The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-08-07
The MEMPHIs COyvRNTT0N.

"ePresumsAevery reader Il the ADVOCATE
has watched foF, and read with avdi,y, the
meagte reports furaishsd by The Associated
Pres, OfIhe proceedings Of the convsu.ion
which recently meth Memphis to perisst .
programme for securing to the South some
cheaper hbOr man b aSsilable b this eoun.
trys Since the close Of the war, the wise
heads, and some not so wise, Of that section
have been engaged in the effort Of perfectine
some plan whereby its slumbering energies
might be Tesuscitated, and the latent wealth
which sbounds throughout in fruitful dimsn-
sions Turned to profitable account. After
much supposed to be profound elaboration
upon the subject, it seems to have been de-
cided that cheap labor is an absolute dssider-
alum to the end sought to be attained. For
many reasons, few only Of which We deem
it necessary to enumerAte, this conclusion
seems to Us to be patiently incorrect and
short-sighted.
AZ logical sequence to several years Of
devastating war, the South ia in an extremely
crippled condition. It's fertile acres remain
untitled. Its mills wheels turn not, mel.
Their do its spindles whir," simply and only
because in some Of its parts the mercenary
Iaborer is not available, while In no single
section Of all its broad domain is the capital
necessary to the support of iaIar until such
time as the goods produced can be trans
formed into cash, to be had. Now, the con-
test inaugurated in the formation of the Ma.
tional Labor Union Is based upon, and for
the realization in practice, the principle that
the =" laborer is worthy Of his hire" The
laborer being the most industrious, ingeni-
GUS, and consequently the most useful Of the
several creatures who compose q community,
his welfare ought Of right to be considered
paramount TO those Of capital owners, who,
10 the production Of wealth, perform only
secondary or assistants part. We contend,
and find but few willing to deny the correct
ness Of the position, that governments
prosperity is proportioned to the scarcity of
its poor, and not to the plentitude Of its in
ordinately wealthy; because, when the
wealth of people is monopOlzed by few,
it becomes an instrument Of oppression, and
the cardinal object Of government, the veal
Of its peopIe,-not Of only one particular
portion Of them-is defeated. To the sur-
port Of the labOrers' right to proper and
equitable compensation for the work be per-
forms we are unalterablY welded, and there
in lies the germ of our honest opposition to
anything not conducive to the sacredness of
that right This first principle Of CONNER
cial equity seems to have been laid aside as
unworthy the attention Of the Memphis WISE
acres, for they contract with Koopman-
shoot, who deals in Cinnamon, to bring to
them plenty Of his country men, because
they "are easily managed, being patient,
industrious, dOcIle, traclable and obedieDt."
If the Memphis Convention had been pur-
chasing horses, the above-enumeratcd "good
points" are precisely the requisites that
would have been asked in the animals.
Shoot represents hW countrymen as unwor-
thy Of confidence, for the reason that they
will violate any contract il higher wages be
offered them.
In California, Mr.. Shoot informed the
Convention, go, 900 Of them are employed as
mechanics, and in railroad works, at an ave-
rage Of 81 per day. Now, We ask the gen.
tlemen who composed the Convention, %
well as those who endorse its action, whe-
ther it is in reason to suppose that our edu-
Gated and skilled woEkmen will quietly SUBJ
NIT to the outrage Contemplated i'm nm in
creased importation Of these servils people.
Il i 6s true q asserted i dr. tss 8SusnsT
soil cannot be cultivated BY white labor,
then Of course must We aequisses in the me-
cessity Of procuring other, which by previous
living and habits, has become Injured 10 cli-
mates similar to the Southern.
The assertion may or may not be correct !;
but allowing it correct, We were then false to
the principle which gave Ms birth, did We
not enter an indignant protest against the
man ner in which those assembled dealers in
human flesh and blood contemplated reward
ing " the only suitable labor to be had"
One ofthe very few of their cOuntrymen pos
sessing accredited intelligence, warns MS that
they cannot be relied on to fulfill contract,
and that they will violate pledge for triflirg
pecuniary considerations. Such testimony,
and from such source, admOnishss rs that
the introduction Of the Chinese among US 10
that Of class upoa whom the manufacturer
may depend for his " scabs," or rats"
AMI the willy contractor his human machines,
by means Of which be may grind his thous-
Ands out of the community ne processes to
serve. Although this, and his many other
questionable characteristics, are scarcely cal
culated to endow John ChinAmAn with the
white mechanics good will, charity impels
US to impute them to his training, and TO
view him as susceptible to properly applied
Outstanding influences. Consequently W .
demand for him compensation not only com
mensurate with his own stimate Of s,is need,
/ Ohb PAOPOihAOhobS WIN buOSS Palu w wins
men for the same quantity and quality Of
labor.
To elevate the Chinaman to the white
mans level is the only means by which the
possibility Of the white mans being reduced
to the Chnaman's level can be guarded
against Our aim is to elevate all in the
scale of morality and intelligence to abolish
all distinctions Of race, creed, possessions or
profession. To make each and every calling
alike honorable and lucrative-a scheme
which will be rendered impossible if capital
lists persist 10 enticing to our shores bordes
of men willing to work for what will barely
su5sst a white man, to the end that all labor
NAV be further cheaDene1, and wealth fur