Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-02-03


channels. rather than feed foreign labor a,
the expense Of our own.
Such reasoning, gentlemen, proves me to
be protectionist; so am in all that touches
the laboring interests of the country, but
further. / am an advocate of Free Trade in
all those elements and combinations which
are not found indigenous to our own soil.
Whatever is essential or will add to our in
dustrial interests or creature comforts, let it
be admitted free as air; whatever comes into
direct competition to our industries or pro-
duets. and is the product of any foreign la
Dor, let such restrictions be placed thereon as
will first place their labor on plane with
ours, then add such restrictions as places
capital here, in this comparatively new country,
on the same plane as capital there in their
old established channels, and we are ready to
meet them"
Mr.. Lang assured the audience that no man
should say that he intended to take a politi-
cal tendency in his discussion, but in the most
bitter and sca,hing denunciations he charac-
terized those political pariizans, who for sell
fish ends forced false issues upon an indus
trial people, showing the disastrous effect Of
such action in fastening and rendering onor
Gus the decline in the great industries of this
city.
He then proceeded to take up the question
of defence to American labor, in the course
of which he pictured the industrial interests
of the country as they swayed to and fro un-
der the various protective measures held out
by the government to American labor, show
ing conclusively that the necessities of the
nation forced us, not only to be patriots, but
defenders of our system Of labor. We quote
his own words Of the effect of the late REBEL
ion. dependent upon ourselves, trowned up
on by nearly all the nations of Europe, we be-
came nation of working men; the young men
went to the front and fought the traitors; the
old men guarded the firesde and fed the ma.
ton; the manufacturer clothed it, and the
women worked and prayed for all. Thus Ia
Dor defended, for would drop the word pro-
teeted after so grand an example of right /;
thus labor defended, crushed the rebellion
and taught our enemies that there was some
thing better than protection to chattels and
capitalize defence of labor and every right
of mani"
He took up in the course of his remarks
some Of our leading industries, among them
the cotton and wooden, Analysing them and
comparing the advantages of their adoption
in the place Of our former industry, urging
that every inducement should be held out by
the community, to the establishment Of a va
riety Of industries, however small their COM
mencement.
He also took up and at considerable Length
showed the stupendous folly Of the people o
this country, in allowing the question Of de
fence to American industry and labor to be
come the football of political parties, char
terizing it as ''littIe less than piracy to stes
march upon = generation by teaching he
young men, as they are taught in some Of til
best colleges of the land, the political econo
my of j. Stuart Mill. which in the end, if ad
hered to, will rob the working man of ever
chance to partake Of the social, intellectua
and ennobling rights of common humanity
urging that it had taught the working man
England, the home of its author and princips
supporter, that labor has no right which cap
tai and power are called upon to respect"
Lack of space alone forbids US from quotin
the telling points the able speaker made in re
gard to the effects of baneful influences of tina
free trade which England as government ha
constantly attempted to force upon us, an
his quotations of laws passed and speeches il
parliament, even as late as 1870, directly in
fuencing this vital question, were of the mos
convincing character.
Mr.. Lang also in quoting from the trade re
turns for the past year, showed the immens
effect of the balance of trade in favor of for
eign machinery as opposed to our productive
industry, stating that this had had the great
est effect in producing the present conditio,
ofour money, among which statement was tina
of the imports of the past year to the city O
New York alone, amounting to 1916, 900, OO
against So, 5000 exports
In closing, Mr.. Lang took up the subject G
labor and its interests with capital, gon
lightly over the ground covered by Mr.. Pills
bury in former lecture before this associa
ton. He argued that there can be mo pro
gress in the true spirit of a republican form o
government which does not recognize labor OF
the same plane as capital, and protect it a
such, and he showed conclusively that a
the strength of capital lay in its accumulation
so the strength of labor was in its intelligenc
and grouping or unity of purpose for its ow
interests, urging that no man should mour
over the days gone by, where the grain wa
founded with the rock, and the skin wa
dressed for parchment and the clothing Q
man, but that in the full view of the progress
siye tide he should seize the inspiration Of tn
hour, and hasten to new scenes and new tri
umphs. 10 the course of his ending, whic
was sp. cial address to labor, he said -
Here, then, as laborers, with what thank
fui hearts, as sentient beings, ought we to &C
knowledge this wonderful consideration thai
in the providence of God man was allotted IN
redeem himself from the condition of the AMI.
NAL and its limitations INV snhst;,,,;u Al,