The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-07-30
"Iyc have read in our newspapers that in

the UllllcQ SEtttS CcILttlil CtlpitdlIstS, lathci
than submit TO !; diminuton of their profits,
have brought into their country Il number OF
Chinese. who work at low rate Of wages.
They taught these Chinese how to make
shoes. These initiative people soon learned
the art, and made salc;lblc shoes at so much
per gross cheaper than the native American
would have done. These capitalists, you
will say, went to the cheapest market for
their labor; they were acting OH CONNER
ca motives well understood and in daily
operation. Nevertheless, we venture to say
that they were wrong. We venture to say
that, though no law impcded or took notice
of their action, there Is moral Judgment
amongst their own countrymcn which would
condemn it'd moral judgment OF that
kind which is gathering strength III every
civilized nution. These capitalists never
reflected on the probable results OF bringing
this new pcoplc--surcly no desirable mpor-
tatiun-into the country; they thought only
of cheap labor. They looked at labor merely
as Il purchasable commodity, and buying it
cheap enabled them to get Il larger profit OH
the shoes they scd. Perhaps they sold Their
shoes, also, somewhat cheaper than those OF
American manufacture. But this slight adj
vantage can hardly be put in the balance
against the fragrant derelction of high and
noble duty which begins to be subtly felt
amongst all civilized nations. Capital ought
not to he thus divorced from that industrial
organization to which it owes its very en-
i-tcncc: the capitalist ought not thus to
ignore all motives except that OF enIcbluS
himself There are occasions when we may
Justly call upon him to b" content with less
profit and repay himself by noblcr scli-sat-
isEaction.' Cr9tique on Grcgg's Political
Essays by tie tate William S1uh, Engldnd.
In this paragraph is presented an inter-
esting point in the delicate relations between
labor and capital. The capitalist owes TO
society, through labor, the obligation to pre-
serve it from harm by observation-disclosures
tlation of wages to the point below that which
will comfortably subsist the laborer and
maintain his seltrespect. This obligation
capital cannot disregard without injury to
itself A well-rcwarded industry is the
strongest foundation Of society rs it is the
chief source of vigor Of the state.
When the shoemaker Of North Adams in
troduced the Chinese into his shocshop, we
took occasion to express these views, and
tine has only strengthened their force. We
believe the North Adams MAN has come to
the conclusion, after considering all things
bearing upon the case, that he would do bet
ter by employing his own people.
Another point made by the Dispatch was
one distinct from the mere obligations exist
ing between capital and labor. We objected
TO the introduction of inferior races into the
country, and urged that it should be alike
the object of Government and people to
maintain the highest type of man on this
continent free from admNture with the i'll
terior typcs-that we could not introduce
those types without degrading labor, which
is the cornerstone of socicty-and without
hybridiZing men TO the serious injury Of the
State. TO maintain the most vigorous con-
diton of industry it must be kept in the
hands of the highest human type in the
land-to maintain society of CONSUMERS
able to live and to pay for what they con-
Sumo they must he well rewarded for their
abor--to maintain the public spirit and i'll
dependence of men their sclt-respect must
be backed by the responsibility of their occll-
patton (Which cannot be maintained by en-
trusting it to Chinese, &c., as well us the
rcasonablcness Of their compensation. The
introduction Of inferior races is destructive
of these principles and would he disastrous
alike TO capital and to society.