The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-14
The Republican Party and Our Indus
trial Interests.

history OF Jne hepuDllcau party bndn lJS lu-
telligent and consistent devotion to the in
dustrial interests of the nation. That party
was founded as a party of free labor, and its
first great battle was fought to secure the
supremacy of free labor in all the Territories
of the country. 1t signallzed its entrance
into power by the overthrow of the system
ofland monopoly which had before prevailed
in regard to the public domain, and by the
Inauguration of that great measure OF practi-
cal protection to the labor of the country
the Homestead law. That law had been
vetoed by the last President that the mis-
called Democratic party gave to the country,
and its prompt passage was one of the first
acts of the first Republican administration.
BY virtue of the policy thus inaugurated, the
laboring classes of this country are preserved
from the possibility of ever falling into those
depths of degradation and distress which are
too often the sad lot Of their brothers in other
and less favored lands. The American laborer
can, at any moment, become the proprietor OF
aIlarge and fertile homestead, almost literally
without money and without price. For the
paltry sum of ten dollars, he becomes invested
with one hundred and sixty acres of land by
simply living upon and cultivating it during
five years. For this princely endowment,
American labor is indebted to the Republican
party.
Again, we may see the devotion of this
party to onr industrial interests in the care
with which it protects American labor
against the unfair competition of foreign
labor. The whole question between the pro-
tectionist and the tree trader resolves itself
finally into question of the wages and the
consequent condition of the laboring classes.
Reduce the wages of the American laborer
to the standard of the foreign laborer, and
we can com pete with foreign manufacturers
in the production ofalmost any fabrics. But
in reducing the wages of laborers to the
foreign standard, we must bring his social
condition also down to that OF the foreign
labOrer. We have elevated the laborer in
this country to social and intellec-
tual position such as is held by no
other laborer on earth. He has good
clothes, good food, good dwelling; he reads
books and newspapers; he sends his children
to school, and goes with his family to church;
he is endowed with all the rights and privi-
leges enjoyed by any one. This position of
the laborer cannot be maintained on such a
pittance OF wages as is bestowed upon the
underfed, illy-elad and housed, ilIiterate, and
disfranehised. laborer of unrepublican coun-
tries. The great problem in political
economy in this country is how to preserve
the labOrer in his high position, and yet
enable him to compete with the foreigner who
is so FAR below him. The policy of the
Republican party is to protect American
labor and build up American industry. We
see the fruits of this policy in the develop
ment of manufactures, the opening of mines,
the building of railroads and canals, and chat
general diversihcation of pursuits which
rewards labor and builds up the wealth OF the
country. That great work, the Pacific Rail
road, which is progressing with such rapidity
and which promises such grand results, was
inaugurated by the Republican party. With
a comprehensive prescience which took in
the full measure of the vast influence which
such work when completed would have
upon the commerce of the world, and with a
confidence in the stability of our tree Repub-
lie which the event has more than justified,
the Republican party put that grand enter
prise in operation, and carried it forward IN
the midst OF the most gigantic war Of modern
times.
Again, the policy OF the Republican party
upon the great question of reconstruction is
in the most perfect harmony with the true
business interests OF the country. We are
aware that there are those who, through
impatience or ignorance or malice, pretend
to believe that the policy OF the party
upon that question is adverse to business
interests. The notion is altogether fallacious.
The permanent prosperity OF our country in
every department OF its industry, in every
branch of its business, demands that the fatal
antagonism between aristocratic and republi-
can principles which has agitated our Gov
ernment from its very foundation, and which
eliminated in our late fearful war, shall be
finally and forever put to rest. That end
cannot be achieved by leaving the acces.
sories and aduncts of the old slave system
still dominant in the laws and institutions O
the late Rebel States. TO do so is only tC
invite another contest. The prosperity o
the South itself, the successful cultiVa
ton of its great staples, and the
general development of Its resources
are simply impossible except upon a basil
of radical reconstruction. They who clamo
for the recognition of the illegal and revOlu