The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-10-28

taxation,
AN ASTONISHING LETTER FROM GENERAL GAR
FIELD.
His real opinions are, think, made perfectly |
clear by this astonishing letter, which appeared |
in New York paper this morning.
Personal and Conhdenual)
House of Represer tatives. |
Washington, D, c., January 23d, 1880. J |
DEAR SIR Yours in relation to the Chinese |
problem came duly to hand take II that the |
question OF employees Is only question OF prlVale |
anO corporate economy, and individuals OF com.
panies have the right to bay labor where they caa
get 1t cheapest, We have treaty with tne Chl' |
nese government which should be TehglouSly |
kept until its provisions are aoTogated by the aC
tiOn of the general government: ana am hot |
prepared to say that 1t should be abTOgated uhtii
our great manufacturing interests are conserved |
in the matter of labor. Very truly yours,
JAS. A. GARFIELD.
II. L, MoREY, Employers Union, Linn, Mass
"some people NAV incline to pronounce II
forgery have seen 1t am familiar with Gen
eral Ga fields signature l have compared II
with his letters in my possession and have no
doubtit is genuine. Ifit be forgery 1t Is the
work of a consummate artist bat If thought, al
ter examination, there was the slightest doubt OF
its authenticity, should not refer to It, But 1t
accords with the course which General Ga field
always took or questions affecting the interest of
employers. Observe the concluding language
I'VE have treaty with the Chinese Government
= and I am not prepared to say that 1t should
be abrogated until our great manufacturing in
terests are conserved in the matter OF labor
How could they thus be conserved except by
bringing down the price Of our own labor 10 the
level of Chinese wages7 Now, l have no wish to
play the part of a demaRogue in this matter, but
of one thing have been persuaded ever since
began to observe the structure Of society, and
that is that the first Object and highest duty OF
slatesmanship is to secure for the mass of the peo
pie the highest possible standard OF comfort This
cannot be maintained without good wages,and 1t
is higher in the United stat than In Europe be-
cause labor is better paid and can earn more
here than there. shall rejoice If the European
standard can be raised, but do not wish to see |
our standard lowered. The interest have taken |
in freeing our commercial legislation from Its
restrictive features is because believe that labor
will be the principal gamer by striking the
shackles from trade as fast as 1t can be done
without disturbing existing interests; but l
wound sacrifice my views and any existing inter
est If supposed that this course would diminish |
and not increase the rewards OF labor Hence ]
do not desire to see our manufacturing interests
conserved in the matter of labor by any cheaper
labor than the workingmen Of this country have
to dispose of in order to get living for them
selves and their families.
DO THEY TAKE THE wogKINGMEN FOR FooLs7
think that have said enough to show the
hy ypncTitical nature Of the claims Of General Gar.
field and bis Republican followers that they are
the special and only friends Of the workingmen
Of this cOuHtry. In ore respect they Will hnd
they are oveTreachirg themselves. They count
as they always DO upon the ignorance of the
working classes Of this country. In this they
make great mistake. The wOrkinpmen Of this
country are more intelligent than they suppose,
and many # them have q much better knOwl'
edge Of political economy than was displayed in
the recent speeches Of SenstOr COnRling and
Judge PlerrepOnl. Thy know enough to meas
ure their labor not by deprecated dollars hut by
what II will purchase Of the products they need
for their support and comfort. They know that
they cannot be made rich by law, nor can the re
ward of their industry be increased by taxes
which are paid out OF their own products. They
understand that economy In the Government
means better wages; that grants and subsidiea TO
corporations and great manufacturers lessen tie
fund which is left to be divided among the mass.
es of the people that while capital is necessary
for the regular conduct Of business 1t is not nee
essary th6t 1t shall be owned and controlled by a
few men or by special classes that the best &c.
curty they have for a just reward for labor lies
in the preservation Of individual rights, and that
the greatest Of the rights is the right Of suffrage
Of all other rights that such ap.
peals as have been made by Senator Conkling
IN tna Of /
to protect themselves by the establishment Of
strong government, supported by strong army
would result in despotism, communism or revo
luton that the best security for the property
which they all teek to acquire and which, there.
fore, they have the strongest interest to protect
lies in the preservation Of this Government upon
the old foundations and by strict adherence to
the political principles declared and establi he'd
by Jefferson ss distinguished from the policy and
views Of Hamilton, which General Ga field ad'
mres and adopts as leading to the establishment
OF strong government which, In the history OF
the world, has always resulted in dividing the
people into two classes-the rich, who rule, and
the poor, who work that the Democratic party,
with all It's faults and Blemlshes-and God knows
they have made plenty Of them-is still, as 1t al
ways has been, the party OF justice the stern roe
Of special privileges and the true and only friend
OF honest industry, which is the foundation Of
the great structure Of freedom and prosperity
reared on this Western Continent by patriots who
builded wiser than they knew and whose labor
the workingmen of this country will never per.
nit to be brought to naught Knowing this, they
peacefully and by the ballot which they still pos
still possets, now terminate the rule Of the Re
publican party because 1t has outlived its use
fulness and because itH further continuance in
power is dangerous to the liberties Of the coun-
Try on the preservation of which rests the only
hope OF the sons Of toll for escape from the
wretehed bondage to which they have been re-
auced in every other land and under every other
form Of government.
PERHAPS THIS Is THE LAST CHANCE,
LET me commend to them and to my Repub
l. -. ~ -