The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-10-27
WORKINGMEN, READ THIS.
Garfield on Cheap Labor, and Especially
In Favor Of Chinese Cheap Labor.
He Says Individuals and Corporations Have
the Right to Buy Laber Where They
Can Get IL the Cheapest.

The Republican party claims that il is the
friend of the laboring man, and that the
compensation or wages of the workingman
viii be reduced If the Republican party is
not continued in power. The representative
Of the Republican party, James A. Garfield,
is in favor of cheap labor, no matter from
what source it comes. In proof of this, the
following letter written by him to MEM
Der of the Employers Union will
best demonstrate how little sympathy
that party has with the laboring
men of the country In it Garfield
pronounces himself IN favor of the principles
of that organization, that individuals and
companies have the right to buy labor where
they can get it cheapest" even if the Chi
nese must be brought into the country until
the great manufacturing interests are
provided with cheap labor. Here is a letter
which shows most cOnclusively that neither
Mr.. Garfield. the Republican candidate for
the Presidency, or the Republican party
itself have any regard for worlingmen,
but to make them hewers of wood and
drawers of water to promote the interests
and wealth ''of private and corporate econo-
my" Read:
personal and CONFIDENTIAL
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WASHINGTON, ID. c. January %, 1880.
H. L. Morey, Employers Union, Lynn, Mass:
DEAR sIR-Yours in relation to the Chinese
problem came duly to hand. ] take ii that the
question of employees is only question of private
and corporate economy, and individuals or COM
panies have the right to buy labor where they
can get it cheapest. We have treaty with the
Chinese Government, which should be religiously
kept until its provisions are abrOgated by the
action of the General Government. and am not
prepared to say that IL should be abrogated until
our great manufacturing interests are conserved
In the matter Of labor. Very truly. yours,
j. A. GARFIELD.
1t is not probable that Garfield expected
to be a candidate for the Presidency when
he wrote this letter, but it expresses the
idea of the Republican party, and what his
policy will be if elected-that we must have
a strong Government that a few must fatten
and govern upon the labor of many; that
the question of the working population of
the United States sis only question of pri-
vate and corporate economy, and individ-
uals or companies have the right to buy
labor where they can get il cheapest" In
other words, that labor, which produces the
wealth of the country, must submit to the
exactions 'of private and corporate econ
omy." Have the wOrkingmen of this coun-
try no interests or rights which wealth.
whether represented by individuals or cor
p0ratlons, do not propose to respect?
That the Republican party. or the inter
ests which govern the Republican party, is
expressed by Mr.. Garfield can not be ques-
toned when he declares to representative
of the Employers Union that the treaty
with the Chinese, Government, which per-
mits the indefinite importation of cheap
Chinese labor, must be religiously kept,
until our great manufacturing interests are
conserved in the matter of labor" Every
workingman can understand this.
Contrast this expression of the Republican
candidate for the Presidency with that of
General Hancock, who says:
Let us encourage the harmony and generous
rivalry among our own industries which win re-
Vlye our languishing merchant marine, extend
our commerce with foreign nations, assist our
merchants, manufacturers and producers to de-
yelop our vast natural resources and increase the
prosperity and happiness of our people.
1 am too sound an American to advocate any
departure from the general features of policy
that has been largely instrumental IN building up
our industries and keeping Americans from the
competition Of under-paid labor.
Workingmen, can you hesitate as to a
choice between Hancock and Garfield?
Garfield says that the introduction of
cheap labor must not be interfered with
until our great manufacturing interests are
served. Hancock says the policy that has
been largely instrumental in building up
our industries and keeping Americans from
the competition of unpaid labor must be
sustained.
And what will be the result If Garfield is
elected? He best expresses it when he says
the treaty with the Chinese Government
should not be abrogated by the General
Government until the manufacturing inter-
ests are supplied with cheap labor. If the
Republicans should elect Garfield and ma
jority of the United States Senate-and that
would be the treaty-making power-the
treaty with the Chinese Government would
not be abrogated until, what Mr. Garfield
says, "our great manufacturing interests are
conserved in the matter of labor" that is,
until the labor of American workingmen is
brought down to the competition of under
paid labor of Europe and China.