The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1888-09-01
H.K THURBER TO THE FRONT
To the Wage farmers Of the Unit
ed States What is Toar
Interest IN tie COM
ing Presidential
ELecti0n.

President Cleveland has precipi-
tated the conflict between the wage
earners of this country and the
wage-earners of Europe. In all
fairness and candor, | ask you, Can
there be but one result, if the theory
of free trade is carried out; and
that is reduction of wagesl Our
markets IN the present age of steam
are only ten days distance in time
rom the European markets.
Freights are so low that in all man
ufactured goods this item can hard
ly be taken into account in the
cost of the merchandise. A differ.
ence of 5 per. cent in the cost of
manufacturing IN this country over
the cost in Europe, sends the or
ders by cable to any European
market that is lower IN price than
our own; consequently the only
protection labor has in this country
over the labor in any European
country is the action Of protecteve
tariff. Then comes the question,
Does the average wage-earner in
this country receive higher wages
and better net results than the
wage Garner does in Europe2 that
is, can you live better, can you
gain home easier, can you edu
cate your children better, can you
lay up surplus in case of sickness
or old age, easier in this country
than they can in the most crowded
portions OF Europel
There can be but one answer to
this question, that is yes. We see
it everywhere; weIsee in the health
ier condition of our wage-earners;
we SEQ it in the way their wives and
children are dresssed; we see it IN
their homes, (cf which theY very
often own the title deeds); we see
1t in the deposits in the saving
banks (Which are wholly the net
results to wage e.earners). In the
United States there is due to 3, AIS,
O13 deposltors 81, ,235, ,247,371, an
average of 1851. 80 to each deposi
tor. We see it in the fact that
those who are able to get away from
lsbor-oppressed Europe are emf
grating to this country. All these
are hard facts that the free trader
cannot get away from. Free trade
is very pretty theory, but it is
manly professional men who ad-
vecate it, and 1t is gratifying to
some to preach "hat all the qcOrId
are brothers" and that consequent
| ly we should not protect the labor
of our neighbors, our own citizens,
who build our towns into villages,
our villages into cities, who con
sumo our own raw products. Free
trade may be charity to foreign op
eratives, but | for one believe that
charity begins at home first; thai
my own country is entitled to my
first regard; that the interest of the
wage-earner Of this country is my
interest; that his success is my sue
cess.
also believe that what Euro
pean manufacturers want US to DC
is not for our interest to do. WheI
every European paper hailed Presi
dent Cleveland's message with dc
light as tending toward free trade,
it convinced me that it was not the
best interest Of this country that he
should be reelected.
When the London Times thinks
the best use they can make of lr
ishmen is to help them to emmi
CRATE to this country and join tn,
, Democratic party, and thus hell
break down our protective tariff
that makes me think that our tar
if isa great benefit to this country
and of course, l range myself o.