Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-26

we believe Canada can be brought, and
that it will be the ultimate solution of the
whole difficulty.
PROTECTION OF NATIVE GOSPEL.
Recently Judge Wallace, of the United
States Circuit Court, of the District Of
New York, rendered judgment in favor
of the United States against the Rev. E.
Walpole Warren and the wardens and
vestrymen of Trinity Church, for the vio-
lation Of the Act of February 25, 1885,
entitled An Act to Prohibit the Importa-
ton and immigration of Foreigners and
Aliens under Contract or Agreement to
Perform Labor in the United States,
Among other things, the Act provides that
from and after its passage it shall be I'M
lawful for any person, company, partner
ship or corporation to prepay the passage
or in any way assist or encourage the i'm.
portation or immigration of any alien or
aliens, foreigner or foreigners into the
United States, under contract or agree
ment, parol or special, express or implied,
made previous to the Importation or immi-
grafton of such alien or aliens, to perform
labor or service of any kind in the United
| States. This Act is popularity known as
the Knights of Labor Restriction Act"
and its passage and enforcement forms a
significant chapter in the history of pro-
! lection. The disparity between the wages
of skilled workmen in Austria and Ger
many particularly, and measurably in
England, coupled with the low rate of
passage and the short time required to
cross the ocean, has for the past ten years
been inducing an abnormal immigration
into the United States. Under the plea
of maintaining high wages in this coun-
try, the proprietor class have exerted
constant influence upon the legislation of
the country in favor of the increase of the
tariff. The doctrine, tariff for revenue, has
long since been lost sight of by the Re
publicans OF the country, and the policy
of protection has been openly avowed and
advocated. The artificial stimulus given
to the manufactures of the United States
has had a tendency to maintain a high
rate of wages, and the existence of this
higher rate has proven an attraction so
strong that the Knights of Labor, repre-
senting the skilled artisans of this country,
secured at the hands of Congress the pas
sage of the Act above alluded TO-
In the year 1880 the census disclosed
the fact that 80 per cent of all the skilled
artisans in this country were of foreign
birth. 1t costs but eight dollars in money
and eight days in time from either Bremen,
Hamburg or Liverpool to New York. So
far from manifesting any since rity in the
profession of desire to maintain high
wages in this country the proprietor class,
having secured protection at tie hands of
the Government, and thus augmented the
value of their manufactures, began a sys-
tematic Importation of cheaper labor than
could be obtained in this country. The
high tariff policy had been in force long
enough to bear the legitimate fruit in
the way of excessive immigration. The
policy of protecting the industries of
America against the output of labor in
Europe having been firmly established, the
European laborer, instead of sending his
labor to a market which Disseminated
against him, defeated the entire object of
the tariff by introducing himself and put
ting forth his labor inside the tariff line.
The skilled labor Of the country, follow
ing the example set by the proprietor
class, determined upon measure of prac-
deal protection, and hence accomplished
the passage of the law Notwithstanding
the law, however, the number Of skilled
workmen arriving in the United States in
eight years-from 1880 to the present
time-has far exceeded the number reach
ing our shores from 1860 to 1880, period
of twenty years. Since protection has the
effect of scaling up the prices of every
thing, it is impossible for country adopt
ing that policy to sell its wares or its
merchandise to foreign countries. America,
while not actually, is practically the only
market for American wares. That market,
then, is limited to consumption within the
tariff lines. The danger to the working
classes of America, and particularly to
skilled artisans, is from the influx of |
number so great as to confer upon the !
country productive capacity far in ex-
cess of its power to consume. This is Just |
what has happened, and what is happen
ing to-day. Aside from the law referred |
to, other measures of protection have
been adopted. Trade Unions have |
abolished apprenticeship. American boys |
are not permitted to learn skilled |
occupations, and thus while cur BOYS are |
prohibited by the rules of the trades |
unions from becoming skilled artisans, an !
enormous influx of skilled labor is pouring
In upon us. The very extreme of pro
lection, however, and the acme of its alb |
surdity was recently reached in our own |
State, when the associated trades of San !
Francisco denounced the State Board of |
Trade for attempting to induce the inmi- |
grafton of mechanics and laborers. These
federated trades actually resolved to pro-
tect the price Of their labor by limiting
the number of people who should come to |
California from the States OF the Union.
To employ not irrevelant bit OF slang, |
the "doxology of nonsense in the way of |
protection is reached in the case of Rev. |
Mr.. Warren. An Episcopal Church de-
sires to employ man of God to preach !
the gospel, and in pursuance of that de- I,
sire call is sent to minister in England |
an agreement is entered into between the |
vestrY of the church and the minister of /
England as to the salary to be paid, and |
the minister is duly imported, whereupon |
in pursuance Of presentment the vestry /
is fined $1,000, and the Geographic item
which conveys this information, concludes