Omaha daily bee., 1886-08-25

liberty of one man must always end where
the rights of another man begin"
In what may be termed the political creed
OF the various labor organizations haze OBJ
served some singular omissions OF pertinent
and, as think, controlling taCts-tactS which
in spirit of friendship and CandOr | beg TO
point out. | read, few days since, in
creed put forth by an association of Knights
of Labor, i'm another Stes", recital of eigh-
teen distinct ends which they
maintained by ynationai legislation. Among
these there was not the slightest mention of
protective tariff. That might have been &c.
cldental: OF ut might have implied per-
feet sense of safety in regard to the continue
anCe of the taritt; or 1t might have meant
that those who proclaimed the creed are in
different to the tate OF protection.
In any event 1t would be well for the labor
organizations to diligently inquire and asccr-
tain how the wages of labor in the United
States can he kept above the rate of wages In
England, Germany and France on the same
articles of manufacture without the interven-
tiOn of protective duties. With the present
cheap modes of interchange and transpOrta-
tion of all commodities, | inquire of these
gentlemen how, under the rule of free trade,
can wages in the United States be kept above
the general standard of European wages? |
do not stop for the detail of argument, only
desire to lodge the question in the minds of
the millions OF American laborerS who have
II in their power to maintain protection or to
inaugurate free trade; who have 1t in their
party of free trade.
Another portcntious fact has been omitted
so far as | have observed from the consid
Grafton and judgment of labor organizations.
They seem to have taken little or no heed of
the existence of more than a million and a
half of able bodied laborers in the south, with
dark skins, but with expanding intellect, in
creaSing intelligence and growing ambition.
While these men were slaves working in the
corn and cotton fields, in the rice swamps
and on the sugar plantations in the SOUTH the
skilled labor of the northern states felt no
competition from them. But since they be-
came freemen there has been great change
in the variety and skill of the labor performed
by colored men in the south. The great mass
are of course, still engaged In agricultural
work, but thousands and tens of thousands,
and in fact hundreds of thousands, have en-
tered and are entering the mechanical and
semi-mechanica field.
OF course they are underpaid. They re-
ceive far less than has been paid in years past
to northern mechanics for similar work. They
are able to take no part in making laws for
their own protection, and they are conse-
quently and inevitably unable to maintain a
far standard of wages or to receive fair
proportion OF their proper earnings.
/ do not dwell on this subject at length,
though it could easily be presented in aggra-
waiting detail. l mention it only to place it
before the labor organizations OF the north,
with this question addressed to them Do
you suppose that you can permanently main
tain in the northern states one scale of prices
when Just beyond an imaginary line on
the south of us a far different scale of prices
is paid for labor? The colored mechanic of
the south is not so skillful workman nor so
intelligent man as you are, but If he Will
lay brick in a new cotton factory III South
Carolina at half the price you are paid, if he
will paint and plaster it at the same low rate,
he is inevitably erecting an industry which,
il the same rate of wages be maintained
throughout, will brive you out of business or
lead you to the gates, of his own poverty.
The situation is, therefore, plainly discern
able and demonstrable viz, First-If the
democratic party shall succeed, as they have
been annually attempting for twelve years
past. in destroying the protective tariff, the
artisans of the United States will be thrown
skilled and miserably paid labor of Europe.
Second--f the democratic party shall be
able to hold control of the national govern
states will remain where :he southern demo-
Gratis have placed him politically, subject to
the will of the white man, and unable to fix
the price or command the value of his labor.
The colOred man will, therefore, under these
conditions and influences, remain constant
quantity in the labor market, receiving in
adequate compensation for his own toll, and
steadily crowding down the compensation of
white labor, if not to his own level yet far be-
low its just and adequate standard.
AT every turn, therefore, whether 1t be in
exposing the white American laborer to the
danger of European competition by DESTROY
ing lnt protective tdIlH, VI WIclleT ~ De III
reducing the wages of the white man by un-
fairly making the cOlorcd laborer his fatal
competitor, in all the fields of toll the demo-
cratic party north and south appears as the
workmen. With that party placed in full
power and with all its measures achieved, the
wages of the American laborer will fall as
certainly as effect follows cause.
THE FISHERY QUESTION.
The fishery dispute between the United
States and Great Britain has passed through
many singular phases in the last seventy
years, but never before, think, was it sur
rounded with such extraordinary circum-
stances as we find existing at this moment.
On the 3lst day of January, 1855. several
months before the fishing season of that year
began, President Arthur issued prOclama-
cry articles of the treaty of Washington
QS7I had, according to the conditions of the
treaty, been formally terminated. This
termination of tine treaty had been decreed
by an overwhelming vote OF both branches
of congress and was now made final and
effective by the presidents proclamation.
This course had been earnestly desired by
the American fishermen, was fully under
stood by them and was completed without
protest from single citizen of the United
Five weeks after President Arthurs pro-
clamation was issued his term closed, and
with the new administration Mr.. Bayard be-
came secretary of state. In three or four
days after he had been installed in office the
British minister. Hon. SackvIlle West, sub
mitted proposition to continue the r9cpro-
cal fishing arrangements until January |,
1855. After a brief correspondence Mr..
Bayard accepted the offer. In other words,
Mr.. West and Mr. Bayard made treaty OF
their own by which American fishermen were
to be allowed to fish in British waters six
months longer, and British fishermen should
freely fish in American waters for the same
period.
IL would certainly be apart from my desire
to pass any personal criticism upon the preSi
dent, of whom wish at all times to speak In
terms of respect, but, viewing this as q pub
lie question and speaking only with the free
dom of private citizen must express my
be that this transaction was throughout
most extraordinary and unprecedented. IL
was extraordinary and unprecedented and
altogether beyond his proper power for a
secretary of state in the recess of congress Il
revive any part of a treaty which congress
had expressly terminated; 1t was eXtraordi
nary for secretary OF state to begin nego
tiatiOns for the renewal of treaty which
every department of government had just
united in annulling; IL was extraordinary
for a secretary OF state to enter into
a trade with a foreign minister for a pres
| ent benefit to be paid for by the future action
| of the government, and most OF all was
| 1t extraordinary that pledge should be given
| to foreign government that the president
| of the United States should in the future
| more than halt year distant-maKe specific
| recommendation, on specific subject, IN
| specific words to the congress OF the United