Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-05-27
TREASURER,
MILTON s. SHIPPERS.
Inconsistent Workingmen.

Inconsistent Workingmen.
Gan o knight of Labor be consistent
with himself and with the principles Of
the order to which he belongs II he per-
sistently casts his vote with the politi-
cal party that has been the principal
cause Of bringing on the labor troubles?
The order, as we understand 1t by the I
declarations Of Its orators and published |
circulars Of Its leaders, Is for the pur
pose OF protecting the laborer against
Cheap labor, whether in q foreign coun'
try or at home. 1t is to 30 regulate the
prices paid for manufacturing and pay
for labor that there may be entire har-
mony between the two, and that labor
may receive its commensurate share OF
the proceeds and profits. This Is all
very good, and neither manufacturer
nor laborer can find any fault with 1t;
but the declara alton of q principle Is
one thing and the practice OF 1t Is an
other.
As the operations OF labor and capital
enter into and form n part OF our politi.
cal system of government, the whole
matter becomes OF once political. Oar
government has seen proper, in order
to protect our manufacturers and labor
ers from the pauperism and cheap labor
OF foreign countries, to establish cer-
tain rate Of import duties that foreign
manufacturers and merchants must
pay before their goods can be landed
and sold In this country. II 1t were
not for this very wise provision our
country would be overrun with the
cheaply manufactured goods Of Europe,
which would undersell American goods
manufactured by higher paid labor.
This part OF the question Is 30 plain
that no further administration Is need
ed, and 1t must be conceded that pro-
lection has been the only hindrance to
keep laborers' wages In this country
from going down to level with Euro
peau labor wages. We s6e the results
Of this depressed labor system in many
of the stronger governments OF Europe
Laborers reduced to the starvation point
are forced into Anarchism, and OF thit
our O Tn country has had taste lately
by the Anarchist riots in Chicago, Mil
waukee and other Western cities.
1t is this labor discomfort that thu
American people are wres ling with q
the present time, and this disconten
has teen caused in part by rich corpora
tions and importing cheap labor, bn
principally by the determined Efforts o
the free-traders of the country TO breal
down our system of protection, that GU
American people may have the product
OF industry as low as they are In free
trade countries.
1t req ires no closer investigation t
show what political party OF the cour
try is making the greater effort to re
duoe the import duties on imporse
goods. Little by little has this tinke
ing at our tariff import duties affecte
our industrial system, that conident
In the permansncy OF protection h'
fed and we are at daggers' points al
face to face with free-lrsde. This v
contend, more than anything else, h
led to serious disruption between car
tai and labor thay extends all over Il
country. The first innovation ma
upon the tariff laws four years ago ]
suited in letting in millions OF dolls
worth of foreign manufactured good
and at that time the labor truobl
commenced and have grown worse eS
since. Even now persistent effort
made to reduce the tariff revenue st
lower, which, If accomplished, wou
let in q still larger amount OF forei
manufactured goods and the more
press American labor.
The tariff refor mers make specie
appeals to the people under a guise
most profound respect TO labor, a
what is to be regretted, labor liste
believes and becomes entangled in
sophistries. One Of the favorlte Id,
of the tariff reformers is that raw u
terials ct least should be admitted
into this country, in order, as Il
say, to cheaper our products. Let
see how this would work. Amt
these free raw materials to be admit
is iron ore, in order to cheaper
price Of nails and other iron prodI
for the consumer. But what woulc
the effect of free iron ore? Alre
the wages of laborers in our iron M
have been reduced too low Tor
proper support of miner by REQ
ton Of the duty to point that all
large import of foreign iron ores al
consequent diminishing Of our n
productions.
Every ton Of iron ore imported is
the amount Of labor necessary for
production taken from an Ameri
laboring man, and that much mt
sent out of the country that ought t
paid here. This should be plain
to every man who will Look plainl,
the matter.
The thousands Of tons imported
der our present tariff laws are not
to be compared to what woult
brought over from Europe II the
were taken off entirely. In that {
the mines now in operation v
have to be closed entirely, or IN
work for the same wages pat
Europe. As 1t would be with
ores, so 1t would be with every
else that can be produced in this {
try. Is this what American wor
men want? We do not believe
and yet this Is what Democratic
means, and nothing moro nor ieos
1t is only the Democratic party
Is making any attempt to chang
tariff. Do not workiDgmen see