The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume], December 22, 1893, Image 1

About The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903

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ESTABLISHED AUGUST 21, 1852. WHEELING, W. YA.. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 22, 1893. VOLUME XLI1?NUMBER 104.
?siw? [ESQ(BDD GDSI^? ??Qo^0DQg H?[p DOQGODDD^CSQD??^ (PDo?ft??a
~ ' 1? -I r~ . . .1 . !*'?
A VIOLATION
Of Party Pledges Is the Democratic
Wilson Tariff Bill
. MINORITY REPORT SUBM1TTEE
By the Republican Mombora of the
Ways and Means Committee.
THE BILL IS A PERFECT FARCE
13 Discriminating, Inconsistent,
Sectional and Unbusinesslike.
ITS NUMEROUS ABSURD FEATURES
DIsoasseil by Ex-Speaker Heed, Wlu
Prepared the Hoport?Tho Bill Open
to All I ho Harsh Epithets Applied
by Democrats to tho MoIUnley Bill,
Unequal "Taxation** Its Principal
Feature?A "Itovonuo" Hill Which
Lessons tho Itevonue?It Professes
:o Protect tho Manufacturer, bui
Strikes a Blow at tho Producer ol
Manufacturer's Material?Tho Heport
Brings Homo to Mr. Wilson the
Illustration Afforded in His Bill's
Treatment of Wost Virginia?The
Eflect on Wages Discussed nt
Length?The Coal, Metal and Woo!
and Pottery Schedules.
Washington*, D. 0., Doc. 21.?The
report of the minority of tho ways and
moans committee on the tariff bill waa
submitted to the house to-day. The
first part of tho roport, discussing the
bill l'onerallv. was Dronared bv ex
Speaker Hoed. Tho other members of
tho minority, Messrs. Burrows, Payno,
Dalzell, Hopkins and Geary, prepared
the portion of the report dealing with
special (enturo. Tho report says:
The most surprising thing about this
bill, which wo will treat of in detail
somewhat later, is the fact that this
proposition to raise revenue will lowei
tho revenue of the country $74tOOO,OOC
below tho rovonue of 1893, which was
only $2,1)00,000 above our expensos.
This fact and tho othor fact that by this
bill tho larger part of the burden of taxation
is transferred from foreigners and
brought to our own citizons should always
be kept in mind during the discuslion.
Had tho committee, in making what
tho chairman on the tloor of tho house
has called a "political bill," followed
tho plain uncompromising declaration
of tho party which they represent and
abolished protection, giving us a tarifl
far revenue only, our task in commentin;
upon the result of tho committoo'c
etlorts would have been much more
simple. Tho bill would thon have beon
a straightforward, manly attempt to
carry out plodges, and would have
placed in issue two great principles ana
>- ' i . - -i .* 1
navo igu to a ciuur uuu cuiupxciiuuaiuic
discussion.
a cowardly makeshift.
So fnr, however, havo the committee
departed from tbo demands of their national
convention that wo should have
beon much tompted to borrow a phrase
from their own platform and designate
tho bill as a "cowardly makeshift,"
were it not that tho results havo been
alroadv too eorious for more opithots.
Such a phrase, oven thus sanctioned,
would he out of placo in a discussion
which involves so much of importance
to all classes of citizens. It still, how'
ever, roraains a fact that the bill pre ented
can in no way be justified by
people who claim to havo obtained possesion
ot all branches of tho government
upon a distinct promise which
they now as distinctly repudiato.
1 ho committoo, instead of proceeding
In its great work of abolishing protection
aud preserving the pooplo from
tho load of taxation which they have
always averred waa the rosult of protection,
has presented a bill which is
only another tariff tinkering bill, the
liko of which has disturbed the conditions
of business so many timos in the
last thirty years.
wherb it fails.
'Ihis othor and froshor plan had all
the faults which tho framors of this bill
charged upon the old and very few of itf
virtues, it is open to all the derisive
and harsh epithets with which the
present syntoir. used to boovorwholmed.
Ii taxes the peoplo with tariff taxos; it
creates or rather proposes to maintair
what they used to call privilegedclassoi
and id defended by its authors by areumenta
und expressions strangely like
fioso which they used so freely to donounce.
A manufacturer is told that
tho duty will protcct him, and his
claims are listened to on that basis, or
are argued with him on that basis, jus!
as in the brave clays of old.
Tho Democratic district attorney of
the northern district of New York
comes down, as ho has a right to, and
dodares that, from a protection standpoint,
barley aud malt cannot go to*
gethor under tho same ad valorem, and
promptly the committee raises tho
tari tl' taxes from 25 por cent to 30, tc
protoct tho manufacturer, though it
must leisen tho rovonuo.
yo. also, som? one has prosonted porsuasively
tho caso of boards, planed,
tongued, groovod, to tho committee,
and, although tho lumber passes in the
same plant from tho saws to the planer,
tho work of tho men who mtnago
the saws is unprotected, while the
work of the men who rua tho planes is
hioldod by protective tariff laws.
Jhese nre but instances of corrections
nude where the enr of the committee
could be had, and aro keys to tho notions
on which tho bill was formed.
the fxeb naw material farce.
Tho now plan also involves a now
method of encouraging manufacturers
by giving them what are called "free
r,w materials," so that what goes into
the mill pays no taxes, and what goes
aui? con8UmPt'011 pflys all the taxos.
All the manufacturers have no taxos on
*hat they buy and the people the
equivalent of taxoa on all the purchase.
It unfortunately happens also that "free
raw material" in an elastic term, and
what ia ono man'a froo raw matorial id
another man'a finished product.
* The so-called free raw materials, free
wool, free coal and froe iron, are not put
on the froo list with any referonco direct
or indirect to raiding revenue.
] Thev aro placed thoro to oncourajje
' manufacturers who are to be compensated
for any loss in this market by the
j markets of the world, where they will
have the chanco to strmju'lo with the
cheaper labor of the Old World with
whatever energy they may hnvo left
after the Btrui^lo at home with that
sumo cheap labor, lot into our markets
uy a lower tarm wuich dooa not give us
tho compensation cvon of a larger
? revenue.
All tho objections so often urged by
the dominant parly agaiust the existing
system, we repeat, lio against this
bill. The dilTorenco is only one of a
decree. If the present system is "robbery,"
as these men have iterated and
reiterated, tho proposod system is procisoly
tho same. It is truo that the consumer
will no longer pay tribute to tho
western farinor for tho wool of the
sheep, but the New England and othor
manufacturers aro still authorized to
lay tribute upon the citizens of tho
United Statos, who must pay, so these
men have always said, 110, 40 and 45 por
cent to tho manufacturers on every
yard of woolens and worsted?, while the
country will only receive, by way of
rovenue, a lessened sura, unless increased
importations signalizes tho
death of American production.
WUF.BE IT 8TKIKK3 WEST VIRGINIA.
It is truo that tho coal miners of Wost
Virginia and tho ore producers of Michigan
will bo stripped of their ao-callod
robber gain3 entirely and the railroads
must loso their transportation of millions
of tons of freight; but tho manufacturers
aro thereby stimulated and
aidod so that thoy can, as the committee
assevorate, still continuo their profit
able business horo and roach ncroes the
i ocean for the business of other couni
trios, "and foreign trade without limit"
Tho doctrine of the Democratic platform
that protection is robbery and
should bo abolished is coinprehonaible
and sturdy. The new movement on bo[
half of mitigated and sporadic robbery
is contrary aliko to good morals and
public faith. All false pretenses arc
unwise, contrary to sound policy and
sonnd statesmanship, llence many of
I ua who aro sure that the Democratic
! platform was utterly u r.rue, admitted
its straightforwardness and directness.
The bill, framed by those who repro)
wen ted tho platform, cannot recoivo this
i kind of praise. It protends to bo a
revenue tarlfl and doos not raise rovi
enue. It pretends to givo protection,
but destroys it in every direct way. it
says to tho manufacturer, for you wo
have furnished free coal, free iron ore,
Ireo wool and tho markots of the world.
Instead of tho markots of tho world
> it furnishes in tho future a now
i crop of enemies?tho men who dig in
tho mines and tho farmors who raiso tho
sheep?for it really creates what its
I enemies nave iaiBoiv cnargeu ugaiuat
f Kopublican protection, a privileged
class against which the ininea and tho
i Holds will both array themselvea, and
tho privileged claa3 does not care to bo
thug privileged. All it asks, or has ever
< asked, is to be protocted, not alono, but
i with all other citizens from the deatrucl
tivo competition with a lower grado of
i social life. Of course, this idea of protection
against a lower grado of social
lifo is preooHtoroua to a man who sees
in a tariff only a tax of $30 or $40 on
| each huudrod imposed on aovonty milU
ions for tho bonelit of "a few hundred
' thousands," bat whoever thinks this
' question concerns the wealth only of a
i nation and does not involve its moral
and social well boing is legislating for a
very lleeting time.
Protection has established tho clus'
tors of groat manufacturing and working
centres, which have given railroads
tho possibility of existence, which no
" scattered population could over have
created. Tho railroads which thoso
great manufacturing towns nod their
[ need of transportation of freight have
built our sourcoa of enjoyablo wealth,
which are not confined to tho protocted
industries, but are spread through all
tho business of tho United Statos and
insure to tho happiueas and comfort of
all the people.
' Toko ono example from this very bill.
Bituminous coal is one of tho great industries
which is developing tho statoof
' West Virginia; upon it tho welfare of
that state largely depends, so its Democratic
governor testifies and many of its
moat respectable citizens, including an
ox-senator of honored name. la that
development confinod to that state
alone? By no moans. With tho ad'
dition of tho coal iiold of old Virginia,
tho Norfolk & Western, tho Cheiapoake
& Ohio obtain from these mines
1 a very valuablo freight in transporting
coal to tho seaboard.
From other bituminous '.coal'fields
| tho Baltimore & Ohio and oven tho
1 great Pennsylvania road obtain no inconsidorablo
part of their freight. If
| tho coal bo made free, thero will bo
tierce competition with tho coal of
Nova Scotia, and not only will tho
1 mines of West Virginia, of old Virginia
and Pennsylvania suffer, but tho groat
' railroads will sutler eoverely also. To
be suro. those nro corporations without
soulfl, but the stocks and bonds aro
owned by poople with souls, unless
modern political infidelity should determine
othorwise.
Freo raw materials to thoso peoplo
would bo a sweet boon indeed.
i EFFECT O.V WAGES.
Whatoxact olfect tho proposod chnngo
would havo on the general rato of
wages in tho country can only bo determined
by actual test, but it is not
1 difficult to soo that it will bo vory depressing.
Upon persons engaged in the
industries directly effected the result to
1 bo anticipated seoms to bo vory clear.
1 To thoso of us who believe in protection
it sooina boyoud disputo that tho acknowledged
risoin wngos in thiacouutry
has boon caused by protection, as tho
groat stimulator of invention and progross.
The comraittoo, howovor, probably
r believe the contrary. That higher
wages exist, however, or did exist bo1
fore thii bill threatened the country
> cannot be disputed. That theso wages
are maintained by protoction against
lower wages of foreign countries can
hardly bo successfully questioned. No
doubt other cauaei like the low grade of
\ civilization, checking enterpriso and
substituting tho content which prevails
in tho cant from daily increasing dowand
for new luxuries soon to bocorae
noee9sitio?, may contribute to prevent
the full effect of foreign wagos upon our
murkets, yot as agaiuBt foreign factories
which have all our capacity for obtain*
ing now machinery and which havo accumulations
of capital far greater than
our own the tariff is tho greater maintainor
of wages. Without being guilty
of that attempt to press the qucstiou
into a nutshell, which is the bauo of
economic discussion, it may bo briefly
said that every product which goes to
marjcot must moet every other like product
on equal terms.
A DEMONSTRATION.
It is true that invention atoncekeops
pace with and regulates the domaud for
higher wages and lowor prices and fewhours,
which are the conditions of our
higher plane of civilization, but it cannot
do moro. It cannot muot, in addition,
tho lower prices of a lower level of
civilization. Our inventions aro too
quickly absorbed by foroigu countries
to permit this. Ilenco, tho result of u
rmu&ai 10 protect our muur at us present
rato3 must result iu lower waxes.
This sooms capable of a rough demonstration:
Our goods aro now mot by
foreign good?, on our own shores, at a
price inado up of raw materials, plus
labor and plus tho present rate of tariff,
on very nearly equal terms. If tho tariti*
element bo lowered, then something
must be lowerod on our side, and in tho
last analysis it will bo labor aud capital,
und, in tho long run, tho loss of
capital is also a loss of labor. for capital
employs labor, and lost capital sots 110
machinery in motion. Wo must, then,
moot tho reduction of price of foroign
goods which aro our competitors by reduction
of tho prico of labor.
lime was when the lower prices and
higher wages were scouted as incompatible
and absurd, and as things that
could not exist together, but to-day
both are recognized as reasonable demands,
whon reasonably limited. Lowor
prices will take caro of thomselvoB and
so will higher wages if they aro not interfered
with by competition from rogioni
where tho fliilgrent social status
causes laborers o bo content with
lesser results.
The consumer will tako care of himself
if you look after the producer, for
ho is one and tho samo individual.
AD VALOREM DUTY.
But while this bill in its principle, if
it has any, is not unprotectivo, it will
bo absolutely so in practice not only in
its reductions but also* in its indirect
reductions sure to come from the
change from specific duties to advaloreui,
which is a marked feature of tho
bill.
An ad valorem puty, ai tho name implies,
is one which varies according to
tho prioo. If prices could bo exactly
dotormiued, nothing would aoem to be
fairor than an advalorem duty. But,
unfortunately, prices are vory much
matters of opinion, on which honest
inon may differ much and rogues much
more, Inasmuch na tho duty depends
on tho price, a cheat on the prico is a
choat on tho duty. If a piece of goods
is worth $0 a yard and tho duty is 25
percont, the correct duty is $L 50. If
tho price bo invoiced at $1 25 and the
advalorem, which eoema to bo 25 per
cent, becomes about 20 per cont,
not only is tho government cheated out
of its quarter ot a dollar, but tho manufacturer
is choatod out of ono-lllth of the
protection his government lias promised
hiui.
AS A REVENUE RAISER.
How tho bill will act as a rovenuo
raiser, and how it can act as an injury
to tbo government and tho producor
both together, is woll exemplified in
tbo changes made in tho pottery
schedule.
Only an amount equnl to two-fifths of
the amount of the imports are made
here, valuod at $3,800,000. Nine millions
and a half are importod. Under
existing law the revenue obtained is
five millioua and a half. Under tho
proposed bill, if tho manufacturer hold
their own, and tbo most sanguine
friends would not dream of that, tho
loss in revenue would bo $2,000,000. If
the manufacturers were entirely driven
out and all our ware should bo imported
the loss in revenue even then would be
$882,000. The crockery schedule acorns
hardly to be managed with a viow to
revenue. *
dechba8bb tiis revenues.
Anothor serious general objoetion to
the bill is that it decreases the rovonuo,
according to tho calculations usually
mado by tho treasury department as
compared with 1893, about $74,000,000.
This largo deficit, coming as it doos
upon a depleted treasury, is rather appalling
in a bill for rovenuo only. How
this great hole in our resources as a
nation is to bo filled no one knows. At
this date not even tho committeo itself
knows, unless tho President, anticipating
in his messago to Cougross tho re*
port of tho committeo on ways and
means, shall afford to the committeo
itnolf its wished-for clue.
Againat the consideration of such a
bill creating such a deficit and leaving
it unaccounted for, the minority vainly
protested when tho bill was laid boforo
tho committeo. Who would dare, if of
sound and atatoamanliko mind, to
creato ti deficit of $74,000,000 and blindly
voto it with no plan in sight whereby
tho govornmeut couid moot its expenditures?
That same protest wo make to the
house and to tho country.
Tho bill ought not to bo reportod
without tho internal rovonno bill, which
is to mako up the deficiency. Aro wo
to pass tho bill and then bo coorcod
into tho other? Who knows if they
wero presented together that wo might
not prefer to stay whore wo aro? Tho
progress of this attempt at what has
been called reform has alroady creatod
Euch feeling that the country is stirred
all over. When the echemo of raisiog
taxes by methods used in the timo of
war is presented, in addition to those
now imposod, there may bo such further
revulsion of fooling as will accomplish
tho work of defeating this bill.
Wo havo not thought it desirable to
make any appeals to passion or to prejudice.
So far from that wo have takon
ihu.i far no notice of the condition of
business now, which is terrible, and of
tho workingmen which beggars description.
presenting itself.
Thero is no need for us to prosont
this t otho country. It is presenting it
self. In one hundred representative
citioa where the number employed exceeds
two millions and a halt of people,
fully one-third, by the most converaative
estimates are without employ.
These aro engaged in tho protected in
dustries. Those who are uot and who
thought they were beyond tho touch of
the tarifl, now know tho solid fact that
all industries aro prosperous or none.
Spread this all over tho country as you
must, and thu result will startle even
the unthinking. It is not necessary for
us to bring this to public view. No ingenuity
can keep it out of everybody's
faco and eye.s. Workingmen all over
tho country are expressing their deep
and Borrowed feeliug. We will not
strive in any way to increase tho turmoil
which this bill has already created.
An end can ho put to nil this bill by the
defeat of tho bill and to tho accomplishing
of this every energy should bo bent.
Tho beat way to put an end to this agitation
is to put an end to tho causes.
Tho following are tho important features
of tho subjects} treated of specially
by tho minority mombora of tho ways
aud means committee:
TUB WOOL SCHEDULE.
In discussing tuu woolou schedule tho
committee says:
"This schedule as proposed in the
committee bill is in tomo rospects tho
most reprehensible. It proposes to destroy
at a blow tho great industry of
wool crowing, which now ranks as seventh
in the value of its products among
tho several branches of agriculture, and
which has heretofore been recognized
as an agricultural product, deserving
and requiring protection under every
administration aud by every tariff act
since that of May 2'J, 1824. Nothing
short of tho total destruction of this important
industry can bo counted upon
as tho consequence of placing both wool
and mutton on the freo list.
It is a fact established by experience,
that at tho prices for wool now prevailing
in the foreign markets our farmers
cannot continue tho business of wool
growing without absolute yearly loss.
During the past year owing to the impending
threat of freo wool and radical
reductions in tho duties on woolen
goods, tho prices of domestic wools of
all descriptions havo fallen from 30 to
50 per cent below tho prices that prevailed
a year ago. Even at theso figures
there haj been little market for wool
and many farmers have still on their
hands this season's clips, which at this
timo last year was being rapidly converted
into goods at milla which now
stand idle. Tho value of tho sheep has
fallen equally with tho value of the clip.
The depreciation in tho value of this
speciofl of aj;rioiiltural property from
the two sources may bo conservatively
stated at ?50,000,000. Tho bill deals
with the wool manufacture iu terms
scarcoly less radical than those occordod
tho wool growing industry upon
which it so largely depends.
A REVOLUTION PROPOSED.
It proposes to revolutionize tho manufacture
of woolen goods by transferring
it from the basis of dutiable materials
to freo wool, a change inoro radical
than anv textile industry in any
country was evor forced to make, without
tho most careful protection for a
safe and gradual readjustment. Ignor
ing tins feature ot tue situation tne
majority would compol our wool manufacturers
to mako this lenp in the dark,
divested of the safeguard of specific duties
and subjected to lower ad valorem*
than will oll'bot the dilloronce in cost of
production. Wo have secured in the
United States a magnificent wool mnnu-;
fucturins industry in which over $o00,- i
OoO.OOOis invented, makintjeverv variety
of woolen Roods and employing more than
a quarter of a million operatives. This
industry the majoritv oilers up as.a sacrifice
on the altar of "tariff reform."
The time allowed by this bill is of no
morn m>rvic? than no interval at all.
Tho manufacturer must loss nn ontiro
season, for, if ho manufactures goods,
his loss will bo greater than though he
kopt his mills closcd. Tho terms of tho
bill are equivalent to an edict from tho
committee commanding every woolen
manufacturer to shut down 'and keep
shut down until tho bill becomes a law,
and turning millions of employes into
tho street. Tho bill has boon carefully I
devised, apparently for tho purpose of I
crippling tho domestic manufacturer in
advance of a now tariff, so that ho will
bo left bruised and broicon when the
time arrives for him to begin competition
for tho market under duties lrom
60 to 75 por cent loss than at present.
The punishment moted out to our wool
manufacturers for daring to invost this
capital in this useful and important industry
is severe and condign.
METAL SCHEDULE.
Tho metal schedule prosents some
features that illustrato in a significant
way tho illogical character of tho bill.
Among these may bo mentioned tho
substitution in almost all casos of ad
valoroni for speciiic duties, the innking
froo a number of articles cnllod "raw
materials," tho disregard of tho relations
that exist botwoon moro or less
finished products, and tho totally inadequate
duties named upon certain lead- |
ing articles.
Sotno ideas soom to have prevailed in
tho minds of tUo majority to tho effect
thatdutios should bo adjustod in proportion
to the advance of tho article in
manufacture. Tho idoa does not *eem, |
however, to havo boon very successfully
workod out. For example, iron uro is
mado free, and reckoning p6r cent of
metallic iron to a ton of ore tho manufacturer
of pig iron is givon an advantage
as to duties $1 35 on a ton on his
product. On the other hand the amount
of protection thereon is reduced about
?4 50. Tho ingots, which are the raw
material of steol blooms, are made to
bear a duty of 25 por cent ad valorom:
the blooms which aro the taw material
of steol rails bear the namo duty, and
tho steol rails, tho last finished product,
bear tho satno also. Such incongruities
run all through the schedule and aro
apparont to any one familiar with the
processos and products of iron and steel
manufacture.
That which lies at tho baso of oar
iron and steel industry is iron ore. The
existing duty thereon is seventy-five
cents por ton. Tho revenues from its
importation aggregated in the last Hsoal
year ovor half a million of dollars It
Is proposed undor a "tariff bill for revonuo
only" to throw away absolutely
ovory cont of this large rovenuo by putting
iron oro on tho lreo list. Tho bill
proposes to put into competition with
American ores foreign orei, some of:
which are produced at a labor cost of
one-tenth, and not ono of them at a labor
coat greater than one-fourth of ours.
Having sacrificed over half a million
dollars per annum of revenue to the vatrary
of free trade, the "tariff bill for
revenue only" proposes to affect another j
lunro source of revenue by sorious reduction
of the duties on pig iron. That
duty is now $6 72 por ton. The duty
proposed is '2'!% per cent ad valorem or
about $1 60 to" $1 90 per ton, a lower
tariff than was ever before proposed on
this article.
A SECTIONAL BILL.
There are two sections in the bill
which, when brought side by side, disclose
in a significant way its sectional
character.
Hoop, or band iron, or steel bars at
nd valorem duty of 30 per centum, "except
as otherwise provided for." Tho
"otherwise provided for" has reference
to ties of iron or steel for baling cotton,
(lw. fro,, liut
Under tho existing iaw, tho duty on
tin plat.< is *2 2 cents per pound. The
duty at present proposed by tli3 committee
was 40 per centum nd valorem,
but hua boon changed to a specific duty
of 1.2 cents per pound.
It will bo observed that tho proposed
duty is one cent per pound less than
that of tho present law. This means a
severe blow to an enterprise which,
under existing conditions, has grown to
immense proportions and which promises
under proper protection to be one
of tho great industries of the country.
FREE COAL.
One of the most amazing propositions
ot tho bill is that bituminous
coal shall bo put upon tho free list, and
tho million of dollars per annum
(almost) that wo receive from its importation
by way of revenue absolutely
thrown away. Coal has little value,
save as it gets it from labor. It is
worth almoBt nothing in tho hills;
would be worth absolutely nothing
woro it not for tho prospect ot being
mined. It la not a raw material, for it
is not worked into any further shape,
but ia consumed and done for ut once,
rinl 1 it raw matnrinl in tho bill if vou
please; it cuts no figure ill a tariff bill.
There are few Btatc9 or territories that
an interference with it will not affect.
Thero is no more splendid illustration
of the benefits of our protectivo system
than is be found in the manufacture of:
plate glass. Amarican enterprise and
enor^y in the development of this industry
have resulted in u vigorous home
competition, so as to bring down the
price* of the product to ono-half of what
it was ton years ago. Wo have now in
operation "in this country twelvo competing
plants, having a capital of $12,000,000
and a capacity of IS,000,000
square feet of glass annually. Evory
material usod in the manufacture is of
American production, excepting soda
ash. Eight thousand men are directly
employed, and probably with familios,
40^)00 persons are interested in tho
maintenance of this industry.
EX-PIlttSl DENT IIAilKISON
Tnmlurcri :i Grand llccfntlun in I'IiII.kIpI
phlti? Mnuy Dlatlnculnlicd Mcu Present.
Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 21?The reception
of ox-President Benjamin Harrison
by tho Union Loaguo club tonight
in point of grandeur, attendance
and good fellowship far exccedod any
similar demonstration in tho city.
There were representatives of overy
class and of both tho groat political parties
present to do honor to tho man who
so rocently was tho chief executive of
the nation.
Both houses of tho foderal government
wore represented; the Pennsylvania
state executive and his official
colleaguos, members of the legislature,
stato senate and many prominent citizens
crowded tho halts, parlors and rocoption
room to grasp tho hand of General
Harrison, Whitelaw Koid and other
mon of world-wido fame who were
gathered there. Mr. Harrison spoke
brieflyand .Gov. Pattison paid him a
glowing tribute.
CONDENSED TELEGRAMS'
Fivo hundred thousand wool growers
will present a potition to Congress
against free wool.
No credence is given to tho report
that a strike on all railroads between
Chicago and Now York is threatened.
A plot to kidnap llttlo Ruth Cleveland,
the President's daughter, was discovered
at Abilene, Kus. It was the
work of a crank.
A groat naval battle between tho insurgent
vessel Aquidabau and tho
Brazilian warship America is expoctod
at Pernatnbuca to-day.
The official canvass of tho votos cast
in the Chicago mayoralty election shows
the plurality of Hopkins (Dem.) over
Swift (Rep.) to be 1,200.
Sneaker Crisp again, by a partisan
ruling vostorday, cut oil a discussion of
the Hawaiian question whon Mr. Boutelle
called up his resolution.
Joo Choynski and SteveO'Donnoll aro
matchod to light for $2,500 a side. It
may come oirat Jacksonville tho night
before tha Corbett-Mitcholl fight.
Allan Cousins, who killed Ills wife, at
Knoxvillo, Tonn., last May, for alleged
intimacy with hor step-father, was
hangod in tho jail thore yesterday.
Frank Gordon, of Chicago, was murdered
by Mexican robbers a few days
ago on tho Mexican Hide of tho Rio
Grande, opposite Pecos county, Texas.
Schwartz it Graff, tho Philadelphia
wholosalo carpet doulers, have assi^nod.
They stato it is duo to dullness of trade
cansod by threatened tariff legislation.
Owing to a juror becoming suddenly
insane, tho Mover murder caie, in New
York, will have to bo tried over again.
This wilt bo at tho Jauuary term of
court.
The Now York state Domocracy,
which aims at tho overthrow of Tammany
liall and bossism throughout tho
state, met in Coopor Union last night
to porfect a permanent organization.
Ex-Secrotary of tho Treasury F&irchild
was chairman.
The former Lehigh employos aro now
awaiting the rosult of an interview between
the goneral chairman of the federation
griovance committee and
President Wilbur. They expect Mr.
Wilbur to stand by the agreement
signed at Bethlehem, and that all present
dissatisfaction will thereby bo assuaged.
Tax* Simmons Liver Regulator for
beart troubles, often due to indigestion.
BY fl MIRAGLE
It Seemed that Three Hundred Imprisoned
Goal Miners
ESCAPED II MOST TERRIBLE FATE.
A Miner's Attempt to Light a Torch
Too Near a Can of Kerosene Imperils
the Lives of ilis Follow Work*
incn?A Thrilling Experienoe?-PottF
Fruitless Attempts at Resone Before
Suuccss?'The Hntiro Slino A blare.
Mi.vonk, III., Dec. 21.?At 5 o'clock
this afternoon a fire, which is still burning
in tho mtno oporated by the Chicago
undMinonk Mining Company, held
two hundred mineru in deadly peril of
their lives. All of them made thsir escape
and but few wore injured. The
mau moat seriously hurt is George ErblanJ,
who caused the disaster.
Krbland started the Hre by attempt*
ing to light hia torch whilo standing
near a largo can of kerosene. The gaa
from the oil flamod up as Erbland lit
hia torch, and in his effort to extin?
gui^h tho llainca ho upset the can of
kerosene, which at onco gave the flamei
great impetus.
The liro spread with an appalling
rapidity and for a time it seemed aa
though tho 300 men in the shaft must
porish. Two hundred men were at the
bottom of the shaft and tho lire was
spreading furiously.
It wad found that there was not auffl*
cient hose to roach sufficiently far down
the shaft to bo of use in extinguishing
tho tixmna nnrl thn Tllinnia Pnntrfll ?t
once dispatched an engine to Earekt, A
fow milos away, for more hose. It
caino within a remarkably short time,
and two gallant follows at onco
made an attempt to doscend
tho shaft. Tho Bmoke, however,
was pouring out in Buch dense clouds
that tho men were dragged back half
suffocated and two otheru at once seized
tho hose and started down. Thev were
drawn back nearly dead. A third at*
tempt met with no butter success and ifc
was then hcou that unless tho men suocooded
in escaping through tho
ventilating shafts their hope of
life was gone. There are three
ventilating shafts. To these the
men in tho mino had rushed crazed
with fear, burned with falling embers
and choked by tho smoke, which was
rapidly tilling" the mine. Fortunately
every man reached the foot of one of
the three ventilating shafts and was
quickly drawn to tho surface. Inside
of an hour after Krbland attempted to
light his torch all tho inen were safo
above ground.
At midnight the fire is burning and
is absolutely beyond control.
A REMAIlItABLfc SUICIDE.
Tho Woman Who DrovnaKnil Into Her
Head Die* from tho Iojury.
Abilene, Kas, Doc. 2L?Mrs. Frank
Koadsou died last night, bavins com*
mittod suicide. Last October she deliberately
drove a two-inch nail into
tho top of her hoad, pounding it down
with a atone oven with tho scalp. She
became partially paralyzed, bat survived.
The nail was "discovered two
days ago and removed, but too late to
save her life.
-?
Tho rivor coal operators in the fourth
"Aftl Knt Alia urnontinn hdVA nnn.
cedod tl ? two-cont rate demanded by
tlio 111 more, anil tliero will bo no stnks
in that pool.
Weatlior l1 orucnnc for 'JTo>riay.
For West Virginia, fair, slightly warmer;
southerly winds.
For Western 1'ennvylvania, fair, except showera
Friday on the lakes; southwesterly wind*,
becoming northwesterly.
Ohio, generally fair, slightly warmer la the
western portion; southwesterly winds.
THUTEMPKItlTUltK YESt'KHDAY,
as furnished by G. hciiSKPK, druggist, corner
Market and Fourteenth streets.
7 a. m.. Z\ I 3 p. m_ 48
y a. in- 33 7 p. m.. 48
1-in ? "? | Weather--Changeable.
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