Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-03-22

aPro1ection Of Labor,

The newspapers in various parts Of the country
are teemiue with the details OF the strikes" of the
workinpmen 10 order 10 obtain living wsgss says the
PhIladelphis Argus This shows beyond all doubt
and beyond all discussion, how little foundation there
is in the hollow professions of manufacturing mOn>
oposts Of friend hip for those who earn their bread
By honest toll If these professions we're sincere,
il our capitalists and rich monopclisis really meant
what they say, there would be no necessity for
strikes in Oh der 20 obtain sufficient wages to keep
the laborer from Starving.
No. These pretences are all bypocritical make
believes Labor in this country, has never been
s'proteolei" by laW-prOtection has always been ex-
ercised for the benefit of capital aud for the exela-
sivc advantage Of rich men; laws have been made
in favor Of privileged few and made SO "a 10 op-
press and rob the laborcr and net for his protection
and advantage All the protective tariffs that ever
we're passed since the foundation of cur government,
were protective of the ieh coTpOratOTs engaged il
manufactures; The operatives were kept next door
to our smshouse paid just enough TO keep soul aad
body together, even 10 the most prosperous times,
when their employers we're amassihg enormous for
tunes By the special privileges which they had con-
ferred upon them by partial and unjust laws The
operatives we're just able 10 live from haud to
mouth in the best Of times whenever the banks
chose to create panic national ba lkruptey and
ruin, the operatives we're turned oct Of doors like
dogs, to beg, s,esl, or starye. No enc thought Of
ssproiecting'' them from the rapaeity and tyranny
Of their employers when times we're good; their
rich employers made no effort to ''prntecJ" them
from starving Hhsr revsrses overlook them. The
laborer is the last TO be benefited when the banks
make good times they are the very first 70 suffer
when the banks make hard times by sudden aud
unlocked for contraction OF their false promises TO
pay.
Whoever heard of a lordIy manufacturer, fer
whose exclusive benefit protective tariffs are passed
by Our national legisl ,tgre-Thoever heard OF 6
manufacturing nabOb wasiog thoGght abOa: he
white slaves whom be III ht,ssiy discharged from
employment the very momeat pinch conest Is
IL not aexpressbly marvellous that any eonsi iers-
bic body Of men can be easily dipped aud made
to believe that high tariff is fer the benefit Of the
working men? Made 20 believe that if we hal a
protective tariff there wOnll be need Of strikes"
in order to secure good wsgesi Did they ever know
q high tariff to Tsise wages? Are not wages the
very last thug to be raised by the manufacturing
Iaonepolis when times good, aud the very frst
thing 10 be cut down waeh hard tines comet Do
tbem4nufacturers with all their special privileges,
with the aid Of all the partial sni unequal laws
which are adopted sOr their exclusive siveu ags 40
they ever think of raising she wages Of the working
men when they most mead such protection" that
is. during pressure, sPanic, scarcity Of N jney
Neverl The wealthy mgoooJi.ts close their hard
hands upon the enormous iOelune they awe already
amassei and let the WORKING men take care oftheu-
selves. This is the protection we hear go much
about. This is what it amounts to, nothing less,
nothing more; and yet hundreds and thousands are
made to believe that high tariff protects labor and
really benefits those who toll for wages