Daily Republican., 1884-10-20
Does Protection Project .

OHARLBS Z. SPARks. WumlnKtOn.
Does Protection Project
We have received the following letter
from q workingman, and as 1t is writ. |
ten courteously and with an evident
desire to know why protection does not
protect the workingman better than it /
does, we give it entire in our editorial
column, with editorial comments
WILMINGTON, Oct. 18.-Editors of
REPUBLICAN, Will you give the
workingmen little light through the
lection l am for protection all the
time. American industry should be
protected, and American workingmen
should also be protected from compe-
tition with foreign labor. But does
protection do this as we have it at
present ? We read and hear a great
deal about protection to American
workingmen.
Now is American labor protected ?
Is not capital getting all the benefits
or 30 nearly all, that the laboring mans
share is hardly perceptible When
manufacturers in their business cut
wages down 10 and Is per cent. at a
time till they get so small that men
cannot live honestly and they strike
for more, and then the manufacturers
FILL their places with foreign labor, is
not protection as we have 1t at present
incomplete Is the laboring man pro-
tected A man getting Sc q week and
having family Of five children all
under Is years of age, how is he to pro-
vide for seven people and make all
ends meet, with house rent at the
present rate ? Should not the labor
ing man be protected from competi-
ton with foreign imported labor :?
Please give us your mind.
A workingman and reader of your
paper"
1t affords US pleasure to discuss this
question in rational manner with an
evidently honest correspondent, though
we may not succeed in answering all
his interrogstories in q satisfactory
manner to him. We frankly admit
that American labor is not protected
now from competition with foreign
labor, that is imported labor, as it
should be, in fact we are not prepared
to state that it is protected at all. We
do unhesitatingly say that while our
government protects American manu-
facturers from composition with foreign
manufacturers, that it ought at the
same time prohibit American manu-
facturers from importing the cheap
labor of Europe to compete with
American labor. Prohibiting imported
foreign labor is one Of the things that
our Government has never yet taken
hold of, in fact it has only been car.
r1ed on within recent years and the
people are only now realizing the in
justice of it.
We are happy TO tell our correspon
dent, however. that the Republican
party is going 10 take hold of this ques
ton if the people will continue it in
power another four years. We have
only to refer him to the Republican
platform of principles adopted at Chi
cago, one of the principal planks o.
that platform being opposition to foreign
imported labor in competition with
American labor. James G. Blaine In
placing himself squarely upon tn.
platform, did it in no general sense
but specifically alluded to this par
ticular plank as meeting his views OF
that subject directly, and he as hearti
ly promised it his support. No sucl
declaration of principles can be fount
in the Democratic platform. The.
would be entirely at variance and in
compatible with the doctrine of ire
trade which seeks the cheapest labor.
word in regard to capital. Tn
great object of the Democrats seems t
be to stir up not only an opposition
but an emnity on the part Of the labor
.er against capital, or in other word
against his employer. The laborer l
pictured in want and poverty, the EN-
ployer rolling in luxury and wealth. !
may be that they are getting more tina
their legitimate share of the profits G
manufacturing AS has been alread
shown, they even resort to the exped
ency of importing cheap labor regard
less of the prior claims of America
labor.
IL is as natural for them to get tn
cheapest labor in the market, as 1t
for laboring man to get the cheapes
food the cheapest clothing or the cheal
est rents. 1T many laborers were SUE
denly transformed into manufacturer
in all probability they too would see
the cheapest labor. But as we have a
rea shown, the Republican party hi
declared that American manufa
turers must hereafter cease the impo
tation of cheap foreign labor. They q
not to be prohibited from hiring
cheap American labor as they can &c
but they must not import aliens. "
should not be unmiudful of the ia
THAI very large capital is required
cahy on such works as the Harlan
Hollingsworth, the Pussy q Jont
and the Jackson & Sharp Compani
have.
Without the capital, there could be
labor for laboring men. The man W
risks $500, in manufacturing e
terprise is the man who gives labor
thousands OF laborers. This man is {
titled to profits on his capital. If
invested his money in real estate or
Government bonds, he would real
five per cent. or $25, 600 a "