The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-09-06
the AMERICAS IDEA.
Tns Knights Of Labor Secretary Offers His Ser
vicss to the Rspghlioea Cause.

Srt6 FStS %at4OsAN sONsts
Tns Knights Of Labor Secretary Offers His Ser
VICES to ths RspUhliosa Cause.
WASHINGTON, Aug. Ex-senator
Quay, chairman of the republican
national committee, furnishes the fol-
lowing letter for publication:
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. q, 1888.
Hon, II. s. Quay, Chairman National Repub-
hcan Committee, Everett House. New York.
DEAR SIR: Ny connection with the
labor movement for the past fourteen
years has made ii necessary for me to
be a close student of the causes of
labor depression and of the needs of
those who toll. While as a body 4
labor organization may refrain from
participation in politics, SO much of
what organized labor demands must be
obtained through legislation that the
individual member of the labor organ
izatiOn must act politically as his judg-
ment will best aid the aims and objects
expressed in the principles of the or
ganizatiOns he represents and whose
success he desires. In the gigantic
political struggle now begun,
except to aid or hinder one of the prin-
cipai combataDts in the political arena.
However sincere may be the advocates
of the measure tn secure which the sep
arate political organizations are form
ed and whatever strength in votes
may be shown at the polls, the fact re-
mains that the candidate of either the
republican OF the democrat 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 tn which of these two old
party organizations shall be given aid
either directly or indirectly, by voice
or vote. While it may be that
neither party offers all that labor
organizations desire. i believe the re-
publican party in adopting and adVo-
eating the American system OF en-
cOuragement and protection TO the
labor and wages of Cur own land Is
nearer the declarations and desires OF
organized labor than its free trade OPP
pOnent, the democratic party.
The conflict is between the American
system, as represented by the repub-
hcan party. which would foster and en-
| cOurge the labor Of our own people and
retain them for the market and wages Of
our own country, and the British sys-
/ tenn 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 tOilers and
reducing to a lower level the
standard of American wages: when the
knights of Labor and kindred Organi-
cations shall have obtained in foreign
lands the same command, position and
influence enjoyed in the United States,
the ineQuity in wages will disappear
not by leveling our wages down. but
by leveling their wages up: 1t is far
better to level up than to level down as
~ os An To-. he
power to consume. Until this equah-
zatiOn can be accomplished, and until
the wages of labor abroad shall equal
those at home, there must be proper
restriction of immigration so that ouI
land may not be the dumping ground
of the pauper and degraded labor OF
the balance of the world
This restriction supplemented by
continuation of thorough systematic
in conjunction with the American idea
of protection to American labor cannot
fail to secure for our people the bes1
results of their toll, and by our eX
ample lift the labor of the whole wOrlC
, to higher and better plane of exist
ence.
Whichever party wins, something
must be done to regulate more strict.
, this importation of foreign labor unde
contract and the immigration of pau
! pers and dependents. If nothing
l should be done, then democratic sue
cess would mean not only free trade II
i goods made by pauper labor, but tn
Importation of both the labor and tn
: goods. While under free trade good
n may be cheaper TO the consum
Ter, in certain lines the la
y Dor made idle in those lines mus
], turn to other means of employment
1 al 10
+ or rate of wages to those already EN-
. piOyed therein. The power of work
: ingman to consume depends upon wha
r he receives for his labor; unemploye
= his power to consume, except on char
= ty or theft, ceases. l prefer tia
q America should be land of worker
: rather than a land of thieves and pau
!. perS. What is true of the individuS
! is equally true of the nation, the PR
4 mary elements of national wealth an
q national prosperity are production, dis
a tributiOn and consumption. What
. ever affects the power ct labor TO cor
r sumo, affects the entire interests G
4 the nation. whatever lowers the wage
q of labor affects its power to consume
% An average reduction" of Z per cen
r. on the cost of goods imported will nc
"a compensate American labor for th
a loss OF one hundred per cent IN wage
- in the effected, and from 100 to 50 pc
= cent in wages in the lines of employ
n ment by the substitution of the FIRE
o. trade for the protective system.
S hold it to be far wiser StateSmanShi
to build up and retain our home ma
ket by a system that protects Anne
leans, than to command market
70 foreign lands, secured by the wholesal
10 degradation and pauperiZation of OF
Is own people. Every dollars worth {
f. labor value imported is by so much
IN reduction of home laborerS' wage
| This is not offset by the declaratiO
that there are more goods in the in
y ported dollars worth, the positi0
~ of the protectiOnist is rather strength
: ened by such suspicious presentatiC
+ of the matter because the question
- then instantly forced upon every int
"a Iigent man, how can American lab
y earn dollars if the industry in whiC
~ he is experienced is transferred to 70
- eign lands.
,s The theory of protection advocate
m by the republican party is the same
/ the underlying principle upon whiC
oa all labor organized are founded;
ne friend to organized labor that b
m lieveS in Organization rs means to g
an hance and maintain wages cannot CO
e. sistently oppose party that applies
I'D all labor the same principle or pFote
tion from unfair competition that Il
individual trade orgaDlZatit
gives to the single trad
= Trade organizations do aid
advancing wages in their respecti
as trades and the protective system q
nd manded by the republican party W
n. secure for all the toilers in the land
AZ similar fostering care.
- That this is dearly understood
most of the thinking leaders of orga
1sRkA< hx1
or recently made in favor of the Anne
i'm system and home market by the p
nd siding officers of the organization
At presenting the iron and glass industr
Ter of the United States. There is no b
r1- ter organization of any one trade tn
de the amalmagated association Of
lly iron and steel workers. There is
est trade thOrou0hlv organized or bet
Ias disciplined than that of
an Uiu6Ou glass workers nor {