The Evening critic., 1884-08-16
BLAINE AND THE woRKlNoMeN

etnb.
A regular meeting Of The wofkingmons
National Blaine and logan Club was held
at Cooperative Hall last night. An ad-
dress to tho workingmen Of tho country
was submitted and unanimously adopted.
The club took measures to secure largo
flag, and eighty-fve new members were Gu
rolled. Speeches on the issues Of the day
and the duties of tho hour were delivered
by Mr.. Alfred Thomas ii. s. Tinker, d. J.
Mum and George Fordham. Mr.. Fordham
was authorized to form glco club.
A letter from Mr.. Blaine was read, thank
ing the club for its assurances Of support.
Meetings in future will be held at Clan-na-
Gael Hall. corner Four-and.a-half street
and Pennsylvania avenue, commencing
Saturday, August 49, when addresses and
singing of campaign songs under the lead
ership Of Mr.. Fordham will be the order.
The address 10 the Workfngmen OF
the Country.
The great issues OF the pending campaign
arc Industrial. Realizing this important fact,
the workingmen's National Blaine and Logan
Club, comprising voters In most OF the States
OF the Union, have organized for the cam.
paign, We believe that in both platform and
candidates tho Republican party present the
only hope for effective action on Industrial
questions. The reasons for this belief are
various. Some OF the most prominent are the
following.
pressions for the elevation OF labor common to
platforms, pledges the party under the incom.
Ing administration 10 The support OF the Ma
tionnl Bureau OF Labor Statistics, the enforce
ment OF the eight hour law. an adequate
appropriation for a system OF general educa-
tion, and oppositlon 70 the importation OF con-
tract labor, whether from Europe or Asia. Tho
rejection by an overwhelming majority OF n
labor plank from the platform OF the National
Democratic party by setting the Republican
pledges in clearer relief, cannot but add to
their genuineness.
q. In the persons OF the candidates
who have each a long public record--we have
q suffcient guarantee that these pledges are
not promises lightly made to be as lightly
3. While In Congress Mr.. Blaine, In both
House and Senate, and General Logan in the
eight-hour lcgisiatioD, their votes on numer.
GUS occasions having been recorded In sup.
port OF measures arising therefrom.
4; Near the close OF the hero, Forty, nth Congress
iehing the Government Printing ONCE, and
providing for letting out Government printing
and binding by contract. This bill found a
determined opponent In Mr.. Blaine, who re.
garded 1t as an insidions attempt to lower tho
standard OF wages adopted in the District.
o.. Near the close Of the second session OF
an amendmentto an appropriation bill place
ing the employees OF tho Government Printing
ONCE upon an equality with department clerks
by giving 10 them the same legal holidays,
without reduction OF wages, as were enjoyed
by the clerks. In his speech In behalf OF this
measure Mr.. Blaine characterized tho said
employee as the hardest worked OF all the
Government employees, and that simple hon.
esty and 1uetice demanded that the same
privileges should DO accorded TO them as were
enjoyed by those engaged In clerical labor.
q. MIR. Dlltne'9 0arneatuosa In dafendiQr thu
cause OF American labor Is shown In the stand
taken by him In the Senate In favor OF restrict
ing Chinese coolie immigration. For this he
was caricatured In Hdrper's Weekly, that pre-
eminently respectable sheet having Its cul.
tured sensibilities shocked that man OF Mr..
Biaine's high standing should champion the
2. Aeide from these special instances OF sym.
patty shown, Mr.. Blaine stands to-day as the
render American labor Independent, and OPP
poses, IN the language OF the platform on
which he stands, "the so-called economic sys.
tenn OF the Democratic party which would de-
grade our labor TO tho foreign standard"
Alaboring man does not need to be versed
in the fntrcacies OF economies TO know that
his position here is better than that OF labor
ers abroad. observation-disclosures limited
II may be-is practical rather than theoret
tcal; II has been acquired In tho school OF
hard experience, not from the textbooks oil
| He sees that laborers desire to come tc
America, not TO go from It; that high.priced
/ IhDOl means Dttlbr IOOu Hnu Dettbf llYlng Tor
the laborer, and as a consistent trade union
let feel that IL would be Illogical to oppose thu
application OF his principles to our Natlona
| pollty. He also sees that the English pres
| are outspoken In their sympathy for the Demo
| cratic party and Its candidates.
AS workfngmen, we are opposed TO tho In
auguration of governmental policy which re
/ ceives such warm encomiume from our indus
| trial rtval-England.
The party which Mr.. Blaine represents ha
had the courage and patriotism TO release u
4 fNl mn AnNa xuhl Nla
| younger Pitt boosted he nnd reconquered. w,
had one struggle with England for freedom
from political dependence-and won. We hai
| q second struggle to secure freedom on tn
high seas--and won. We are now having an
| other struggle TO maintain freedom from com
mercial dependence-and shall win. Thi
| time, however, England proposes nghtinl
with free-trade ballots, but we have faith II
| the patriotism OF our fellow.citlzons that tho,
Will prove as ineffective as her bullets.
Laboring men, more than all others, are IN
terested In the present contest. 1t will dc
termino whether the policy OF this Governmen
Will be American or British; whether We ar
| TO legislate for our interests or England
needs; whether our frat care shall be til,
prosperity OF our workmen or the relief OF tn
distressed English workmen. This electio
will decide whether the keynote OF the incom
ing Administration shall be self.reliance o
| foreign alliance; whether tho Government
ehali make the needs OF American industr
| subHcrvient to or Independent OF foreign In
porters; whether our flag shall represer
American honor or commercial greed.
The quotations from recent English journal
which We have all lately read, have define
the issuea as contribution to the "Clevelan
BOOM" they Will have an historic interest, a
areminder OF our duty they have a presei
value; they show that far transcending a
other questions Is that OF the Industrial Il
| ture of our people.
Shall we break down the walls within whic
eight hours work Is growing probability, {
open wide the gates where II would be an In
possibility? Shall our Independence be con
plete or partiali Aglorious struggle release
us from subsection 70 the British Crown; aha
we, by an tnglorious surrender, meekly q
cept the sovereignty OF the British trader?
Having dened the throne, shall we bow TO Il
With Grover Cleveland. tho path loads on
way; with James G.. Blaine, II leads TO q
opposite direction.
Representing an American policy, We hay
candidates who have, on every occasion,
the Halls OF Congress, recorded their votes Il
measures we hold at hearti candidates VIII
have long since given full proof OF their Il
teilectual capacity and administrative ABILITY
candidates who, by their generous sympath
have won the respect and merit the esteem
every industrial worker who honors his Amei
can citizenship.
on tho other side we nave q candidate o
fered us still In the apprenticeship OF sta
craft OF whose capabilities no proof has bee
/ giveni candidate who came from obscurl
by political accident, and who has alrea'
proved political disappointment; cant
date whose lack OF sympathy with uB Is shoV
In the fact that he fnds his warmest euiogit
, abroad, and his bittereet enemies III the tra'
organizations OF his own State.
Gan We as workingmen--ag American ci
zens proud OF our Industrial development al
hopeful OF its future-do aught else than gu
port tho candidates 30 woli known Tor the
staunch Americanism, James u. Blaine al
: John A. Logan? To the workingmen OF eve
State we appeal-nOt ms Republicans, but
fellow lRborers-to follow our example a.
organize for the campaign 70 elect Pres si,l