The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-09-01

wealth of the republic they do not
seriously disturb the suhst antial homo
genietv OF our white population. The
migration, therefore, benefits tho
try and deserves encouragement. Not
40 with the C~hineSc-thCy will never
become one people with lie. Were
they TO dwell here for centuries they
would probably be- a. distinct from tho
white race as the Gypsies In Spain
from the pure blOoied Spaniards. We
are destined To have a great commerce
with Asia, and tho natural result will
bG the voluntary emigration from that
confident OF IL limited number OF bisi
ness men. seo no objection TO that.
Ii will not Interfere with u mccl,an-
les or iaborcrs; will not disturb onr
social or political system, while il W i'll
tend by M increase VI Our commercial
connections TO add to our Ummoi ce
and wealth. But that ia "A wholly dit
ferent thing from the coolin emigration
that is now going on, and which il not
stopped must alarmingly increase.
This emigration is in no proper sense
of the word voluntary. Ii is Chinese
slave trade. Instead Of al independ-
ent, s%elf-reliant body Of Tree men II
introduces n herd OF quasi slaves work
Ing at half wages by command OF u
task-master. And this leads me TO
notice a statement that | have seon that
this country needs cheap labor, In other
words men who will work for low
wages, that there is II scarcity of Inbor-
ers here, and that therefore Chinese
laborers should be imported To supply
the deficiency. | do not concur in this
view. [Applause. My opinion Is
that we, or rather II posterity, arc
much more likely to suffer from II re-
dundancy of population than from a
dearth Of it,. In thirty years from now
we will have 100000, 600 of people,
without counting a Chinese cmigrant;
in sixty years, 200 600 900; in 100
years, probably 400, 0U0 600. We are
in no danger of II scarcity OF laborers.
Nor do | think that low wages are a
blessing TO any country. uRenewed
applause. In the opinion of All emf
nent NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. wages and
despotism are inseparable. II will be
found, | think that the freer the insti-
tutions of a country are, the greater
will be the tendency to fair wages for
laborers. Low wages are mainly
owing to IN unequal and unfair distri-
button of the annual production of
wealth. This annual production, which
is the result OF labor, is being constant
ly divided into tour parts, rents 10 the
landlord, interest to the money lender,
profits to the business man and wages
to the laborer. Now if the wages fall
below 1t must DO because tho annual
product is small and all classes suffer,
or because that product is unfairly
distributed. In general The latter Is
the case and when wages are very low
the laborer gets but a bare 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 the
country is too obvious to need remark,
and that this tendency is peculiar of
free institutions rs well as the material
comfort of the people is undoubtedly
true. ] have therefore no sympathy
with the cry of cheap labor and low
wages. They may give rise, il is true,
to great public works and magnificent
structures, but the benefit is gained at
the expense of u suffering people. The
pyramids are striking monuments of
the pride and oslentatiOn of kings, but
they are more striking evidence of n
degraded condition OF the labOring
class. That country is likely to be tho
most free ne happy where the annual
production of wealth being justly
distributed, labor obtains u tair re-
ward CApplause.l Those,m my friends,
ny No ,,, n,Sinto airhfnnn nnc mr.
ant every day has served TO verify their
correctness. They are my opinions to-
day and l have no doubt will be as
long az | have life in me. [Great APP
plause.1 If | know myself, there is no
man OF the top of this earth who has
more sympathy for tho laboring man
or the man OF humble condition than
| have prolonged cheers] and what
ever | could do TO better their condi-
ton | would do. more applause
And it is because | do not believe for
one moment that thi. high protective
tariff which is s 10 much Landed, and
which is insisted upon by u political
opponents is for the benefit of the
laboring man. That ID one of the rea-
SON why l am opposed to such onerOus
duties. [Conlinued applause
| have shown you that under this
high protective tariff the agricultural
interests of the country have fallen of
enormously; that the value Of farms
had increased during the decade from
1870 to 1880 at the rate OF only . per
cent, as compared with 100 per cent
during the period when there was a
low tariff. Gentlemen, if you will look
at the commerce of the country you
will find something even more striking
than that. The day was-and not a
great while ago-when there were two
countries that substantially did the
commerce of the world that is, car
ried the trade. These were Great
Britain and the United States, and We
were gaining 30 fast upon Great
Britain that we carried between 20 and
80 per cent. if my memory Ia voice
"Eighty-three per NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
per cent, my friend says behind me, OF
the carrying freight OF the world,
whereas now we carry, if my memory
is not at fault, only about 4 per cent.
Now, why is that? Why, gentlemen
when | had the occasion a few years
ago to visit Europe ! felt Inundated.
found that in crossing the Atlantic and
and re-crossing il, and i'll the ports "I
Europe, | W. saw but once th,
American flag on the mast Of II ship
never but once-nnd that war a ship
that was engaged in carrying passem
gers. The flag OF Great Britain wal
or one end of her, the American on
the other. [Laughter.l Now Tho
friends of the nigh protective tariff say
that il tends TO diversity labor and that
diversified labor is good for u country
Well, you may admit the proposition
When | vas a boy we used to have a
old lashionedFOurth of July dinners thu
toast Of agriculture. manufacture ant
commerce. These are diversified in
dustries. They all ought TO prosper i,
u free country like this. Manufactur
ers have To u great extent prospcred
agriculture has terrible declined ant
commerce with foreign nations has
nearly disappeared. | think il time W,
had diversified labor, in which all ON
people, our sailors and farmers rs wei
as our manufacturers and labOring mel
as well as capitalists should thrive anC
prosper.
And now, my friends, | will conclude
what have to say to you. You hav'
been very attentive, for which ! thanl
you. | hope what l have said may Civ
you some occasion for reflection III,
may lead you to support the CRANE
party, which was founded by Jefferson
by Jackson and has prOspcied nndc
Grover Cleveland. [Ap2lause.l