Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-07-15
AaiIp 9tnlrtbtf y0urlraI.
Augusta. Saturday Morning, July 15.
Protection to American Labor.


The way your enormous bounties granted
to capitalists in favored Industries have pro-
tected American labor. is shown BY the strikes
thst are occurring all over the country among
American workmen for living wsges--Ner
Age.
The New Age implies in the foregoing
that Protection is the cause Of the strikes
which have recently taken place in this
country. But the New Age forgets to no.
tice that while these strikes are going on
every vessel that comes from Europe is
freighted with Iaborers fleeing from the
starvation prices Of Free Trade countries
and seeking the better wages which this
country with its Protective tariff affords.
England has no Protective tariff. But
wages In this country a,e at least 30 per
cent higher than in England. Ireland Is
Free Trade country, and who does not
know that its people are ensigrating as fast
as they can to America. while those who
remain are in a chronic state of rebellion
against the government which finds itself
powerless TO prevent the assassination of
officials whom il sends there. Compared
with the open and constant revolt of Irish
laborers. and the strikes and disaffccti0n
of English workmen which are only kept
down BY military force. the strikes seen
in America are utterly Insignificant and
unimportant.
A few years ago. during the hard times
on account OF depression in business
in this country the anomaly was witnessed
Of some mechanics going to England.
because of failure to find satisfactory
employment here. The result was much
humiliation and suffering to them, con-
straining the Consul at Bristol to write as
follows:
'sNo lab0rer should allow himself to be en-
tced, by imagining that he could better his
condition by leaving the United States to re-
turn to his native country, if born in Europe
A number of such lahorers and also some
mechanics have. during the last two years,
called upon this consulate for help 10 get
back to the United States, cursing the day
when they LETT America Tor Europe, where
neither milk nor honey is flowing. Com
pared riM Europe, The United States IS n
paradise for sober and faithful gorkiag
man "
Intelligent American laborers are con-
tented TO remain in this country and sup
port republican Protective tariff. rather
than accept the democratic Free Trade
system of England and Ireland. They
know under which laborers fare the best
The River and IIarbor bin passed the
Senate by vote of thirty-nine to twenty
three OF the affirmative votes eighteen
were republican and twenty-one demo-
crat. OF those opposing sixteen were re-
publicans. six democrats and one in
dependent The republicans will be held
responsible for this extravagant log-roll-
ing grant. yet ii will be noted that in an
evenly divided Senate the democrats gave
three in favor of the bill to one against,
and their twenty-one votes saved it from
defeat and gave it majority of sixteen
The Philadelphia Press says The
bank-hating greenback democratic fusion
lists in Maine have a national bank presi-
dent on their Congressional ticket"
This is not the only queer Thing on tine
fusion conversational ticket