The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-10-22
GarAela FaveEs s. Chinese Cheap
Labor,

New England, among tine STATES 81 tine
Pacific and in all the States of the East,
by the publication of letter from Gen.
Garfield in which be avows his opposition
to the abrogation Of the treaty with China
until the "great manufacturing interests
care conserved [protected] in the matter
"of labor The letter is as follows:
Personal and Confidential
HoUgR o. REPRESENTATIVE,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan'y %, 1880.
DEAR 6lR: Yours III relation to the Chinese
problem came duly TO hand. take it that the
question of employees j. only question of pri-
vate and corporate economy, and individuals or
companies have the right to 6uy labor sOhers they
can get It chedpest We have a treaty with the
Chinese government which should be religiously
kept until its provisions are abrogated by the
action of the government, and am not prepared
10 say that It saouid Be Gbrcgated unta our great
manufacturing intercsts are conferred in the matter
of labor. Very truly yours.
j. A. GARFIELD.
H. L. MoREY, Employers Union, Lynn. Aass.
1t is notorious that wherever Cinnamon
have appeared the wages paid for labor
have declined to starvation point. In
California and other Pacific States the Chi
nese entered into competition with native
labor in all branches Of business, working
for less and driving the working men of
the country out. This is the reason of
the hostility to the Chinese on the Pacific
slope. They are gradually making their
appearance in the Eastern States, where
the effect on labor is the same as it
has been in California; and if the
treaty with China is not abrogated
or go modified as to stop their emf
grafton, the time is not far distant when
the Mongolian race will be numbered in
this country by the million and crowd
every workshop and manufacturing es-
Establishment in the land. 1t will be seen
that Garfield is opposed to any modifca-
tion of the treaty until the capital in
vested in manufacturing is protected and
rendered more remunerative by the cheap
est labor attainable. 1t is no wonder that
the appearance of this letter has stirred
the busy hives of industry all over the
country as they were never stirred before.
The cry of the high tarifites for "protec-
ton" means the exclusion of all goods
which will come into competition with
their own wares, while the protected mo-
nopolsts are to have treaties retained and
religiously kept" whose provisions ena-
BILE them g to bay labor s0here they can
get 1t the cheapest :" Their ideas of pro-
lection" are too one-sided to suit the
working classes of America. "The Chinese
must go;" their very presence is a
menace Garfeld's position on this ques-
ton has been kept hidden, but now that
it is known this letter will prove his death
Warrant. The Republicans here have
been apprised that =" The devil is to pay in
Massachusetts " and now they have the
secret of the widespread commotion
which to-day pervades their ranks in the
East. 1t is the same in California, Ne
vada and Oregon. Garfeld's record on
the Credit Mobilier and DeGolyer swindles
made him nauseous dose, but this letter
comes like a new revelation of his
character, and seals his fate as Presi-
dental aspirant. So mote it be. Amen.