The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-08-21


In way that will fill the heart of Dennis
Kearney with joy. In the shoe manufacture
ing business there are 500 workmen on strike
for sn increase of wages, demanding twelve
dollars instead of nine per week. The Six
Companies OF California enter the field at this
yuncture and ofer 800 Chinese, half skilled
and half green workmen, at seventy five cents
per day. The offer has been iavorablv consid-
cred but the manufacturers are haggling to get
the Coolle labor at sixty cents q day. III these
negotiations should be successful, and 1900
semi-slaves are introduced to take the place of
the 800 American mechanics, there will be
lively times in Chicago. The question is very
serious one, for in the present temper and con-
ditiot OF American workmen they will not
permit the competition of the Chinese. They
have before them The results of such competi-
ton In California, and If the door is once
Such as is nropoSed nv the six Gomnanies in
Chicago, the future will hold gloomy outlook
indeed to the American laborer and mechanic.
-Pittsburg Post.
Unfortunately for the welfare of the country
the heather Chinese can be imported in
such numbers as in a few years would suffice
for every industry in the country Ameri-
can laborers are citizens, and vast majority
of them comprehend the dignity and respon
sibllities OF citizenship. The Chicago shoe
makers demand $12 week or 50 day.
Now, we will suppose that these shoemakers
are men Of families averaging five persons
each. We will suppose further that their
health demands their having three meals
each day. This would give los meals week.
Putting the cost at 10 cents a meal, requires
$1,000 a week for food, leaving $3.50 week
for all other expenses, provided $12 a week
is secured. At 50 per week the shoemaker
with a family of five persons would
be in debt 80 cents at the end of each week
for food. AT the price demanded by the
Chicago shoemakers, as we have shown, only
$3.50 is left, after paying for food, t. meet
every other expense-rent, fuel, clothing
doctors bills, etc. At this trying juncture
the six Chinese companies of San Francisco,
whose business ii is to import Sepoys, offer
1900 of these heathens at seventy-five cents
per day. or $3.50 per week, the amount that
the government pays workingmen in Wash
ington who dig for the foundations of gov
eminent buildings. The Chicago shoe
manufacturers want to drive a bargain,
and offer sixty cents day, or So per week,
and at these slave figures American work
men will be compelled to toll and starve,
quit work and starve or join the army of
tramps. The situation viewed from any
standpoint is an ugly one and we'll calcu-
lated TO lead to the most serious COM
plications Under the circumstances it is
not surprising that laboring people feel dis
satisfied. From day to day their condition
is growing worse, and, as If to knock
rom under them the last prop
Upon which hope may rest,
OF lettering their condition they are asked
to compete with the heather Chinese for
wofk at wages which only those in the grasp
OF starvation would accept. So far as we are
advised the entire radical press favor the i'm
portati,n OF Chinese and the degradation of
workingnen. The radical demand for
large standing army has no Specification
except so shoot down workingmen who
may revolt at starvation wages. The
Radical organs with scarcely an exception
advocate shylock policy. 1t is to be
nopeo that the Chicago shoe manufacturers
Will not introduce Chinese shoemakers to
work at starvation wages. 1t will be mis-
lake. IL IS nat prudent to exasperate work
ngmen BEYOND the possibility of endurance
LII is terrible refhchon that there are mill
lions OF willing workers. in the United States
who can not purchase food. The policy
should be to reduce rathe, than increase their
number. The people are now reaping
the bitter fruits of radical cu.ses. The mil
lions of hungry people in the cosntry are SO
many haggard protests against rasicalism.
1t has eaten into the vitals of business IKE a
cancer. 1t has burrowed beneaththe soci9.,
political, business and financial superstruc-
lures like rats, until every one realizes that
danger is impending. 1t has degraded labor
and made it possible for American working
men to work for slave wages or perish, and
this party with the impudence of ten thou
sand devils asks to be placed in supreme
command of the government but the verdict
will'be that Chinese and radicalism must re-
tire.
s<----------.--<---------.---aS
VoTING in Canada is not as simple mat
ter as III is in Indiana. and the chances for