Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-08-30

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alton kept mp is adv0cated by these mel
and Congress owing In great de
gree to this fact OF surplus in the Treas
ury. Before conclude, my friends, wanl
to ask your attention for Q moment to an
other thing-what is called the Chinese
question, the question of the importation
Of Chinese into this country. What wish
to say upon this subject can mot better b
expressed than what said to my own CON
stituents in Cincinnati in 1870, five years
before the Legislature OF Califor1ia memo
rallied the Congress on the snb1ect o.
Chinese emigration. / will ask my friend,
Mr.. Cultivate, to read 1t, as lind that my
voice is breaking down Mr.. Outfrwaite
read the extract as followsl: do
not think that large Chinese immiera-
tion to this country is desirable ]
do not think it would be a desirable aoQUt-
sition On the contrary, think it would
be q serious, disturbing element In race,
civilization, habits, education and religion
the Chinese are widely different from our
people, so different as to form very strik-
ing contrast. The European immigrants
are of the same race, religion and civiliza-
tion as ourselves, and while they add i'm
mensely to the power and wealth OF tho
Republic they do not seriously disturb the
substantial homogeneity OF our white popu-
fits the country and deserves encouraging.
Not so with Chinese. They will never be-
come one people with US. Were they to dwell
here.for centuries they would probably be
as distinct from the white race as arc
gypsies in Spain from the pure-blooded
Spaniard. We are destined to have great
commerce with Asia, and the natural re-
suit will be the voluntary immigration
from that continent of a limited number OF
business men. see no objection to that
1t will not interfere with our workmen or
laborers. It will not disturb our social
or political system, while 1t will
nections and add to our commerce
and wealth But that is wholly different
thing from the coolie immigration now 60.
ing on, which il not stopped must alarm
ingly increase. This immigration IS In no
sense of the word voluntary. It 10 kind
Of Chinese slave trade. Instead OF an in
dependent, self-reiiant body Of free men, 1t
introduces horde OF quasi slaves working
at half wages at the command OF task
masters. And this leads me to nott<se
statement that this country needs cheap
labor-in other words, men who will work
for low wages-that there is q scarcity Of
borers should be imported to supply the
deficiency. do not concur in this view.
Ny opinion is that we, or rather our pos
terity, are much more likely to suffer from
a redundancy Of population than from
dearth of it. In thirty years from now we
will have population Of one hundred
millions of people. In sixty years we may
have two hundred millions; in one hun
dred years probably four hundred mill
IONS We are in no danger OF scarcity OF
labor, nor do I believe low wages are
benefit to any country. In the opinion OF
an eminent authority, Buckle, low wages
and despotism are inseparable. It will be
found that the freer the institutions OF
country are the greater will be the tend
ency to higher wages for labor. Low
wages are mainly owing to unequal and
unfair distribution OF the annual produc
ton of wealth. This annual production,
which is nearly all the result of labor, is
being constantly divided into four parts,
rents to the landlord. interest to the mon
ey lender, profits to the business man and
wages to the laborer. Now, if the wages
be low it must be because the annual prod
uct is small and all classes suffer because
that profit is unfairly distributed In
general the latter is the case, and when
wages are low the laborer gets but poor
subsistence, while the other class, or some
of them, accumulate enormous wealth, and
thus society becomes divided into the very
rich and the very poor. That this Is an
unfortunate condition for q country is too
obvious for me to remark, and that It's
tendency is hostile to free institutions Is
true. Ihave, therefore, no sympathy with
the cry for cheap labor and low wages
They may give rise, it is true. to great pub
lie works and magnificent structures, but
the benefit is gained at the expense OF tho
suffering people. The pyramids are strik-
ing monuments of the pride and ostenta-
ton of kings, but they are more striking
evidences of Q degraded condition OF the
laboring classes. That country is likely to
be most free and happy where. the full pro-
duction of wealth being justly distributed.
labor obtains fair reward.
AL SHOULD THRIVE AND PROSPER
These, my friends, were my opinions
eighteen years ago, and every day has
served to verify their correctness They
doubt. they will be SO long as have hfc
in me- Loud applause.l II know my
self, there is no man on top OF this earth
who has more sympathy with hbor1ng
men, or men in humble condition, than
have, and what ever can do to better their
condition would do-[cheers] and 1t Is
because don't believe for one momens
that this high-protective tariff, which is
SO much lauded, and which is insisted
upon by our political opponents, is Tor tho
benefit of laboring men. That Is one OF
the reasons why / am opposed to such
onerous duties. / have shown You that,
under this high-protective tariff, the agri-
cultural interests Of the country have
fallen off enormously. The value OF
farms has fallen of from an increase OF
one hundred per cent. to an increase OF
only nine per cent II you look at the
commerce of the country, you will find
something even more. striking than that
The time was, and not great while ago,
when there were two countries that sub
stantially did the carrying trade OF the
world, Great Britain and the United
States, and we were gaining so fast on
Great Britain. that we had cighty-three
per cent. of the carrying trade OF the
world, whereas now, il my memory is not
at fault, we only have about fourteen pcs
cent. Now, why is thata Why, gentlemen,
/ had occasion, o few years ago, to
visit Europe, and I felt Inundated, ]
confess, when, in crossing and recross-
ing the Atlantic and while in different
ports in Europe, never but once saw the
American flag on the mast OF ship, and
that was q ship engaged in carrying pas
sengers, and she had British flag on one
end OF her and the American flag on tho
other. lLaughter.] Now, the friends Of
AAkA pkOtCCtANO eoA IA soy ~ oSAssAS W OANSA0
SHY labor, and that diversified labor Il
good for the country. Well, you may adj
init the general proposition When was
q boy we used to have toast at Fourth Of
July dinners-agriculturc, manufacturer
and commerce. Those are diversified In
dustries. They all ought to prosper IN .
free country like this. Manufactures have
10 q great extent prospered. Agriculture
has terribly declined, and commerce with
foreign nations has nearly disappeared.