The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-04-07
LABOR PROTECTION.

The recent arrival of a ship load Of IRISH
girls 10 work Ia the cotton factories OF
New Hampshire naturally reviyes TIT
question among the working people
whether the same protection that is grant
ed the cotton and other manufacturers
against foreign competition ought not also
10 be extended to the labor IN the factories
The Chicago JouWaL, with sufficient can
dor for protccuonisL organ, states the
case thus:
The complaint Is made that capitalists
who are engaged in certain kinds OF bust
ness requiring skilled labor for carrying II
on, are not only protected in prosecuting II
hy the tariff laws passed by Congress, but
that they have the additional advantage of
entering all the labor markets of the world
and buying their labor where they can
buy it the cheapest. Some OF these skilled
workmen contend that 1t would be quite
consistent f)r congress to apply the same
rule 10 foreign workmen that is applied to
the products of their industry.
Just so. To illustrate the case. The
manufacturer of cotton and wooden goods,
leather, hats, hosiery, &c, finds that he is
unable to 90 on at profit on account OF
foreign competition, ana asks congress to
protect him by leyying duty of 40 per
cent upon, or increasing the cost OF for
eign goods. to the extent of 40 per cent;
then he can 90 on manufacturing at u
handsome profit Meantime his operatives
who find IN consequence OF this 40 per
cent. tariff their cost OF living advanced
at u rate amounting to 1t least 20 per cent.
of their wages, ask of the manufacturing
lords share Of this 40 per cent. "proteC-
ton" which congress has given them.
What Is the rIsuity The bosses reply that
if they are not satisfied with their old
wages "the labor market Of the world Is
Opcu--we can readily get ship load OF
operatives from famine stricken Ireland to
take your place" And that is just what
they are constantly doing Now, if the
wealthy capitalists who own the factories
are entitled to protection against the i'm
portaton Of foreign goods, by what sort Ct
reasoning or show ofjustice can protection
be denied the operatives against the i'm
portatlon of foreign labor?
The JourHaL admits that it presents a
strong case for the working people, but
gets over 1t with the tlippant remark that
at only furnishes another exhibition OF
the endless possibilities OF the tariff dis
cussion, and affords new and interesting
phase of the labor question. The doctrine
has never yet been applied by any country
that we know of, nor has it over been in
pro or con, in the creed OF
any political party IN the United states"
"Perhaps," however, continues the Jour-
nal, "the American people may soon ar
rive at that point in their national history
when two causes Will consplre to compel
them to adopt the policy of prohibition
which we have already applied to the
Chinaman, namely % to protect ourselves
from being overrun and swallowed up by
the hordcs of immigrants Of all classes
and conditions that the over.crowded ma
tons of the Old World are prepared to
send us, and (2) TO protect the laborers Of
our own country from the competition of
those of all grades and occupations from
across the sea. Whenever that time
comes, the demagogues IN all parties will
be prompt to give ear To the popular cry,
ana to accede to the popular demand,
whatever that may be"
This Is encouraging as well rs compli,
mcntary TO the working people. No hon
est, sensible, wise ana true statesman viii
pay attention to them, but the "dema.
gogues" of all parties Will give ear to
their cry. &c.
Our opinion, however, is that if this sys.
tenn of grinding taxation or protection"
tor the sake of protection Is continued
much longer on the one side, there will be
somebody besides the "demagogues" to
take up the case on the other side. There
have been instances in the worlds history
where true statesmen and patriots have felt
justified In espousing the cause
of The masses against their purse proud
oppressors, and such things are possible
again To occur-cyen in the United States
of America.
Nebraska Is suffering from gut OF