremendous shock of her stranding.
The shock felt on board was terriiic. I
When the great hull of the steamer i
was brought to a dead stop in an instant i
all the movable objects on her decks j
including the people which had been
carried along at nearly 'JO miles an !
hour kept their momentum and were I
all thrown heavily to the deck. Tables,
chairs, camp stools and people were j
all thrown in one indiscriminate mass
on the decks. People in the cabins
were dashed against the bulkheads j
with terrific force, and not a few were
dazed and stunned by the heavy blows
they sustained.
MOB
OF WOMEN RULES.
They Urlve Away with Clubs Milwaukee's
Health Ollic-crs.
Milwaukee, Aug. 31. The women
in the smallpox-infected district ran
riot unchecked all daj- Wednesday.
Quarantine oflicers have been driven
from the houses which they were guard
ing and no attempts have been made to
check the infuriated mobs. These
women seem to be organized and are
determined to resist ail efforts of the
health department to remove patients
or quarantine affected houses. The
women are all armed with baseball bats
and wear white caps. About 400
paraded through Fifteenth, Six
teenth and Seventeenth avenues and
drove the quarantine oflicers from
their posts. At 2 o'clock Wednes
day afternoon the health department
temporarily abandoned the attempt to
quarantine and remove patients to tne
isolation hospital or to investigate j
tCW 1 Al Vllt" J
Took Thousand of Itallots.
Dallas, Tex., Aug. 31. J. O. Abbott
was nominated for congress by the
democrats of the Sixth Texas district
on the 3,3'JStu ballot.
;!
P ; y a
BLOOD IS IIED.
Blight Of the Breckinridge Canvaa
Falls on Two Families.
An
Argument Over the Scandal Feature
of the Content i:nds in a Duel
with Knives In Which One
Is Killed.
A KENTUCKY" TRAGEDY.
LiEXiXGTON". Kv.. Sept. 1. A Inel to
I death with knives occurred in Clark
county, near 15oonesboro, over the
! scandal feature of the Ashland congres
sional contest. John King, a lireckin
ridge man. living in Fayette county,
j met on the highway his old friend
(ieorge Cook, who lives in Clark
county. Cook said any woman who
, went to hear Ureckinridge speak was
no better than a courtesan. King dis-
mounted from his horse, saving his
j wife and daughters had heard liivck
' inridjre. Cook insisted it was a shame.
, He also dismounted, liothdrew knives
; and blood 11 owed freely until Cook
: dropped, having thrve t-.labs in the
breast. King has escaped.
A NEW
YORK DISASTER.
Two I'ires
on the liast Side
K-sult in
Four fatalities.
New Yokk, Aug. 31. Three men
dead, a fourth, a fireman, dying, aud a
dozen families homeless is the awful
record of two fires in the tenement
house district of the Kast side. The
11am s broke out at 2 a. m. Wednesday
in a six-story sweatshop at Ilivertoti
street. At SI Goereck street a six-story
tenement was burned, a dozen families
were driven out panic-stricken and
517,000 damage was done. The liiver
ton street house was occupied almost
solely by sweatshops. The second
floor was used as a synagogue und a
portion of the third floor as a Hebrew
school for boys. It is claimed that
nobod' lived in the house, but
there were at least eight men
J in the building when the fire
j broke . out. If they were
watchmen, as it is claimed, they did
J their work badly, for three of their
' number are dead and a fourth cannot
be found. He ran aivaj' when the
alarm was sounded.
WORK FOR
PULLMAN MEN.
F.x-Fmployrs to liulld Cars on the
to-
operative Finn at Hiawatha, Kan.
Hiawatha, Kan., Aug. 2S. A com
pany of ex-employes of Pullman. 111.,
backed by Chicago capitalists, has been
organized to build cur and general
manufacturing shops at Hiawatha,
Kan. Local men have taken t-50,000 in
stock and Chicago capitalists flOO.WO.
Louis Meyer, president, and C. O. Allen,
secretary, will arrive in Hiawatha Tues
day to select the site and complete ar
rangements to begin work on tiie plant
at once. Thecompany will be managed
on the cooperative plan, though the
capital is guaranteed ti per cent, on the
investment before the laborers come
in for their share. The company has
control of five patents and will manu
facture all kinds of railway equip
ment. Eight hundred ex-employes of
the Pullman shops will begin the
building of the works as soon a.5 tlie
preliminary arrangements are made.
TOWN WIPED OUT.
Forest Flame Driven in on Vesper and th
Flare Is Soon Licked I' p.
Mai:shfiki.i, Wis., Aug. a I. The
Tort Edwards train arrived here at 4
o'clock Wednesday morning bringing
additioual news- of the burning of
Vesper. The town is practically
wiped out, entailing a loss of about
5140,000, as follows: About 9,000,000
feet of lumber and- the large saw
and planing mill belonging to the
Sherry Cameron Lumber company,
Seventeen dwelling houses, two box
cars and the depot of the Chicago,
! Milwaukee !fc tt. Paul railroad and
three box cars of the Port Edwards,
Centralia A: Northern railroad. Seven
teen families, employes in the mills,
are homeless, and as the timber con
tiguous to the town is used up the
jvl ace will never be rebuilt. A relief
train was made up here, but, could get
no nearer than a mile from Ac doomed
village, the flames overlapping the
road further on.
CRIPPLE'S
TERRIBLE
DEED.
Kills
a Woman W ho Would Not
Marry
Him and Cuts His Throat.
UoMiAM, Tex., Aujr. "0. At 5 a. m.
the dead bodies of Mrs. Hose Martin
and Edward McNitt were found lying
on the floor of Mrs. Martin's room.
Their throats were cut and
their bodies saturated with blood.
A blood - stained razor lay ou
the floor and a bloody ax was
lying on a chair. The circum
stances indicate that McNitt murdered
the woman and then killed himself.
Mrs. Martin had promised to marry
McNitt, but had discarded him on ac
count of his dissipated habits aud he
had threatened to kill her. McNitt,
who has lost both legs and oue IniL'd.
has lived in Hon ham for a year past,
and has earned a living by peddling
candv on the street.
SCANDAL
IN THE 400.
Mrs.
w.
K. VaiKlrrl'Ilt to ilrtrin Frocerd-
iii;s for I.-i;il Separation.
New Yokk, Aug. :1 lie ports from
Paris are to the effect that Mrs. Wil
liam K. Yanderbilt is about to make
application for divorce. If t-hedoes, she
will ask for an allowance of S:;o.l.
000 a year, the custody of the children
and the three homes which the fm
ily occupies at different seasons of the
year. The white marble pal-.ee at
Newport, that cost S 1.0OJ.0. 0. was
deeded to Mrs. Yanderbilt sc.-.ne time
ajo. The husband's relatiouw to Nelly
Neustretter. a well-known woman iu
Paris, are said to be tha immediate
cause of Mrs. Yanderb It's impending
action, though other women will
dotib'.less bo dragged into the case us
C0.reSp0ndi, nts.
An Outlaw C'micht,
New Orleans, Aug. 81. A poss,
surprised aud captured Jim Murray,
alias "Greasy Jim." at -Mississippi
Citv. Murray is a denerado who has
killed several nieu. He wantonly rour
ucred Cllicer Crotter in tuis city July -S.
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