The Labor enquirer., 1884-02-09
Lets.r From Bsn B.tlsr.

L
Under date OF Washington, January %
General Butler has written the following Lett
ter Of interest to the Erie {Pennsylvania)
Dispatch:
DEAR SIR: Your favor mailed to Boston
has my attention. In 1t you PROFOUND two
very difficult questions. You ask me:
"Upon what issue or issues will the etwenty-
second president Of the United States be
elected and
SIS the recent shutting down Of mannfac-
tories and consequent discharge Of laboring
men due to the course pursued by the party
in power in the nation p'
Here are sufficient texts with which to hll
a volume, but in the present state of my en-
gagements must receive only cursory replies.
| cannot however, let the opportunity pass
without saying something, because the Dis
patch is out in the laboring mems region
where SO many have been left either on small
pay or thrown out Of work altogether. The
two q uestions you ask to have answered
while they appear unlike, have, when con-
sidered carefully, very much in common. It
is, of course, impossible to answer upon what
particular issues Arthur's successor will be-
elected, because if I knew that, would
know who would be elected. The issues of
the next campaign are, 1t seems to me, very
patent to everybody. A renewal of the strug-
gle between the north and south, founded
upon the failure of the civil rights bill, and
the tariff question. In this the opinion filed
by the dissenting justice, Mr.. Harlan, will
form the basis of the republican stand. AL
ready a move is on foot looking to this. Nor
has the bloody shirt yet been eliminated from
our national politics, thanks to our republic
cans. The other subject of the tariff, will be
broughtup prominently in the campaign, as
everybody knows. There are republicans,
however, who begin to be of the opinion that
the protection business has been outdone;
that the botched tariff was worse botched last
winter and needs again reopening.
1t was mainly upon the workingmen's case
that / wished to speak. They want aid and
they must have it. They are partly the vic
tins of bad legislation and partly the victims
of bad judgment on the part of the manufac-
thrers, There is one point upon which am
satisfied. The workingmen must look for
relief from bad legislation through organized
efforts of their own. Politicians do not care
red for them except to get their votes.
Whether they should exert their strength of
which they possess great deal, through
distinct expression Of their preferences or
through the old parties, is a grave question,
but 1 incline to the latter, especially in the
national affairs. As between the two great
parties there is little choice. Each is as bad
as the other and the other is as bad as the
one. Laboring men who have been the VIC
tins of bad legislation and bad foresight on
the part of manufacturers must organize for
themselves. They must make their demands
so loud that party managers must heed them.
1t does not seem necessary to tell the labor
ing men of the country the tone of their de-
mands. They are far too intelligent to stand
in need of any advice.
There is only one other point. can not
tell upon what particular issue or issues the
twenty second president of the United States
will be elected, but can tell you that am
out of national politics. The reason you
me the questions you do is very APP
parent. But I am frank to say that the nu.
merous reports circulated about "ambitions'
are without foundation. have no ambition
beyond the confines of Massachusetts,, and
even there am 'out of politics."
Yours truly, BENZ. F. BUTLER.