The Wilmingtonian., 1886-02-13
The Laborer is Worthy of his Hire.

The Laborer is Worthy of his Hire
The Committee on Labor reported on las
Monday to the House substitute for
number Of bills introduced, seeking to reg
ulate the employment of convict labor, &c
The bill is the most comprehensive that ha
ever been framed on this subject. 1t prohib
its, first,t the employment of convict labor oi
public buildings or works by the Govern
ment. This includes river and harbor i'm
provement or any other work undertaken b,
the Government. 1t prohibits, second
the use by any Government agent or officer
or any contractor working under the Gov
ernment, of any material which is even re
motey the product of convict labor. II
prohibits, third, the employment on any
public buildings or works, of alien labor
that is, of laborers who are not bona fidt
residents of the United States within the
meaning of the law-who have not taken
out their first naturalization papers.
This last provision, it will be seen, covers
in manner the Chinese question. It is in
tended also for the regulation of the system
in vogue, in lake cities, of importing Cana
dian labor at starvation wages.
Mr.. Tarsney, who lives in East Saginaw,
Mich, and Mr. Foran, of Cleveland, O.,
were particularly interested in this feature
of the bill. Mr.. James, of New York, who
is the third member of the subcommittee
having the bill in charge, was able to give
the committee upon his own experience val
liable information concerning the system of
imported contract labor.
Capital has demanded protection from the
Government since its very foundation and it
certainly is opportune at this date that labor
should demand some measure of protec-
tion.
Hunger privaton-destituti is to-
day staring hundred and thousands grimly
in the face and some avenues of relief must
be opened for the honest sons of toll.
: Reduction of wages upon reduction of
wages has so sickened the heart of the hon
est workingmat that he is well-nigh given
up to despair,
From six o'clock in the morning until
seven in the night the laborer persues his
calling from January 1st, to December 31st,
and when the trial balance is struck what is
there found to his creditp Nothing, only
that and nothing more.
1t is not the province of labor to anlago-
nize capital-communistic sentiments are
abhorent to all law abiding citizens, but
there is somethinsG radically #sans in The
laws which direct capital, when manufac-
turer grows inordinately wealthy in few
years, and during these identical years the
men who were largely instrumental in max
ing that wealth are as poor or poorer than
when they entered the workshops of their
master.
Capital has been most thoroughly organ
lied for years and years, and labor in order
to realize its possibilities must also organ
ize
Organized labor, temporarily utilizing its
opportunities can command respectful
hearing from capital.
While we endorse every instrument mt
forth for the ennobl'ng of labor we at the
same time deprecate all "boycotting theo-
ries."
Boycott is harsh and forbidding term
it is repulsive to the fundamental prin-
ciples of our most cherished institutions-it
is anti-American. Boycottng is closely
associated with mob violence, with unbridled
lawlessness, with dynamite.
Boycotting may terrorize business inter
ests, and dictate, for season, its own terms;
but when the boycotting spirit becomes gen.
eral in any community it is the commence
mept of the end of the peace, prosperity aud
happiness of said community.
The workingmen OF w lmington, as a
class, are too conservative, too sensible to
encourage violence against their neighbor,
they have rights, but destroying honest legi-
innate business is not one of them
The fame of the Wilm ngton mechanic
has gone forth throughout all the land and
he is entitled to a just consideration at tie
hands of the manufacturer. Living wages
for days labor should be the Alpha and
the Omega of the laborers song.
The laboring interests by organizing could
in four years, dominate the Legislative tribu.
mails of this country. Will labor be wise
unto its day and its opportunities is the
question of the hour?
A. o. U. w.