The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-07-31

pOetttsoE ''~~~ -
chimes, begins to call in ram for more hands ~
In the contemplation Of this system Of opinions
the adequacy Of wages is made to depend upO'
the scarcity of labor solely, and the reliance
this hope is in the correctives Of famine, and tn
mortality and emigration which must result
The men who hold such doctrines as these Mus
regard any system Of society which has any hear
in it-any reverence for God or love for man II
it-as infdel and diabolical; for just such senp
msnts as these obliged the hunkers of Judea tc
ascribe the benevolence Of Jesus to beeIzeouo th'
Prince of Devils, and no other disposition Of d.
vine truth Is possible to this degree OF moral dark
ness War, famine, and pestilence, are the Urn
ity Of this faith and nothing can be so heterodo1
to it Is love, wisdom, and happiness.
SO the Times, speaking for the established order,
settles the Labor Question!
The Tribune faculty, who really understand 'ne
true philosophy of society better than any OF tneir
neighbor journalists, are yet 80 involved in pOlii-
cal commitments, that where these intrude 'hey
seem to lose the use Of their better wisdom ana
nobler philanthropy. They are philosophers and
bumsnitarians, but they are Wings also. IL they
were partisan Democrats, we do not say the matter
would be helped No pairing of heels and toes can
make Cinderells'S fairy slipper ht the hoofS OF
either of her Hunker sisters.
We quote from the Tribune of the 22d instant
the following exhibit Of their exoteric theory, or
accommodation Wing doctrine, Of labor legisla-
ton, that "ths weakness and unproftableaess
thereof" may sppear by its own showing IL
is as well presented here as it can be done, per-
haps and it happens to be 80 fully presented that
it stands more nsksd,y exposed than usual with
the arguments Of its ordinary advocates
"The Wings hold that American manufactures
ought 10 be protected by suitable duties against
the products of Europe, where labor is 80 much
cheaper than here; and that protection they
would have continued until such time as the va
rious branches of our industry are mstured and
advanced enough to meet the competition on
equal terms. The Wings would hold out induce
ments to the artisans of Europe TO come here and
establish themselves In their trades by protecting
those trades till they are 80 well established as no
longer to need protection. They know that this
country may become independent of Europe in
the production Of metals, oottons, silks and WOOL
lens, but that at first our manufactures cannot
--~.eAAf Against those long established III he Did
World, where the skill of ages is concentrated,
and where the iaborer 10 paid only starvation
rates; but that when we have once well begun,
we shall soon, by means of new inventions and
superior energy and economy, be able to produce
as cheaply as in Europe, and still pay our labor
ers American wages Therefore they would have
European workmen come here and settle among
far u;pO al rod, cfs or,
the spot thereby increasing the wealth and forti-
flying the institutions Of the country.
"The opposition, or Democrats as they un-
fairly claim TO be, par excellence, propose exactly
the opposite course. They would have hat they
call free trade that is to say, they would not at
tempt to build up manufactures by means of pro-
lection, but would 20 on buying hardware, cot
ton, silk and woollen goods, Of England, France,
and Germany, forever, until the wages Of labor
should be 30 reduced in this country that we
could begin manufacturing on equal terms. This
is the great point at issue between the two par
tiesr
This paragraph is introduced with the asser-
ton that "there Is no essential difference be.
tween our two great parties Wing and Demo.
crstic) as to fundamental principles. \ There
is a difference as to measures" And the main
difference is stated to be this which is given in
the extract above.
No difference in fundamental principles, say
the oracle, but difference main difference o
measures! And do the measures, the distinguish
ing measures, rest upon and indicate no principl,
at all Has neither Whiggery nor Democracy
principle in its creed for the regulation and cul
ture of the interests Of labor2
Let the reader the s sSSssassslGGp faa
from that intended by the Tribune in the declare
ton that there is no difference in principle be
tween the two parties in this matter. The differ
ence of measures asserted binders not an identit
of ultimate results admitted and the likeness o
principle, or the like want Of principle, is vel
proved by the sameness Of the issue set down 70
both policies in respect to the interests of labor
The scheme of protection aims at the nations in
dependence Of European manufactures, and
proposes to foster and sustain the American en-
terprise against the cheaper wages of foreigl
labor, by taxing its products up to our own marke
price, until-yes, until ave shall be able to pro
duce as cheapy as in Europe which we are t
energy and economy, and the immigration o
European workmen,' and "still pay cur laborer
American wsges"!l Sill pay American, mean
ing higher than European, wages, and sell a
cheaply Howl Oh dear, can there be ques
tion as to the American supereminence, and al
that Why we have only to import the sam
men who do the work over the sea, employ ner
inventions, the foreign block heads being suppose,
to stick fast in the old ones, and rely upon ou
superior energy, Of which there is abundant proc
in every Fourth-ofJuly grafton, the blood rela
tionship of the rivals and the Glass Palace de
monstration to the contrary notwithstanding
and, if all that is not enough, there is our othe
superiority in that new national Characteristic
rigid economy!
Here we have the American policy of the Labo
q uestion best foot foremost and it leaves the in
terest under its protection to take care Of itsel
by its new inventions-which will belong to tn
capitalist and must work against the workman
its superior energy, which it must rack out of it
own bones, and its superior economy, which it mus
pinch of its own back and bowels Besides, |
even counts among its means Of success the in
PRODUCTION Of the immigrant laborer of Europ
into the competition Of candidates for more wor
and less wages, while we are strainipg down I
equal cheapness Of production The reliance
here indicated are in the highest degree illusory
and most meroiless If they were even real an
the end-alas the snd--the same as that Of tn
Composition" system, even as it is pictured b
its enemy, viz: that state Of things here whic
might enable US to begin manufacturing on equs
terms with England, France, and Germany An
what is that, in all the instances where material
machinery and Skill are equal, but equally 10,
wages with the lowest!
This is no theory Of labor policy at all |, is
scheme Of national rivalry-of competition b.
tween capitalists Of different countries; and