Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1888-02-09

'Trotection system has brought a vast ar
my to this country" to a strange and to
him foreign country. 1t mortgaged for a
year his earnings and his liberty. 1t was
the first formal and official Introduction of
foreign seIfdOm into tree America. When
the bill was under consi ieration the hon
orable Senator said:
'If an official document prepared from
official sources could be furnished them,
giving them accurate information as to the
needs Of labor in this county, there is DO
doubt it would encourage great deal OF
immigration In the Western States labor
is absolutely demanded; common labOrers
are receiving a very high price.
Could it have been that the Chinese i'm
migration which poured into our western
gates created the very high price" OF
common labor" of which the Senator
complained, OF was this measure enacted
with purpose of prophecy to accord with
the spirit in which he soon after declar,
that -Four manufacturers did not need pro-
lection against the pauper labor Of Eu-
rope"
In very recent years the honorable Sena-
tor voted against a bill to restrict the i'm
migration Of the Chinaman. He afterwards
pleaded for limitation of the term of the
exclusion to five years, and finally voting
for the last bill he insisted that every skill
ed laborer should be excluded from its OPP
Grafton.
Mr.. President. these are matters of pub
lie record, and it is right they should 20 to
the country with the speech OF the Senator
from Ohio
Il is undoubtedly true that while our
excess of impost duties has had a ten
dency
TO BUILD Up AND FOSTER MoNoPoLIEs
and enrich the few at the expense of the
many, il has had like tendency to in
woke free competition to labor and to re-
duce the workingmen to the minimum Of
compensation. 1t has drawn a vast army
from Europe, as the Senator says, who en-
ter into competition with the labor they
find employed when they reach America,
and who enter into like competition among
themselves. 1t has not simply invited a
tide of honorable and manly emigration,
10 which extent we would all concur in its
benefcence, but by the increased cost OF
his living and the multiplied exactiOns
from his earnings it has made life precar-
iOus burden to MIN here BY artificial and
false stimulus to his industries for time
it has invited millions into the walks Of
his open competition from every hill top
and valley in cur own country and from
every quarter and section of the civilized
world. The Hungarians, the Italians, and
/ the Chinaman have crowded him alike.
They have 'come from every nation,
come from every way
Come rs the waves come,
When nav es are stranded;
Come as the winds come,
When forests are rended.
Take for example your numbering inter
ests on the lakes. am told, and by those
who know, that whenever wages in the
United States are not satisfactory to the
operator, Instantly the borders OF Canada
are filed with posters and hand bills,
"Lumbermen wanted at such and such a
place and at such and such price IN the
United States And so, under a system OF
protection TO labor, the American operator
and owner is protected against the impor-
tatiOn Of Canadian lumber and the Cana
dian lumberman is protected in mis- right
I TO come into the United States, drive out
our own citizens, and fell err forests.
Thus the operator can maintain his profit,
while the labOrer is destroyed under this
gigantic forgery of his interests and his
name. Aud thus has our free trade in
labor multiplied its competition, held il in
subsection, and left it where it Is to-day.
conscious Of injustice and wrong, aud bent
on their redress.
Yet our laboring men arsa blandly told
that they are to bind themselves hand and
foot forever and forever, to system which
gives them all the free trade and compe-
titiOD, and to others and the privileged
few the monopoly aud the profit.
Sir, / am mistaken, in the freedom, the
intelligence, and the manhood OF Ameri-
can labor, natural born and naturalized,
If, with it's power at the polls, it allow
this condition 10 exist
Mr.. President, have no further purpose
in this discussion than 10 indicate nv Co
operation in the demand Of the President
IN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE
tor the reduction Of their burdens, as he
stands squarely by the platform upon
which ne was elected The only question
before the Senate is the motion of the hon
orable Senator from Ohio to refer the Pres
ident's message to the appropriate com
mittee.
A bill to reform the revenue system and
reduce taxation will come from the House
of Represen tatives. lido not doubt that it
win be framed in a spirit of conservative
fairness to all sections Of the country, and
10 all interests
Much mas been said which seemed cal
culated to alarm the country, and / am
not sure it has not been designed for that
purpose, with reference to the Presidents
recommendations for reduction Of taxation.
Much that his message contains has been
inadvertently or purDOSely overlooked, He