Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-07-19


mechanics and workingnen of the United
States. Wages are undoubtedly reduced
when an industrious man is not
comfort, educate his children, and lay by sutfi-
cient for the necessity of age. The reduction of
wages is inevitably consequent upon throwing
our home market open to the world. We would
deprive them of the power 10 do this. II would
prove great calamity TO our country. It would
produce conflict between the poor and the
rich, and in the sorrowful degradation of the
laborer would plant the seeds OF public danger.
The Republican party has steadily aimed TO
maintain just relations between labor
aud capital, guarding with care the
rights of each. conflict between the
two has always led in the past, and
will always lead in the future to the injury of
both Labor is Indispensable to the creation
and profitable use of capital, and capital in
creases the efficiency and value of labor. Who
ever arraigns the one against the other is an
enemy Of both. That policy is wiseSt which
harmonizes the two on the basis of absolute JUS
tice The Republican party has protected the
free labor of America, so that its compensation
is larger than is realized in any other country
competition of contract labor from China.
and may be called upon to prohibit
the growth of similar evil from Europe 1t is
obviously unfair to permit capitalists to make
contracts for cheap labor in foreign countries,
to the hurt and disparagement OF the labor of
American citizens. Such policy like that,
which would leave the time and other cordi-
tiOns OF home labor exclusively in the control
of the employer, is injurious 10 all parties not
the least so the unhappy persons who are made
the subjects of the contract. The institutions of
the United States rest upon the intelligence and
virtue of the people. Suffrage is made univer-
sal, as just weapon of Selfprotection to
every citizen. 1t is not to the interest
of the Republic that any economic system
should be adopted which involves the reduction
of wages to the hard standard prevailing else
where. The Republican party aims to elevate
and dignity labor-uot to degrade it. As q sub
stitute for the industrial system, which, under
Republican administrations, has developed such
extraordinary prosperity, would the opponents
offer policy which is but a series of expert
ments upon our system of revenue A
policy whose end must be harm TO our
labOrers and greater harm TO our labor Ex-
pertinent in the industrial and financial system
is the country's greatest dread, as stability
is its greatest boon. Even the uncertainty re-
sulting from the recent tariff agitation in Con
gress has hurtfully affected the business of the
entire country. Who can measure the harm to
our shops and our homes TO our farms and our
commerce, if the uncertainty of perpetual
tariff agitation is to be inflicted on the country?
We are in the midst of an abundant harvest
We are on the eve of the revival of general
prosperity. Nothing stands in our way but the
dread of a change in the industrial system
which has wrought such wonders in the last
twenty years, and which, with the power of in
creased capital, will mark still greater maryels
of prosperity in the twenty years to come.
OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
Our foreign relations favor our domestic de-
velOpment. We are at peace with the world
at peace upon q sound basis, with no unsettled
questions of sufficient magnitude to embarrass
or distract US Happily removed by our geo
graphical position from participation or interest
in these questions of dynasty or boundary
which so frequently disturb the peace of
Europe, we are left to cultivate friendly
relations with all, and free from pos
sible entanglement in the quarrels of any.
The United States has no cause and no desire to
engage in quarrel with any power on earth,
and we may rest in confidence thatno power de-
sires to attack us. With the nations of the
Western Hemisphere we should cultivate closer
relations, and for our common prosperity and
advancement we should induce them al to Join
with us, with an agreement that for the future
all international troubles in North and
South American should be adjusted by
impartial arbitration, and not 10y arms.
This project was part of the fixed policy
OF President Garied's administration,
and it should, in my judgment, be renewed. Its
accomplishment on this continent would favor
ably affect the nations beyond the sea, ,.anSl thus
powerfully contribute, at no distant day, to the
universal acceptance of the phnanthropic and
Christian principle OF arbitration. The effect
even Of suggesting it for the Spanish American
States has been most happy, and has increased
the confidence Of those people in our friendly
disposition. 1t fell to my lot, as Secretary of
State in June, 1881, to quiet apprehensiOns in
the Republic of Mexico by giving the assurance,
in an official dispatch that there is not the
faintes desire in the United States for territorial
aggrandizemeut south of the Rio Grande river.
The boundaries of the two republics have been
established in conformity with the best jurisdic-
tional interests OF both. The line of dennarka-
ton is not merely one OF convenience. 1t is
more. II Itseparates a spanish-American people
from a Saxon-American people. II divides one
great nation from another with a distinct and
natural fnelity. We seek the conquest OF peace.
We desire to extend our commerce in
an especial degree with our friends
and neighbors on this continent We
have not improved our relations with
Spanish America as we should and as we might
have done. For more than generation the
sympathy of these countries has been allowed
to drift away from US. We should now make
every effort to gain their friendship. Our trade
with them is already large. During the last de-
cade our exchanges in the western hemisphere
have amounted to three hundred and fifty
millions of dollars-nearly one-fourth of oureu-
tire foreign commerce. To those who may be
disposed to underrate the value ofour trade with
The countries of North and South America it
may be well 10 state that their production is
nearly fifty millions and that in proportion
to aggregate numbers, we import nearly double
as much from them as we do from Europe But
the result of the whole amount of trade is in
high degree unsatisfactory. The imports during
the past year exceeded S225, 600 600, while the
exports were less than s125 1000 showing
balance against US of more than Sl0O O00,000. We
send large sums to Europe in coin, or its equiva-
lent. to pay European manufacturers for the
goods which they send to Spanish America. We
are but paymasters for this enormous amount
annually to European factors-an amount which
is a serious draft IN every financial depression
upon our resources Of specie. Cannot this con
dition of trade in a great part be changed? Can
not the market for our products be greatly en-
larged? We have made Il beginning in our effort
to improve the trade relations with Mexico,
and we should not be content until similar
and mutually advantageous arrangements have
been successfully made with every nation of
North and South America. While the Great
Powers of Europe are steadily enlarging their co
lonial domination in Asia and Africa it is the