The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-10-03
THE QUESTION ANSWERED.
Why Union Cigarmakers VIII Not support
Harrison and tho Republican Ticket.

To THE EDIToR-Sir: The question is often
asked; "Why is it cigarmakers throughout
the United States are so unanimously opposed
to Mr.. Harrison and the republican party In
this campaign?" Can they wonder why the
cigarmaker will not vote for Harrison, when,
as u. s. senator he voted fourteen times
against their interest while battling with the
Chinese in the Western states; when they ex-
pended $4,000 of their hard-earned money to
prevent reduction of wages from S15 to S.
per 1000, caused by the importation of pauper
Chinese laborers? Could we do otherwise than
remember All Ben and his ilk for the
misery they brought on our brothers and their
families in those states when the heather
Chinese, whom they thought our equals, were
the cause OF losing some five to seven hundred
thousand dollars in wages to our craft, thus
causing desttuton in our ranks? Can we so
soon forget that only two years ago the Cigar
makers union of America expended 100000 in
sending white cigarmakers to the Pacific slope
at the request of the manufacturers, to try and
suppiant the Chinese, and the majority of them
were compelled TO beat their way back" East
the hest way possible? Will any fair-minded
man wonder why the cigarmakers can
not support the republican platform of 1888
when they read the clause recommending free
whisky and free tobaccoY When the internal
revenue is taken off of cigars, the white cigar
makers occupation is gone, from the fact that
1t kills the usefulness of our little union label,
and without the label we are pOwerless. After
the internal revenue is taken off OF cigars, the
packages they are put up in viii not have TO be
destroyed. Then what is to prevent manu-
facturer from employing all of the Chinese and
scab labor he wants, and putting their work on
the market In the old packages and under the
union liable? Ii will create what is known in
the trade as a "turn-in job" The manutact-
urer will give workman a batch OF
tobacco and tell him the number of
cigars he wants out OF it, the workman
TO make them at home. This plan would work
very well were it not for the great competition
which would eventually pull the price so low
that an American born workman would have
to scavet the trade or starve 1t would result in
the abandonment of the trade 10 leprous
Chinese, and TO our worst enemy OF to-day-the
tenement house. At the last convention of the
cigar-makers' union we petitioned congress to
not6isturb the internal revenue system, but in
the face OF our petition the republicans en-
bodied in their platform a clause pledging
themselves 10 do the opposite of what we
ask d.
Ia conclusion, would those people like for us
10 forget our principles and interests to vote
for All Ben from the thin, transparent plea of
state pride? They should know by this time
that the cigar makers union of America is the
trne friend of ali laborers, and that we have
learned the great truth, that an injury to one
is the concern or all. When Mr.. Harrison
raised a. company of militia in 1877 it was a
direct stroke to us, for we often find it neces-
sary to strike. When Mr.. Harrison voted
against the interests of labor-which was every
time an opportunity presented itself-he voted
against us. The cigar makers believe in, and
are true 10 the teachings and principles OF, or
gained labor, and cannot so far forget them
selves as to support party or man who will,
whenever occasion OIers strike him down as
If he was a common dog. Ben L. KISTER,
Corresponding Secretary Union 80.
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept 2e.