St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-09-22

American shops must compete in the Amer
can market, without favoring duties, with IN
products OF cheap foreign labor, the erect VII
| be different, If at all. only in degree, Whethe
the cheap laborer is across the street, or owe
the sea. Such competition will soon reduc
wages here to the level Of those abroad, AM
when that condition is reached we Will no
need any laws forbidding the importation o
Iaborers under contract-thay will have no in
ducement to come, and the employer no1n
ducement to send for them.
| In the earlier years Of our history, public
agencies to promote immigration were com
mon. The pioneer wanted neighbor with
more friendly interests than the Indian. La
Dor was scarce and fully employed. But the da!
OF the immigration bureau has gone by. While
our doors will continue open to proper immi
grafton, We do not need to issue special invita-
tons to the inhabitants Of other countries to
come TO our shores or to share our citizenship
Indeed, the necessity OF some inspection and
limitation is obvious. We should resolutely
| refuse to permit foreign governments to send
| their paupers and criminals to our ports. We
are also clearly under duty to defend our civ
| flizatlon by excluding alien races whose ulti-
mate assimilation with our people is neither
| possible nor desirable. The family has been the
nucleus OF our best immigration, and the home
the most potent assimilating force in our CIV
ilization.
The objections to Chinese immigration are
| distinctive and conclusive, and are now so gen.
orally accepted as such, that the question has
passed entirely beyond the stage of argument.
The laws relating to this subject would, if /
| should be charged with their enforcement, be
| faithfully executed. Such amendments or
| further legislation as may be necessary and
| proper to prevent evasions of the laws and to
| stop further Chinese immigration would also
meet my approval. The expression Of the con-
vention upo this subject is in entire harmony
| with my views. Our civil compact is a govern
ment by maiorities: and the law loses its Sane
ton and the magistrate our respect when this
compact is broken. The evil results of
election frauds do not expend themselves
upon the voters who are robbed of their
| rightful influence In public affairs. The in
| dividual, or community, or party, that prac-
tees or conn1ves at election frauds, hes suf-
fered irreparable injury and will sooner or
later realize that to exchange the American
system OF majority rule for minority co ltrol is
not only unlawful and unpatriotic, but very un-
safe for those who promote 1t. The disfranchise-
ment OF single legal elector by fraud or in
timdation is a crime too grave to be regarded
lightly. The right OF every qualified elector to
cast one free ballot, and to have 1t honestly
counted must not be questioned. Every con-
stitutional power should be used to make this
right secure and to punish frauds upon the
ballot. Our colored people do not ask special
legislation in their interest, but only to be
made secure in the common rights OF American
citizenship They will, however. naturally
mistrust the sincerity of those party leaders
who appeal to their race for support only in
those localities where the suffrage is free and
election results doubtful, and compass their
Acknowledgement where their votes would be
controlling and their choice can not be coerced.
The Nation, not less than the States, is de-
pendent for prosperity and security upon the
intelligence and morality of the people. This
common interest very early suggested Nation
al aid in the establishment and endowment OF
schools and colleges in the new States. There
is. believe, d present exigency that calls for
still more liberal and direct appropriations in
aid Of common school education in the States
The Territorial form Of government is tenn
porary e1pedient, not permanent civil condi-
ton. 1t is adapted to the exigency that sug-
gested it. but becomes inadequate, and even
oppressive, when applied to fixed and popuous
communities. Several Territories are well
able to bear the burdens and discharge the du-
ties OF free commonwealth in the American
Union. To exclude them is to deny the just
rights of their people, and may well excite
their indignant protest. No question of the
political preference Of the people Of Territory
should close against them the hospitable door
which has opened to twothirds of the existing
fused to any Territory, majority of whose
people cherish institutions that are repugnant
to our Civilization, or inconsistent with q re-
publican form OF government.
The declaration of the convention against
TALL combinations OF capital, organized in
trusts or otherwise, to control arbitrarily the
condition Of trade among our Citizens is in !
llcly expressed by me long before the assem-
Hing nnnvpntinn amt fol
shares the losses of idleness with labor but I'M
der the operation of the trust, in some OF its |
fortns the Whge-w6rker alone suffers loss, |
while idle capital receives its dividends from !
trust fund. Producers who refuse to join the |
combination are destroyed, and competition as |
an element OF prices is eliminated. It can not |
be doubted that the legislative authority should |
and will find method OF dealing fairly and ef-
fectively with these and other abuses connect
ed with this subject. 1t can hardly be neces.
sary for ne to say that am heartily in sympa.
thy with the declaration of the convention upon
the subject Of pensions to our soldiers and |
sailors. What they gave and what they suf-
fered 1 had some opportunity to OBJ
serve, and in a small measure. to experience
They gave ungrudgingly; 1t was not trade,
but an offering. The measure was heaped up
running over. What they achieved, only a
distant generation can adequately tell. With
out attempting to discuss particular PROPOSE
ions, may add that measures in behalf of the
surviving veterans of the war and Of the fami-
les OF their dead comrades should be con-
,eiVed and executed in spirit OF justice and of
he most grateful liberality. and that in the
for civil appointments, honorable
military service should have appropriate recog
,ition.
The law regulating appointments to the class.
fed civil service received my support in the
senate. In the belief that it opened the way to
much -needed reform I still think so, and.
therefore,, cordially approve the clear and forci-
Ne expression OF the convention upon this SUBJ
cot. The law should have the aid of friend
y Interpretation, and be faithfully and vigor-
usly enforced. ALI appointments under
should be absolutely free from partisan
considerations and influence. Some extensions
+ the classified list are practicable and desra-
lie, and further legislation extending the re-
orm to other branches of the service, to which
ia applicable, would receive my approval
n appointments to every grade and depart
aent. fitness and not party service, should be
he essential and discriminating test, and fidel.
" and efficiency the only sure tenure of Office
'nly the interests of the public service should
uggest removals from office. I know the
tactical difficulties attending the attempt to
pply the spirit of the Civil-Service rules to all
ppointments and removals 1t will, however,
e my sincere purpose, ii elected, to advance
1e reform.
notice with pleasure that the convention did
OF omit to express its solicitude for the pro-
lotion of virtue and temperance among our
eople. The Republican party has always
cen friendly to every thing that tended to [
lake the home life OF our people free pure ,
nd prosperous, and will in the future be true .
its history in this respect.
Our relations with foreign powers should be
laracterized by friendliness and respect The
ght OF our people and OF our ships to hospit.
ole treatment should be insisted upon with
entity and frmueSS Our Nation is too nrnnt |