Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1886-09-08

n kny event Il would ~ we'll for the Isboring
SeexAniEatiOus % diligently inquire and sscer-
an S nsp sSoss ts raso & &c wsses n
England Germany. and France on the same a.
etels1 q manufacture without the Intervention
EcexHcfective dutfesi With the present cheap
n6dss 4 infsrchange and TRANSPORTATION of ali
eummoditlee, ! inquire OF these gentlemen how,
NMaer the rules OF free trade. can wages In the
United eeAtes BE- kept above the general stand
erd q European wages2 / do not stop for tho
detail u argument, only desire to lodge the
question In the minds Of tho millions OF Ameri-
can laborern who have IL In their power to
who have It In their power 70 uphold the party
Of psotcction or the party Of free trade.
THE NEGRO.
Another portentous fact has been omitted
% fer ~ have observed the cons dera-
ton and Judgment Of tho labor organizations
They Seem 70 have taken little or no heed OF the
abIe-bodied laborera In the South with dark
skins, but with expanding inteilects, increasing
Intelligence, and growing ambition. While
these men were slaves, working in the corn and
cotton hclds, in the rice swAmps and ON the
sugar plantations Of the South. the skilled labor
q tbs Northern States felt no competition from
them. But since they became freemen there
has been great change in the variety and skill
ot tho labor performed by colored men in the
sOuth. The grent mass are, Of COURSE still en-
gagged In agricultural work, but thousands and
tens Of thousands, and in fact hundreds of
thousands, have entered and are entering the
mechanical and ssni-mechanical field. They
arc making pig and bar iron in Tennessee and
asoa and n sSs csronas They arc Srch
layers and piasterers everywhere; they ire
carpenters and painters; they are black
smiths; they make wagons and carts
they are firemon and pilots river
boats; they calk vessels in Southern rorts
they lay railroad track they are switchmen
and section men on the line and firemen on To-
coInotiyes. In fact, they are generally entering
ell the avenues and channels Of skilled labor.
OF course they are .underpaid. They receive
Northern mechanics for similar work. They arc
able TO take no part I'm making laws for their
own protection, and they are consequently and
inevitably unable to maintain fair standard
OF wages or to receive q fair proportion CT their
do not dwell on this subject at length,
though II could easily be presented in agra
waiting detail. mention 1t only To place IL be-
fore the labor organizations OF the North. with
this question addressed to them: Do you sup
pose that yoa can permanently maintain III 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 2
The colored mechanic OF the South is not 40
skillful workman nor so intelligent q man as
You are, but II he will lny brick in new cotton
factory In South Carolina at half tho price you
are paid. II he will paint and plagter it at the
same low rate, he is inevitably erecting an
industry which, II the same rate Of wages be
maintained Throughout, will drive you out OF
business or lead you to the gates Of his own
poverty.
The situation is therefore plainly dscernible
and demonstrate, viz: First-f the Demo
cratic 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 into direct
competition with tho highly skilled and miser-
ably paid labor Of Europe. SecopdIf the
Democratic party shall be able to hold control
OF the National Government, the colored laborer
in the Southern Safes will remain whore tho
Southern Democrats have placed him polit~
fcally, subject to the will Of the white man and
unable to FIX the price or command the value of
his labor. The colored man viii, therefore, UNI
der those conditions and influences, remain IL
constant quantity in the labor market receiv-
ing inadequate compensation for his own toll
and steadily crowding down tho compensation
for white labor, II not below his own level yet
far below its just and adequate standard.
AZ every turn, therefore, whether It be in ex-
posing the white American laborers to the dan
gers OF European competition by destroy ing the
protective tariff. or whether it be in reducing
the wages OF tho white man by unfairly making
the eolored laborer his fatal competitor in all
the fields Of toll, the Democratic party North
aud South appears as the enemy OF every inter-
eat OF American workmen. With that party
achieved. the wages OF American laborers will
fall NJ certainly as effect follows cause.
THE FISHERY DISPUTE.
The hshery 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 surrounded with
such extraordinary circumstances MS we find en-
listing at this moment. Before discussing the
merits OF the American case it may be interest
Ing to recall the process by which the question
has been placed In its present attitude.
Jan 81, 1885, several months before the fish
ing season Of that year began, President Arthur
issued n proclamation giving notice to the peo-
pie that the fishery articles of the treaty Of
Washington ls71) had, according to the condi-
tions of the treaty been formally terminated
The President made the results that would flow
from this action plain ana unmistnkable by
warming al citizens OF the United States that
none OF the privileges secured to them by these
articles will exist after July 1, 1885" This ter
nlnatlcn of the treaty had been decreed by an
overwhelming vote OF both branches OF Con-
gress. and WAS now made 6ual and effective by
the Presidents proclamation. This course had
been earnestly desired by the American fisher
men, was fully understood by thens and WIS
completed without protest from single citizen
Of the United States.
Five weeks after President Arthur's procla-
nation was issued his term closed and with the
new administration Mr. Baya,d became seere-
tary Of State. In three or four days after he
had been installed in office the British Minister,
tho Hon. sackville West, submitted proposal
to continue the reciprocal fishing arrangements
until Jan. ], 1885. After brief correspondence
Mr. Bayard accepted the offer. In other words,
Mr.. West and Mr.. Bayard made n 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 When
Mr.. West first proposed this extension OF time,
III Ma HUG OF MATCH IL, He Dhsed MS EUEpestlOG
solely upon the generous ground that as the
treaty would terminate during the fishing sen-
son considerable hardship might be occa-
stoned to American fsLermen if they
were compelled to .desist fishing ut that
time This exact point had been fore
seen, had been carefully considered by Con-
gress, by thu President, by the State Depart
ment, and by the American fishermen them
selves. In popular parlanee, they had dis
counted it. and were fully prepared for it,
when, to their exceeding surprise, the British
Minister seemed to be moved with compass on
for their POSSIBLE sufIerings Apparently
without other motive than disintcrested benev-
olence, Mr.. West WAS anxious to allow them
six months more of that precious time which
the Halifax commission had declared to be
worth to American fishermen a half million
dollars per annum. But reading little further
in this remarkable diplomatic correspondence,
We ind that Mr.. West instead of acting from
motives OF pure generosity toward American
fishermen, was really paving the way for
shrewd trade and new treaty A regular
understanding between himself and Mr.. Bnyard
was reduced to writing showing that he
ceived large consideration for leaving tbs
British waters open to American fishermen six
months longer. The consideration was u pledge
from Mr.. Bayard under date OF June 10, 1885.
that the President would at the next session of
Congress recommend the appointment of o
commission in which the governments of the
United States and Great Britain shall be re-
spectively represented, charged with the con-
sideration and settlement upon just. equta-
BILE and honorable basis OF the entire question
and of their respective citizens on the coasts of
the United States and British North America"
Tho stipulation was definite and reduced to
writing that lin view and in consideration Of
such promised recommendations by the Presi-
dent" the British would for the ensuing six
months enforce no restrictive regulations
against American fishermen, In addition To
this Mr. Bayard gave significant information to
MIR. West that the refunding OF duties NEAR
while collected under our customs laws upon
Canadian fish might he brought before the com
mission thus promised.
Accordingly, in the following December, six
and a half months after Mr.. Beyard's memo
randum pledge that theP resident would make
the recommendation to Congress-, the President
actually did incorporate it in his ANIMAL mes
sage. and gave 1t In language which was a tran
script verbatim Of the words which Mr.. Bayard
gave to Mr. West. 1t would certainly be apart
from my desire to pass any personal criticism
upon the President, Of whom wish at all times
to speak in terms OF respect, but viewing this
al public question, and speaking only with
the freedom OF . private citizen, must express
my belief that this transaction throughout
most extraordinary and unprecedented. II was
extraordinary and unprecedented. and alto
gether beyond his proper power, for II Secretary
OF State In the recess Of Congress to revive any
part Of a treaty which Congress- had expressly
terminated; it was extraordinary for q
Secretary Of state to begin negotiations for