The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 25, 1896, Page 1

the Libra SR per not | en from | ry. f tee s el VOLUME LXXO —NO. 86. N FRANCISCO, UESDAY MORNING, AUGUST 25, 1896. PRICE FIVE CEN FREE TRADE NOT WANTED Major McKinley Shows the Faliacy of Democratic Doctrine. A LOW TARIFF CAUSES DEPRESSION. Workingmen and Farmers Visit Canton and Listen to Words of Cheer. PROTECTION TO INDUSTRIES HELPS PRODUCERS. The Way to Benefit Labor Is to Provide Steady Work and Good Wages. CANTON, Orro, Aug. 24.—Eight hun- dred citizens of East Liverpool, Ohio, un- der the auspices of the McKinley and Ho- bart Club of that city, arrived here this morning. the pottery industry in Ohio, and most of the men were workingmen from the pot- teries. This delegation came on & special train and marched up the streets with flags fiying and bands playing. The spokesman was introduced by Wil- liam Surls, the marshal of the day. The spokesman was A. V. Blake, a potter who works at the bench. He made an eloauent address to Major McKinley, congratulat- ing him on the fact that he had remained a true and steadfast advocate of protec- tion principfes, and assured him that the workingmen of Eastern Ohio were enthu- siastic in his support. Three rousing cheers were given for Major McKinley before he was permitted to speak. Major McKinley spoke with great vigor. He said that twenty years ago hefaced an East Liverpool audience | for the first time and that then as now he was speaking for protection and sound money. He then described present con- ditions, comparing them with those which existed under the Harrison administra- tion. “The way to help labor,” declared Major McKinley, “is to provide it with steady work and good wages and then have tuese good wages always paid in good money as sound as the Government and as untarnished as its flag. No matter what kind of money, we cannot get it without work—whether it is poor or good, gold or silver. We cannot get one dollar unless we have employment for our hands and heads.” This sentiment was greeted with prolongea cheers. A short time after the East Liverpool workingmen departed, a large delegation of farmers from XKnox County, Ohio, marched up to the McKinley residence. They were most warmly greeted along their line of march. It was the first dele- gation composed entirely of farmers which has visited Major - McKinley since his nomination, and there was uncommon in- terest on the part of the citizens of Canton, irrespective of party, to hear what the farmers would say to Major McKinley and what he would say to them. Their spokes- man, H. D. Critchfield, explained in his address to Major McKinley that Knox County is a typical agricultural commun- ity of the Central States and thai it con- tains men of all shades of opinion. The Populists have been active there, he said, and still are. “But we are here to assure yvou, Major McKinley, that the vote of every Republican and some of the Demo- crats of the county will be cast for you.” When Ma jor McKinley stepped upon a chair to speak the 500 farmers who faced him cheered long and lustily. Major Mec- Kinley spoke with deliberation, at first reading from a typewritten manuscript. He said in part: I am giad especially to meet the farmers of Knox County, forthe farmers are the most conservative force in our citizenship and in our civilization. [Applause.] A force that hes always stood for good government, for country, for liberty and for honesty. What- ever the farmer is suffering to-day is because his competitors have increased in number and because his best customers are out of work. [Applause and cries of “You are right.”] Ido not know that we can decrease the number of your competitors, but with the adoption of a true American protective policy we can set your best customers to work. [1remendous cheers and cries of “Hurrah for McKinley.”] We have suffered in our foreign trade and we have suffered in our domestic trade. The farmers have suffered in their export trade and they have likewise suffered in the home market. Under the Republican tariff lew of 1890 we imported in 1893 over 111,000,000 pounds of wool valuea at over $13,000,000. In 1895, under the Democratic tariff law, we imported 248,000,000 pounds of wool valued at $£33,000,000. Nearly $20,000,000 worth more of wool was imported under the Demo- cratic tariff law than under the Republican tariff law in 1894. The imports of woolen goods in 1894 amounted to $16,309,000 and in 1895 to $75,495,000. From the reports of the Treasury Department at Washington we find 47,243,000 sheep in the United States valued at $125,909,000. On the 1st of January, 1896, there were 38,298,000 sheep in the United States, valued =t $65,000,000, a decrease of 9,000.000 in the number of sheep and of $60,000,000 in value. Over §2,000,000 worth more of shoddy was imported under the Demoeratic tariff law than under the Republican tariff law. In woolen goods the difference is more than $50,000,000 in favor of the foreign manufacturers. The total loss in these three items to the American wool-grower and the wage-earners in Ameri- can woolen factories is more than $62,000,000. Is it any wonder, my feliow-citizens, that the sheep husbandry is no longer profitable ? So with other agricultural products. During the last seventeen months of the Re- publican tariff law there were imported 140,- 000,000 tons of hay, and during the first sev- enteen months of the Democratic tariff law there were imported 373,000,000 tons. The Wilson law gave the foreign producers a mar- ket for 233,000,000 tons more than they en- joyed in the last seventeen months under the Republican tariff lsw. This loss exceeds $2,000,000. The total wheat, rye, barley, East Liverpool is the center of | product exported was 182,364,000 bushels, or a little less than 4 per cent of the total product annually, and more than 96 per cent was consumed at home. The great bulk was consumed by your fellow-citizens, your own natural consumers and customers. In 1891-92 we exported $1.420,000 worth of agricultural products. In 1895-96, the first two years un- der the Democratic tariff law, we exported $1,124,000 worth. We exported, therefore, $296,000 less in the two years under the Dem- ocratic tariff law than in the two years under the Republican tariff law. Depression has always followed low tariff legislation. It was so after the tariff of 1846, and it has been so under the tariff of 1894. [Applause.] Can the farmer be helped by free coinage of silver? [Cries of “No, no.’] No, forever no, my fellow-citizens. [Cries of “Hurrah for Me- Kinley.””] Hecannot be helped because if the nominal price of grain was to rise to an infla- tiou of the currency the price of everything else would rise also, and the farmer would be relatively no better off than he was before. [Cries of “That's right, Major.”] He would not get any more real value for his grain than he gets now and would sutfer from the general demoralization which would follow the free cninage of silver. You cannot help the farmer by more coinage of silver. He can only be helped by more consumers for his products. You cannot help him by free trade; but, as I have shown, he can be hurt and seriously hurt by the free introduction of competing products into this country. Better a thousand times enlarge the markets for American products than to enlarge the mints for the silver product of the world. [Tremendous applause and cries of “You are right.”] You might just as well understand that you cannot increase the value of anything by di- minishing the measure of the value with which the thing is sold or exchanged. [Great cheering and cries of “ Hurrah for McKiniey.”] If you can increase the value by lowering the measure of value and you want to benefit the farmer then mske the bushel smaller, the pound lighter, and declare a legal dozen less than twelve. [Great laughter.] The home market is the best friend of the far- mer. It 18 his best market. It is his only reliable market. He should be pro- tected in its enjoyment by wise tariff legisla- tion, and this home market should not be per- mitted to be destroyed by lessening the de- mand for American labor and diminishing the pay of American workmen, and thereby dimin- ishing the aemand for agricultural products. [Applause.] The sugar industry should be cultivated and encouraged in the United States. - Diversify the products of agriculture and thus you will have an additional employment for your land. The only way to help the farmer is to increase the demand for his farm products. This can be.done by preserving & home market to him and by extending our markets, which we did in 1893-94 under the reciprocity provisions of the tariff law of 1890. [Great cheering.] The best consumers for the American produets are those at home. They consume eighteen times as much cf the products of the American farm as the foreign consumer. Free silver will not cure over-production nor under-production. [Laughter.] Free silver will not remove the competition of Russia, India and the Argen- tine Republic. This competition would re- main if you coin all the silver in the world. Free silver will not increase the demand for your wheat or make & single new consumer. You don’t get consumers through the mints. [Great laughter and cries of ‘‘No, no.”] You get them through the factories. [Cries of “That's right.”] You will notget them by in- creasing the circulation of money in the United States; you will only get them by in- creasing the manufacturing establishments in the United States. [Tremendous checring.] “Plant the factory by the farm,” said Jackson, and that is as wite now as wheu the hero of New Orleans said it years ago. The best thing now is for the farmer to have a factory for his neighbor. [Laughter and applause.] It would be better to have a factory alongside of you than to have another farm alongside of you. [Laughter and cries of “Yes.”] In 1892, when iree trade was the battle-cry of our opponents, it was said then that the farmers would follow this heresy, but it was not so; it was the cities which followed the free-trade heresy. The country voted for protection. So this year the farmers will vote against free trade and free sil- ver. They will vote for & home market and for a dollar as good as gold in every martand market of the world. [Great cheering.] Tt sy PLATT CONTINUES TO DECLINE, But New York Republicans Talk of Nom- inating Him for Governor. SARATOGA, N. Y., Aug. 24.—Saratoga assumed the appearance of a convention town with a rush to-day. The prelimi- naries of the convention are settled. The State Committee met to-night and agreed upon Congressman Frank Black of Troy for temporary chairman. The convention will be called to order at noon to-morrow by Chairman Benjamin F. O’'Dell of the executive committee. Senator Jonn Raines of Canandaigua is to be the chairman of the committes on credentials, which will consider the con- tests. It will be remembered in what personal language he addressed Warner Miller at the meeting of the New York State dele- gation at St. Louis, when Mr. Platt was chosen chairman of the delegation as against Mr. Miller. The Herkimer County contest is expected to presenta most inter- esting situation. Mr. Miller says he has the affidavits of thirty-four out of the sixty-eight delegates to the convention who will swear they voted with him. Titus Sheard claims to have a like num- ber of affidavits from delegates. The Sheard delegates will no doubt be seated. Benator Raines, as chairman of the com- mittee on credentials, will be the one to uphold the report of the committee should it be attacked. Congressman Lemuel E. Quigg of New Yorkis to be chairman of the committee on resolutions, William Barnes Jr. of Albany will be chairman of the committee on permanent organization, and Hon. Stephen Woodford will be the permanent chairman of the convention. It was gen- erally supposed that the convention would finish its work by to-morrow, but Mr. Platt said to-night that its session would undoubtedly be extended over until Wedl_:esday, The friends of the various candidates for Governor are hustling about the respective headquarters. Thomas C. Platt as the likely Republican candidate for Governor was discussed with renewed interest this morning. He has not, however, changed his decision to de- cline to run, —_———— “ELI PEKKINS”, ACTIVE. Landon Will Go to Ohio to Speak on the Silver Question. NEW YORK, N. Y., Aug. 24.—Melville D. Landon (Eli Perkins) callea at the Re- publican National headquarters this even- ing and said he expected to go to Iowa and speak on the silver question. Hon. Richard C. McCormick, formerly Governor of Arizona, was another caller at neadquarters. He expressed himself as pleased with the outlook of the cam paign. “We are certainly not iosing ground anywhere,” said he, “but in certain sec- tions of the country we are gaining ground fast.” Hon. Clay Evans has arrived. He has been making speeches in Indiana, and he reports a strong movement in fayor of Jats and corn crops for 1895 amounted to | protection principles in the cities where 8,656,900,000 bushels. The total of this | he spoke. - THE DEMOCRATIC CANARY. HEAR HIM SING. L. C. Bateman, Populist Candidate for Governor of Maine, Says: “Apropos of Sewall, we beg to remind our Democratic friends that cutting off the ears of a jackass and pinning a few feathers in his tail doesn’t make him a canary bird.” THIS WILL MEAN BRYAN'S DEFEAT, Cleveland and His Cabinet Oppose the Chicago Nominees. FOR THE THIRD TICKET An Indirect Way of Supporting Major McKinley for the Presidency. NO USE FOR THE NEBRASKAN Grover to Declare Himself About the Time of the Ind‘anapolis Convention. WASHINGTON, D. C., Aug. 24.—There is now scarcely a doubt but that Fresident Cleveland will oppose the ticket nomi- nated at Chicago and lend his support to the nominees of the convention to be held at Indianapolis on September 2. Whether the conflicting reports on this subject have been because of doubtand hesitation on Mr. Cleveland’s part or have been due to a deliberate purpose to keep up the in- terest and open the way for a dramatic an- nouncement just at the proper minute can- not be said. Itisa fact, though, that Mr. Cleveland is in sympathy with the In- dianapolis movement being carried to the full length of making a nomination, and those of his Cabinet who remain with him intend to support that ticket. They are not willing to support McKin- ley directly, though they hofe to contrib- ute to his election. irom their point of view the nomination of an Ohio man was a mistake. Ii Reed were the Republican nominee they would join the Republicans and give him their support directly, and with great good will; but a regard for Mr. Cleveland’s past record constrains them to refuse their indorsement of McKinley. They feel that as the case stands they are compelled to make a choice between Cleve- landism and McKinleyism. This has de- termined them to run an independent ticket. The decision is final Carlisle was first choice for the head of the ticket, but he is not willing to aecept. Carlisle thus being aken out of consider- ation the intention is to select the head of the ticket from either Indiana, Ohio or Illinois. Their fight during the campaign is to be confined chiefly to these three States, Minnesota, North Carolina, Geor- gia, Kentucky, Alabara and Texas, They do not expect to make any campaign in States where it is believed the bulk of the gold Democrats would vote for Mc- Kinley if an independent ticket were not in the field. In the Statesnamed they be- lieve most of the gold Democrats would, if an independent ticket were not in the field, either vote for Bryan or else not vote at all, Mr. Cleveland intends to publicly de- clare himself about the time of the meet- ing of the Indianapolis convention, and from that time all the influence of the ad- ministration and all the machinery avail- able at their hands will be directed to the support of the Indianapolis ticket. Neither Mr. Cleveland nor any member of his Cabinet at that time will recognize the Chicago convention as representing the Democratic party, and loyaliy to the new nomination will be expected from every one attached to the administration. The support of Bryan by any one attached to the administration will be looked upon as the support of Harrison would have been during Mr. Cleveland’s first term. The retirement of Secretary Smith isa pretty proad hint to Bryan supporters holding office under Mr. Cleveland. Smith retires of his own motion, being so impelled by his appreciation ot the situa- tion, and of course there isnot a perfect analogy between his case and that of per- sonsin a less prominent position. Any onc, however, who supports Bryan will be Continued on Second Page. STONEMAN HOUSE LIES N ASHES, The State’s Yosemite Valley Hotel Razed by a Conflagration. TENANTS SAVE NOTHING Lessee J. J. Cook’s Furniture and Fittings Consumed With the Structure. PASSING OF AN OLD LANDMARK Sixty Thousand Dollars of Public Funds Invested in the Hostelry. YOSEMITE, Can., Aug. 24.—All that remains of the Stoneman House, the State’s hostelry, known to every tourist who has visited Yosemite Valley in the past ten years, is a heap of smouldering | ruins. Fire destroyed the structure early this morning, and not even the smallest of its tenants’ belongings was saved from the flames. This hotel, erected a decade ago. was named after Governor Stoneman. It was leased by the State, but has never paid a cent on the investment of public funds. Shortly before 2 o’clock this morning the roof of the attic on the third floor was discovered to pe on fire by the steward of the house, Frank Reisner. He gave the alarm to those on the first floor and then rushed upstairs expecting to reach the The Stoneman House in the Yosemite Valley, Destroyed by Fire Yesterday. hose in the attic, but the flames drove him back and he had to flee for his lite down the crooked stairway. Thosein the house and on the first floor were J. J. Cook, the proprietor; Clerk L. F. Starks, Dr. Lincoln and wife, who have lived at and taken care of the house for several y-ars; Miss Fanny Bruce of Wawona, a niece of Mr. Cook, and Miss Ethel Becht of San Francisco. The builaing burned rapidly and within a half hour the flames had eaten their way down to the porch of the ground floor and the Stoneman was abandoned to WHITE I THE PLOT, The Cattle King Accused by Witnesses at Weaverville. URGED THE KILLING OF LITTLEFIELD. Frank Doolittle’s Story of the Plans of Round Valley Assassins. NAMES MEN WHO SOUGHT THE VAQUERO'S LIFE. The Murdered Man’s Grave Dese- crated by Those Who Pro- nounced His Doom. WEAVERVILLE, CAn, Aug. 24— Slowly but surely all the details of the awful plot that ended in the murder of “Jack” Littlefield are being brought out at the trial of Joe Gregory. Sensational was to-day’s testimony—revoitingin part—and ever and anon in the records of the court stenographer appears the name of George E. White, Round Valley’s king. ‘When the case was called this morning James Wilbunr, who was on the stand Sat- urday night, was almost immediately dis- missed and was replaced by Johnnie Wathen, the son of “Wylackie John” and stepson to Ves Palmer. An objection was taken to his testifying, as it was decid ed to prove that a conspiracy existed before the witness’ testimony wouid be permissi- ble. Therefore, Walter Clark was placed upon the stand. He testified he last saw ‘‘Jack’’ Little- fleld from the Red Mountain House on the morning of September 28. Littlefield was hanging by a rope around his neck from the limb of a black oak tree. When he went to the body he found that the neck and clothing were bloody from three bullet wounds, and he saw two pools of blood upon the earth near a pine tres five or six feet from ‘the corpse, where, it is supposed, “Jack” Littlefield fell and was Deputy Attorney-General Post, Counsel for the Prosecution in the Ttial of Jo Gregory at Weaverville, Cal. [Sketched from life at Weaverville by a * Call”’ Artist.] its fate. A few moments later there was left standing but one of the concrete flues of the State’s $60,000 hostelry and $25,000 worth of furniture had been destroyed. The furniture belonged to Mr. Cook and was insured for $15,000. The store and billiard hall near by were saved. The origin of the fire is unknown, but the building had been ignited on three former occasions by defective flues or sparks falling on the roof, and to one of these causes the conflagration is at- tributed. The house was closed for the season on Saturday evening and the last guests, Albert Schmidt and wife of East Oakland, departed yesterday morning. They were the last of many thousands who had been entertained there since 1888, when the hostlery was opened by Ju J. Cook. The construction of the Sténem: House was commenced in 1886 and com- pleted in 1888, in time for that season’s travel. The sum of $40,000 had been ap- propriated for its construction and the contract was let to Carl, Croly & Aber- nathy, then of Sacramento, for a few dol- lars less than the appropriation. The plan calied for brick flues, but the con- tractors found they couid build concrete ones cheaper and so had the plans changed. The concrete foundation was laid almost on the surface of the giound, and before the building wos completed it commenced to eag, cracking the plastered walls and rendering the flues more dangerous. A second appropriation of $10,000 had to be made to pipe spring water to the house, and another $10,000 was expended for necessary repairs. Even more than the annual rental of $1200 has been used on its rapairs. Nearly 100 rooms can be fitted up at the Sentinel. dispatched. His hat was then resting upon his shoulders. Among those present at the place were George Cummings, the two Van Horns, Claud Clark, George Black and the witness’ wife. Frank Doolittle testified that he resided at Red Mouyntain House and was acquainted with the defendants and with George E. White and Tom Henley. During a preliminary trial of Ves Palmer and “Jack” Littlefield at Covelo, where they were jointly charged by George White with stealing a bald-faced mule, he heard Vinton, Crow, Van Horn, Haydon and Gregory discussing the advisabiiity of hanging or killing Littlefield and Palmer. They said that if they could not convict them by law in Mendocino County they would hang them. An objection was made by the defense to a question in relation to George E. ‘White, and Attorney Post said that he would prove the conspiracy was planned at White’s house, and that White' would be about as prominent a figure as there was in the case before Le got through. It was decided to hang Ves Palmer along with Littlefield, the witness continued. It was charged by Vinton and others that both had been in the somewhat risky bnsi- ness of stealing cattle for years and that they were “no good.” Those discussing the feasibility of hanging Littlefield in Covelo at the time were John Crow, John Vinton, Joe Gregory and Tom Haydon. “Did you agree with them that it would be a good scheme?” questioned Oregon Sande.s. ‘“Well,” replied the witness, I did not say anything against it.” “Are you aware that if the conspiracy is established you will haug, along with the rest of the Round Valley people?’” “Well, Ican’t help itif Ido.” “Did you ever hear George White discuss’