The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-08-19

from this scant measure of justice even, {
by the importation OF foreign labor from
every country whence it could be
brought, from the Chinas to the western
shores of the Atlantic.
WHY have they done this? Because
these imported laborers can, and Tor
time do, live on what would starve the
American workingmen and so can work
very much cheaper, for 1t has ever been
the rule, and if the workingmen do not
take the remedy for this fearful state OF
things into their own hands, ever will
be the rule, that the wages OF labor are
only so much and 10 more as will sup |
port him and his wife and children in
the lowest degree of comfort when all OF |
them are at work who can work.
In addition TO this imported cheap |
abor, and the use of convict labor at |
nomina price wherever 1t could be had,
thereby aebasing and lowering the high |
standard of American labor, the pertec- |
ton of machinery, by which so great a
share of production is effected, mas so
lessened muscular effort in labor that
capitalists have been enabled to utilize
the labor of women and children TO a
very large extent TO do that work which
men formerly did. Thus the working
mans wife and sisters are made the in
struments OF lowering his own rate of
wages.
But, it will be said, surely to employ
the women and children proiitably can
not be Objectionable. Certainly not if it
is profitable to themselves, their fathers
and husbands and the country.
How stands the fact? Women's labor
is employed in manufactures at very
much less price than mems labor, even
that poor quality of mems labor inn
ported from abroad, while women and
even children can do that class of labor
,.Hst l. -
Laboring men thereby are thrown out of
employ, or else compelled to work at UNI
remunerative prices. Thus capital gets
still further advantage of tariff put on
imported articles as is claimed to enable
the American producer TO pay more to
American labor than the foreign laborer
receives as wages. II will therefore be
seen that capital, thus taking to itself as
rule from the poor mechanic, who in
Of God given to mankind in
improvement in machinery for produc
tion uses those very improvements for
the purpose of still further lowering the
wages of the American workman by
the employment of women and female
children to tend this improved ma
chinery. To Illustrate the extent to
which this has gone, there are $4,000 te-
males in Massachusetts alone, one sixth
of the wage people, working at wages
out of their own homes at an average
not more than so per cent. of what is
paid to males.
THESE WRONGS faint THE VERY LIFE
BLOOD or THE PEOPLE.
This condition of things is not one
affecting economic questions alone, but
il goes to the very vitality of the nation.
l do not say that workingman en-
ployed at the bench or the machine can
not be the father of as healthy children,
both in body and mind, as II not so en-
ployed. On the contrary, think him
far more capable in that direction than
is the idle and efleminate consumer of
other mems works without labor, who
has incapacitated his manly powers,
perhaps, by his vices and, therefore,
the infusion of fresh blood from the
farm and the workshop has been found
necessary to sustain the business pros
perity of the cities. But do say that no
wife or mother, from whom phYsiolo-
gists tell us the child must receive
largely its mental endowments, was in
tended by the Almighty to spend her
young years or mature age in standing
for many hours day behind a counter
or confined in tending machine.
II the lab0ring woman had the ballot
she would be able, with the assistance OF
her husband, father and brother, to right
this great wrong, but being denied it
she becomes virtually slave!
Employ women if you will and must
but let 1t be at the same remunerative
wages when they do the same work rs
men, so that they may at the earliest
moment release themselves from thral-
dom.
The Republican party has released the
colored man from bondage and given
him the ballot for his protection. Why,
in the score of years since, has not that
party by the same species Ofclass legis-
lation saved the white women OF the
nation from deteriorating its children9
With an overwhelming majority,
Republicans have spent months and
months In devising laws for the cleva-
ton of womanhood in the territory OF
Utah. BE II so! Why has not some Re
publican statesman given a few hours I'm
these later years when Southern troub.
les have passed away, or been over.
looked, To the question whether the
women of the nation, If not protected 10y
other legislation, should not he allowed
the ballot with which TO protect them
selves, as that party gave it for like pur.
poses TO the negro
For these reasons, tariff which give,
to capital protection upon the ground
that thereby American labor may b,
protected, ha too often turned out by
means, some of which | have men
toned, TO be simply the enhancement
of the profits of capital, while labor still
remains substantially unrewarded, ant
certainly without any just share Of the
profits.
Herein, as experience has shown, tn,
laboring classes have nothing to hon,
from the Republican party. The frs
and only object of protection i'm layinl
duties should be TO protect labor, ant
never to protect capital, which can In
Ia "a Ia 81 -. a
TO do. Itshould, moreover, be restraino,
from getting more than its fair share o
the profits OF production and transpor
tatiOn.
NOR HAS LABOR ANY HOPE FROM TIA
PARTY TO AID ITS NECESSITIES o
PROTECT ITS RIGHTS.
The Republican party has granted sui
sides 10 railroads and steamships, erect
ed many and expensive public build
ings, spent many millions in openin
the mouth of the Mississippi and levet
ing its banks, and many millions in i'm
proving rivers and harbors. Thes
grants amount 10 sum equal TO haI
the National debt. Without criticism
She proprloty of these grants, althoug
some of them are open TO criticism, yC
THESE are all aids To the capitalist an
land owner.
Point me to one grant or act in aid {
the workingman. ! do not forget IN
eight hour law for Government laboror
and mechanics, but there never has bee
honesty and power enough in Ropubl
can administration TO enfore that law.
When In Congress ! introduced n bi
and advocated it as well rs could tn,
Congress grant aid to families of labo
ing men in cities 10 settle ON the publ
. lands in the west and make homes /,
themselves, and rs communities be alb
70 protect themselves against the In
dams and thus dispense with the cost ,
the army. II slept In the proper con
mitteos of Democratic House and X,
publican Senate the sleep of all propt
sails In favor of labor that knows n
waking.
This bill would have begun anothC