Daily Republican., 1880-08-14
Democratic Platform.


MEssRs. EDIroRs We come now 10
the 10th which reads as followu:
Tenth. Free ships and a living
chance for American commerce on the
seas and on the land. No discrimina,
item in favor Of transportation lines,
corporations or monoplies.
Stree shirs," this sentence carries
with It a volume Of meaning and l am
sorry that am compelled to be brief,
1t 10 a question Of great Importance ia
every man who labofs and every one
who does not labor. including every
woman and child.
Every dollar added to the wealth Of
our nation comes through labor,
through the labor Of the pillow, loom and
anvil. II makes no matter who has it,
the possessor OF 1t gets II through trade
or barter from the hands of labor
Nearly every branch Of business in our
country of the mechanical kind, and
also sf manufacturing are engaged in
the building Of bhips. The raw material
Of a steam ship cost only one-hall
Of one per cent Of the whole, while min
ty.nine and one-half per cent. Ia
labor Of skilled and unskilled work.
men. Now 1t Is we'll known that in
England and on the Mersey river they
can build ships for less money than we
can either in New York, Philadelphia,
CheIter or in this city. Why Because
the laboring man, the skilled mechanic,
does not get as much pay for bis work
as he does here in our country ; repeal
the navigation laws and open our ports
to receive ''free ships" and we have
to compete withthe immense capital Of
England, and the poor paid labor Of
that country; which if we can compete
with will reduce the pay Of mechanics
to quite one-half Of what 1t is now, OF
give up the whole business Of ship
building altogether into the hands Of
foreign countries. Do the working
Of .sses understand what "Free ships''
mean, and are they ready to accept il
by voting for the SO called Democratic
ticket 7 for this is just what 1t amounts
10.
MRssRs BDIroRs:-With the same
propriety we ought to legislate all oui
car works. and morocco factories out O.
this city and leave our mechanics and
laboring classes run idle, and ther
when in want bitterly complain of thu
hard times. "a living chance fol
American commerce on land and sea,
Commerce in this case means to carry
as much foreign trade to our country
as we carry produce abroad, and 81
foreign. manufactured goods cost By
the ship load q great deal more than
ship load Of produce, why the tendency
is to import largely Of choice and cost
Iy goods to the detsrinent Of our owl
home labor. The cause Of the brisl
times we are having now is traceabl'
to the fact that our2exports have beer
larger for several years past than on
imports, which gave us an influx o
gold as the balance of trade.
five alter this state Of things BY
Free trade and Stree ships" the bal
ancs Of trade will be against us, anc
we will be sending gold abroad to pay
for luxuries, and the laboring classe
must undergo another panic; but ii
case OF repairs to ships, must our mer
hants send our crafts to England TO
repairs! suppose they will not holc
across the water; then new ship vii
be called into action, and will 1t pay
It is well known to our shipyard me
chanics that there is not . yard IL
this country that can be kept open AM
meet expenses simply by repairing
Take the Narragansett for instance
she will not hold out the passage AM
without the yard for repairs, must b
thrown aside and either do without
steamer on the line, or 60 to Ruglant
for q new one. In the meantime on
mechanics must look on idly and wal
for the time to come when our country
can be placed in the hands OF its friend
and restore the business 30 wantonll
sent abroad.
This is what "free ships" mean TO
the laboring classes. We hope they
understand it, for when they do thel
will both discard "Free ships" ant
the party too that advocate 1t.
"No discrimination of lines, corpora
tions or monoplies." We are extreme
ly glad to 6nd this sentence In their
platform provided they will only live ~
to it. On looking back in to history w
find more Of the public lands were give1
rail roads by the Democratic party thai
by their opponents. In granting suosi
dies there always is large number o
Democratic names enrolled in favor o
such corporations; if this will put
stop to it then a point will have beel
gained.
But Mr.. Editor, this part Of the reso
luton was borrowed from the Republi
can platform, and shows the Animu
that impels them. Yours TO I.