Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-09-28
TO LABORING MEN.
a Leading Knight Of Labor on the
Political Situation.
The following letter explains itself


Hon. IL. S. Quay, Chairman Notion
al Republican Committee. Ererett
House, Nelc YOrk-DEAR SIR: NV
connection with the labor movement
for the past fourteen years has made
it necessary for me to be a close stu
dent of the causes of labor depression
and Of the needs of those who toll
While, as body, a labor organiza-
ton may refrain from active partici-
patton in politics, so much of what
organized labor demands must be
obtained through legislation; that the
individual member of the labor or
ganizatiOn must act politically as in
his judgement will best aid the aims
and objects expressed in the princi-
pies Of the organization he repre-
sents, and whose success he desires.
In the gigantic political struggle now
begun side issues count as nothing,
except to aid or hinder one of the
principal cOmbatants in the political
arena. However sincere may be the
advocates of the measures, to secure
which the seperate political organiza-
tons are formed, and whatever
strength involved may be shown at
the polls, the fact remains that the
candidate Of eithe~ the Republican
or Democratic party will be the next
President Of the United States
Therefore, to him who has the good
of thescOuntry and the welfare of her
people at heart the necessity exists to
choose to which Of these two old par
ty organizations shall be given aid,
either directly or Indirectly, by voice
or vote. While it may be that Meth
er party offers all hat labor organi-
cations desire, L believe that the Re
publican party, in adopting and adj
VOcating the American system of en-
enlargement and protection to the
labor and wages Of our own land, is
nearer the declaration and desire Of
organized labor than its free trade
opponents, the Democratic party.
The conflict is bewteen the American
system, as represented by the Repub-
hcan party, which would foster and
encourage the labor of our own peo-
pie and retain for them the market
and wages Of our own country, and
the British system, as represented 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 laborers and reducing to a
lower level the standard of American
wages. When the Knights of Labor
and kindred organizations shall have
obtained in foreign lands the same
command, position and influence en-
jOyed in the United States the me
quality in wages will disappear, not
by leveling our wages down, but by
leveling their wages up. It is far
better to level up than to level down,
as the larger the income the larger
the power to consume. Until this
equalization can be accomplished,
and until the wages Of labor abroad
shall equal those at home, there must
be a proper restriction of immigra-
ton, so that our own land may not
be the dumping ground of the pau
per and degraded labor of the bal
ance Of the world This restriction,
supplemented by a continuation of
thorough, systematic organization Of
the labor already here, in coniunc-
ton with the American idea of pro
lection to American labor, can't fail
to secure for our people the best re-
suits Of their toll, and 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
under contract and the immigration
of paupers and dependents. Ifnoth-
ing should be done then a Democrat
.ic success would mean not only free
trade IN goods made by pauper labor,
but the importation OF both the labor
and the goods. While under free
trade goods may be cheaper to the
consumer IN certain lines, the labor
made idle In these lines must turn to
other emDlovment- and thus hv com