New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-07
" THE NEW LSSIIEn

In Senate sat through the Fourth of July.
an unheard-of piece of legislative industry, to
undo its own work and take a step backward
on the Chinese question. Gen. Butler intro
duced it into a speech at Woodstock, which
certainly was not expected to wander
off on such doubtful themes; and Gen.
Hawley added to the singular features
of the performance by sharply dsputing
Gen. Buffers position Mr.. VIM. Everett
at Boston took large and liberal views,-sO
frank and outspOken indeed that they con-
trasted cuTiously with the cautious and
continuous conservatism of the speak
er's distinguished father. Elsewhere, in a
score of cases, the recurrence of our National
Anniversary was signalized by discussion of
the question whether the document whose
PRONUNCIATION gives the day its significance,
could or could not be true.
This is, perhaps, to state the issue broadly
And yet, as Mr. Edward Everetts son well
said if we are really about to take up the
old cries of race and America for Ameri-
"cahs," we have poorly learned the meaning
of the document we read with such
pOmp once year, have i'll comprehended
the genius of our Institutions and may
speedily have to learn from the land we hate
the lesson of the Chinese wall over again.
But we doubt whether the politicians are as
sagacious as usual, in their evident opinion
that this Chinese business is to be speedily
elevated into a great political issue. Judged
by the facts of our history, by the spirit
of our institutions, by the logic of the late
war, there is only one side to it, But it is an
element in another and much greater problem,
whose beginnings already arise to disturb us.
We mean the Labor Question, ALREADY pOrten-
tOus in most of the more densely pOpu-
lated countries of Europe, and only less
pressing here because of our broad
expanse of unOccupied land. Sooner or later
1t will force its way into politics, if indeed its
solution be not previously obtained. That so
luton, we think is to be found in a cOmpre-
hensiOn of the fact that there need be no con-
flict between Labor and Capital, that
the labOrer may and should exchange
places with the capitalist, and that, becoming
his own employer, by cooperation with others,
the labOrer may thus equitably share in the
profits which he now creedily eyes, and leave
no bone of dissensiOn in his business for
demagogues to wrangle over. If, instead of
supporting CTispin Societies, the shOemakers of
Massachusetts had devoted their spare means
to the foundation of Cooperative Shoe Manu-
factories, they would have been the first to
welcome the advent of the Coolies, and the
readiest to hire them, if their labor
was needed, at the lowest rates.
We do not think the Chinese question likely
to be "the new ISSUE" If the Laborers are
wise they will make it Cooperation. BY
that sign they will conquer. Meantime
we give space to numerous expressions
of popular opinion concerning the Chi
nese. They serve to show how clearly
thinking men perceive the absurdity Of at
tempting to isolate ourselves from the world;
while they also serve to illustrate the varying
aspects under which the subject presents
itself to different classes of the community.
We give all sides hearing, and have no fear
that, out of the multitude of voices the truth
will fail to be heard and recognized.