Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-10-29
GENERAL GARFIELD's POSITION ON
THE LABOR QUESTION.

The forger of the o.called Morey letter,
and those who are seeking to utilize that
forgery, had not sense enough to perceive
that the sentiments attributed to General
Garfield in the letter are such as he could,
on no rational hypothesis, be believed to
have expressed 1t is an evidence of that
invincible Democratic stupidity which the
course of the party leaders so continually
exhibits, that coincidently with the fabri-
cation of this letter they are advertising
the fact that General Garfield is a member
of the Golden Club. OF course they do
not see that this fact is fresh proof OF
the absurdity of their latest charge, but
that it is so we propose to demonstrate.
The Golden Club is, as is well known,
Free Trade Club, and General Garfield
would never have been admitted to men,
bership in it had his views on that subject
not been known to be in accord with those
for the dissemination of which the club
was instituted. Now, as Free Trader,
General Garfield must believe that the
labor market should be unrestricted ; that
is to say. that those who need labor should
be permitted to buy it at the cheapest rate,
and that those who sell labor should be free
to sell it at the dearest rate. General
Garfield knows very well, however, that
Chinese labor does not as rule fall within
this category, for the reason that very
much of it, if not the greater part, is inn
ported like material goods, and that it is
clude freedom of market. What he thinks
of this form OF labor he has very plainly
| set forth IN his letter of acceptance, where
| he observes that ." the movement of the
Chinese to our Pacific coast partakes but
Z" little of the character of an immigra-
90 ton, either in its purposes or its results.
g 1t is too much like an Importation to be
g endured without restriction too much
GO like an invasion to be looked upon with
q" out solicitude." His instincts as
Free Trader naturally oppose him
to this kind of labor, and here is the
point at which the gross blunder of the
Democratic forgers becomes apparent The
forged letter makes him say of the Bur-
lingame treaty, g 1 am not prepared to say
that it should be abrogated until our
"great manufacturing interests are an
Hswered in the matter of labor" The
sentiment here expressed is not only in
direct opposition to the known views of
General Garfield, but it is in accord with
the most extreme and rabid Protectionism
only. Let it be remembered that this
letter is alleged to have been written last
January, when Garfield was not a candi-
date for the Presidency, and when, con-
sequently, there was nothing to hinder
him from expressing himself frankly as a
member of the Golden Club. To suppose
that under these circumstances he would
deliberately have turned his back upon all
the conclusions to which a life of study
had brought him, is to initiate the old
theological absurdity, and believe thing
because it is impossible. The connection
between the sentiment OF the forged letter
and ultra Protectionism is too clear to need
explanation. General Garfield is there
made to take the position that " Protec-
"tion to home manufactures should be
carried the length of destroying the Amer
lean labor market. He is made to say
that the importation of cheap Chinese
labor should not be stopped Until all who
buy labor are fully supplied. 1t is evident
that very little extension of the same
line OF argument would justify the revival
of the slave trade-which has as matter
of fact been defended by Protectionists on
identical grounds.