Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
PRINCIPLES OF LABOR.
General Secretary Litchman, OF
the Knights Of Labor, Speaks.

FhINAlELEo OE Lk1DN<in
General Secretary Litchman, OF
the Knights of Labor, Speaks.
WASHINGTON, August 80. - Sena-
tor Quay tonight furnished the fol-
lowing letter from General Secretary
Litchman, of the Knights of Labor,
for publication:
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Aug. 81, 'ss.
Hon. Matthew s. Quay. Chairman
ofhe National Republican Com
mittee, N. Y. City:
DEAR SIR-My connection with
the labor movement for the past four
teen years has made it necessary for
me to be close student of the causes
OF labor depression and of the needs
of those who toll.
While, as body. labor organiza-
ton may refrain from active partlcl-
patton in politics, 80 much OF what
organized labor demands must be ob.
tained through legislation that the
individual member of the labor orga-
nization must act politically as, in
his Judgment, will best aid the aims
and objects expressed in the princl-
ples of the organization he represents,
and whose success he desires.
In the gigantic political struggle
now begun, side issues count as moth
ing. except to aid or hinder the prin-
cipal combatants in the political are
ma. However sincere may be the ad-
yocates of the measures to secure
which these separate political organi-
cations are formed, and whatever
strength in votes may be shown at
the polls, the fact remains that the
candidate of either the Republican or
the Democratic party will be the next
President Of the United States.
Therefore, to him who has the
good of his country and the welfare
of her people at heart, the necessity
exists to choose to which of these
two old party organizations shall be
given his aid, either directly or indi.
rectly, by voice or vote.
While it may be that neither party
offers all that labor organizations de.
sire, I believe that the Republican
party, in adopting and advocating
the American system of encourage
ment and protection to the labor and
wages of our own land, is nearer the
declarations and desires of organized
labor than its free trade opponent, the
Democratic party.
The conflict is between the Ameri-
can system, as represented by the
Republican party, which would fost-
er and encourage the labor of our
own people and retain for them the
market and wages of our own coun-
try, and the British system, as repre-
sented by the Democratic party,
which would break down the barriers
of protection and throw open our
home market to the productions OF
foreign factories and foreign labor,
thus making idle our own toilers and
reducing to q lower level the stand
ard of American wages.
When the Knights of Labor end
kindred organizations shall have OBJ
tanned in foreign lands the same com.
manding position and influence enjoy
ed in the United States, the Unequal
ity in wages will disappear, not by
leveling our wages down, but by lev
cling our wages up 1t is far better
to level up than to level down, as the
larger the income the larger the pow
or to consume. Until this equaliza.
tiou can be accomplished, and Intil
the wages of labor abroad shall equal
those at home, there must be pro-
per restriction of immigration 30 that
our land may not be the dumping
ground of the pauper aud degraded
labor of the balance of the world
This restriction, supplemented by q
continuance of thorough, systematic
organization of the labor already here
in conjunction with the American
idea of protection to American labor,
cannot fail to secure for our people
the results of their toll anC
by our example lift the labor of the
whole world to a higher and better
plane of existence.
Whichever party wins, something
must be done to regulate more strict
| ly this Importation Of foreign labor
un1er contract and the immigration
of paupers and dependents. If moth
ing should be done, then Democratic
success would mean not free trade in
goods made by pauper labor. but the
Importation of bota tAe labor and the
goods. While under free trade gGoa,
may be cheaper to the consumer ii
certain lines, the labor made idle il
those lines must turn to other means
of employment, and thus by compe
tition compel lower rate of wages
to those employed therein.
The power of O Gork;ngman tt
consume depends on what he receives
for his labor. Unemployed, his pow
er to consume, except on charity Of
theft, ceases. l prefer that Americs
should be land of workers rather
than land of thieves and paupers
What is true Of the individual il
true of the Nation. The primary el
ements of National wealth and Ma
tional prosperity are production, dis
tribution and consumption. Whatev
er affects the power of labor to con
snme affects the entire interests o
the Nation. Whatever lowers The
wages or labor affects its itQ power
to consume. An average reduction
of I per centum on the cost of good
imported will not compensate Ameri
can labor for the loss of 100 per cent
um in wages in the lines affected, ant
of from 10 to 80 per centnm in wagel
in the wages in the line Of employ
ment by the substitution of the free
trade for the protective system.
hold it to be far statesmanship tt
build up and retain our home market
by system that protects American
labor than TO command o market in
foreign lands secured by the whole
sale degradation and pauperization o
our own people.
Every dollars worth OF labor value
4 81 l.