The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-25
Judge Keney's Views,
A Letter to the United Anne
rican Mechanics = Elab0-
rate Discussion of the
General Labor
Question.

A,
John C.Libe, Esq, Recording Secretary of Science
Council of the Order OF United American Me-
Dear Sir: Your favor covering the circular which
YOU inform me you were instructed by your Coun-
ell transmit to me, with the request that would
upon the questions embodied therein, )" is at hand.
II is to be regretted that neither your note nor
however, embraces the preamble and resolutions
adopted by the Council on the 9th OF July last,
aSnS
alteration upon the subject to which they relate,
opportunity thus afforded me of expressing my
views thereon to SO numerous and ndinteligent body
of my felfow-citizens as the members OF the Order
of United American Mechanics.
The preamble and resolutions assert that ga
movement has been inaugurated in neighboring
scale into this country, and that such movement,
il successful, must operate to the great disadvan-
tAge of the American mechanic and laboring
man" and that "the time has arrived" when the
members of your Order should "use every exer-
on and All sGe @ ns nee in power @
unjust measure.' These propositions, believe,
iuvolve the questions on which you request an ex-
IL is proper that, before proceeding to the con-
sderation of details, should say that believe
that humanity and the true interests of all the peo
pie of our broad, richly endowed, and diversified,
but thinly-settled country, require us to welcome
pursuance Of their own choice, come to dwell
among us, adopt our language and habits, and help
develop our dormant resources and maintain
our republican institutions.
But this proposition broad as it s does not cover
those who may be brought hither by force or de-
coyed by false representation, for the purpose of
being used without regard to their rights
those of the people at large. For instance, it does
brought as slaves from Africa in the early days
of the republic coolies were from India, prior to
the act of February 49, 1862 entitled An act to
hibit the coolie trade by American citizens in Ame
rican vesses,' the text of which may be found on
new member at the date of its passage by the House
Of Representatives, 1T was my privilege to co-ope-
rate with its distinguished author the late Hon. T.
Dawes Eliot, in procuring the enactment of this
humane law. Nor, again, does it apply to those
who, being ignorant of our language and of the
dnary rate of wages paid for labor and the cost of
living in this country, seduced into coming
here under contract for years OF labor for wages
which, though in advance Of those they might earn
at home, are insufficient for the support of an Ame
rican mechanic and the maintenance of his children
while obtaining the education % due to them in our our
victims of such wrongs the amplest means of re-
dress, and, at least enable them to return to their
native land at the cost OF the wrong -doer
The coolie trade was suppressed by law because
it was system of violence and robbery; and as
are attempting to induce hordes of Chinese labor
to come to this country under contract to work
workingmen should live, is organized system of
deception and fraud, it should be reprobated by
laws as sternly as the other has been.
You viii observe that my opposition to organized
efforts to stimulate Chinese emigration to this
country s not based on hostility to the Chinese but
that arises from their ignorance of the value and
current price of the services they contract to
der, of the habits of our working people, and of
the general cost of living in this country and that,
coming as sojourners to return at the expira-
ton Of contract, they will be unencumbered by
the expense of family, or civic social duties,
and can afford to work for wages that will not en-
able an American citizen to maintain home and
educate his children as republican institutions re-
quire.
should be to secure 10 labor such share of its pro-
duction as may enable each laborer to make provi-
for age adversely. Our country is so broad,
and embraces SO infinite variety of soil, climate
to convert every description Of our raw material
and avail ourselves of the diversities of our soil
maintain rate Of Wages independent of those cot of
other countries. But SO long as part of our work.
are or Of snS ePsna
countries.
Chinese wages are, believe, lower than those
paid in any other civilized country. American
wages are the highest and the two rates cannot be
on an extended scale to comminge them would be
as disastrous to the capital as it would be to the
labor of the country. It would unsettle prices and
satisfy any experienced business man on this point,
as the employer who paid Chinese wages could
always undersell those in the same business who
sought TO enable their workmen to live by paying
them our customary wages for their work:
for the working people of England, entitled "Pro-
tectionto Native Industry" says:
and Switzerland are from thirty to fifty per cent.
lower than in England; rent clothing, food, beer,
proportion; the habits of the people are economical
in the extreme; the manufacturers have as much
capital, science and enterprise, and the operatives
as much skill and intelligence and technical educa-
ton and industry, as we have; they get their raw
materials very nearly at the same price as we do.
The question is: Can manufacturers, with
higher wages, higher rates and taxes, higher gene
raj charges, and our operatives with dearer food,
dearer clothing, dearer house rent and extraya-
CANT habits, produce cheaply as they can?"
Let us press Sir Edwards point little further
and apply 1t to the question under consideration "A
Treasury nv
Mr.. Edward Young ,chief of the Bureau of Statis-
tics, shows that English wages are below ours
England. The report appears to have been com
piled from ample data and with great care, max
ing due allowance for the difference between gold
and our currency and the number of hours of labor
required for weeks pay. Without OBTAINING you
with too many examples, let me say that official
report shows that operatives in cotton mils IN the
New England and middle States, exclusive OF over
seers, receive 1913 per cent more than in England
and that in the case OF overseers the excess is ls
per cent. q
The comparison of the wages paid in woollen
mills is made from a wider field, as this branch of
industry is growing rapidly in the west it embraces
the mile of Virginia. Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa and
Kansas, as well as those of the middle and New
England States, and shows that the "ayerage ad-
vance of wages paid in the United States in 1855
those of England in ls67-6S (both in god),
M36 per cent" The rates paid in American paper
mills including those to boys and females, ascer-
tanned from the mills of New England, Pennsylva
than IN anu s Are ~ per cent
drawn from Mr.. Young's report with which will
detain you, workmen In iron foundries and in ma
and western States and California receive for their
labor Sc per cent more than is paid in England.
Thus IL appears that though the average English
operative receives for his work nearly double the
wages paid his continental competitor, he gets on
an average little more than half as much as he
would for the same work in this country. The wsl.
fare OF our country, both present and ultimate,
guires the maintenance OF our scale of wages, and
its advance whenever and wherever this is practi-
cable. But how is this 10 be accomplished Hos
can the present rates be defended against eompeti