The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-12
IMPOLlTlC, UNJUST AND UNI
DEMOCRATIC.

II is possible thpt this year in Texas
may witness an experience similar Co
that OF two or three generous seasons
just past whom tho crops woya no largo
that thoy could not be gathered for tho
want OF laborers. Tho harvest was
plentoous, but tho laborers were few.
Clerks, professional men and un-
skilled workman woro abundant, but
tbs forces required 10 harvest tho cropg
and lay by the seasons wealth wore
wanting. Effort after short has boeu
mado TO bring this supply Of
badly needed labor into the
State, but somehow without success.
Wyoming Montana, Dakota and
such inhospitablo climoa have caught
tho lido Of foreign immigration, while
our moro genial territory has suffered.
We have needed labor, bat failed TO
get 1t, although Offering as attractive
inducements as any aoctlou OF tho
now world.
Possibly tho day laborer of the aold
has been TOO poor to roach us, and
crops rottod ON the plantations be.
cause some extra iuduoamout was not
offered TO sc, tho stranger 20 come
within cur gates. Ia tho East and
tho Northwest moaoy for passage has
been furnished Foreigners, tob repaid
by and retained from wages. Tho
American lab0lors ia l10so sections
who enjoyed monopoly soyisorcu,ly
protested aBaiust this course, hove
eyer chat national legislation resulted
to rostrAn "ptuper foreign labor"
unJor contracts from coming nmonpst
us. IL waB the outcome of the de-
msnus OF mon who, although insisting
that this was 90 asylum Tor an nations
and thopoor and oppressed Of all poo.
pies, thought that none but tho "botter
TO do' OF Europe should be- admitted
to competition with American work
men,
Ihere was reason for this position,
The American manufacturer had been
highly favored aud protected by the
American government, and why not
hisomploye onioy the same carer II the
one has TO have special recognition,
why not Che other1 Ii tao foreign
manuiacturerwas to DO kept out of the
American market, why not also ox-
clude the poor foreign workmon9
Tho logic was plausible and resulted
in legislation. But can America, with
Its Democratic ideas Of common JUS
tlce and equality for all, take such a
position consistently? Many OF our
most prominent men to-day, whether
in manufactures, politics or pro-
fesaions, were poor foreigners
who came to our shores
having beforehand to pledge their
wages in future for actual expenses.
IL 1t democratic America to say to
such mon; "You are, indeed, poor and
deserving and may become, under our
constitution, everything but a presi-
dent or mis- possible successor, but
being too poor to pay your way here,
unless by hypothecating possible and
future wages, you must romaln IN
your misery and degradation at home,
and DO forever relegated to the
tyranny and slums Of EuropeYp This
Is not democratic. II we admit one
foreigner wo should admit all. II tho
nation is an international asylum IL
ought to be truly and thoroughly 80
Tor all characters of people.
Labor ought not to Complain against
these so'oalled "foroign importations.n
Tor after the debt which was assumed
to got to America has been paid, AZ In
Illustrated by strike after atrik these
"paupor laborers" become tho most
aggressive in demanding higher
wages and less work. Thla fact was
illustrated In tho recent serious troub.
los In Ohio and western Pennsylvania
among tho iron workers. American
workmen are no more aggressive than
these "lmportationsn become aflor the
first "psssage obligation" has boen
discharged.
These reflections are called forth and