Daily Republican., 1883-11-22
why are Work iug men Dem0cr rats!

ueal1nR WILL De met al tnt U"iiot UoAcb
of the nation with stern rebuke.
why are Working men DemscratA?
Why so many men who find EN-
ployment in cur manufactures are
Democrats, is one of the things that
seems more inexp.icabe the more 1t is
looked at. There is 10 harm in the
name Democrat, no more than there is
in the name OF any other political party,
and man has as perfect right to be a
Democrat as to be anything else, but
when a party abandons all fixed prin.
ciples except negative ones for the sake
of opposition, it is hard t, see why an
intelligent man should tie himself to
such party and stick to it, when it is
actually inimical to his own interests
As the Republican party has become
the party Of progress, prosperity and
protection to American industries, the
Democrats have taken the other tack,
simply for the sake of opposition
The Republican party is responsible for
that protection which has developed the
manufacturing interests Of the nation,
and all these great ship firms, iron
firms, coach making firms and morocco
manufacturing firms that give employ
ment to thousands Of workmen, owe
their prosperity to the wise and con
servalive Legislation of the Republican
party. The Democratic party in its
opposition to the Republican party in
general, las naturally drifted into free
trade ideas, which, if carried ont, would
either breakup our manufactures, or
reduce our workingmen down to the
condition of the half starved pauper
labor of Europe.
Why should workingmen act with a
party that, if it had full sway, would
break down our great manufacturing
industries, and for the sake Of having,
cheap made articles would reduce the
workingmen 5 wages down to less than
one half what they are now. When
workingmen are entirely dependent
upon our manufactures for employ.
ment, and our manufacturers entirely
dependent upon protective tariff
without dropping to pauper wages, it is
remarkably strange that workmeu in
this day OF intelligence, still walk upI
to the election polls and vote for a party
thar to insure success would break
down the barriers of protection to the
work that gives them employment.
The Democratic party is committed to
free trade policy-a policy that if
carried out would paralyze our indus
tries and throw thousand Of men out Of
employment. In short, Democracy and
free trade mean less work and less
wages, while Eepub.iCanism and pro.
lection mean more work and more
wages. Cannot workingmen and me-
chauics see this, or are they 50 blinded
with political prejudice that they refuse
to see If the names of Democracy and |
kepubicanism were totally ON,iterated
and the peop.e left to form new parties |
there is no doubt there would be an al !
most unanimous declaration in favorof |
protection. 1t is uore the less impor-
tant in the present existing condition of
political divisions. America cannot
afford to degrade her workmen 10 the
wretchedness Of starvation wages, but
if the Democrats are placed III power
and free trade follows, it is buta step tc
reach that atdegradation.
Are American workmen prepared for
this ? Are Wilmington workmen ready
for such a change? # they are a.! they
have 10 10 is to stick 10 the Democratic
party whether it does righ: or wrong,
and if by their votes that party comes
into power and free trade and starvation
wages result, those persons who biud!y
voted for .rss work and less wages vii!
get exactly what they voted for.