Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1888-08-30


Now, if that high tariff is so much for the
benefit OF the laboring men, why have not
the laboring men in these ~ years grown
rich, should like to know? Have they?
| [Cries of ''No, no."1 If they have they
are very unreasonable men, for not year
passes over our heads that we do not hear
Of strikes Of laborers because they
DEMAND MORE WAGES
and say they cannot live on what they re-
ceive. Again and again we hear Of what
are called lockouts, that is, where the en-
ployers suspend operations and lock up
their mills because they cannot afford to
pay any more wages than they did pay.
Why are these strikesP Why are these
lockouts, Why are there such institu-
tions as labor unions So as to secure bet
ter wages. Why is there such an institu-
ton as the Knights of LAborf To prevent
laboring men from being imposed upon and
to increase their compensation. Why is
there a necessity for all these things and
all these extensive and worthy organiEa-
tons if high tariff gives high wages 10 the
laborer? MOI man can answer that question
satisfactorily even to himself.
If what these men say is true about high
tariff and its effect upon wages, why,
then, gentlemen, all these labor unions,
all these Knights of Labor, and everybody
else who is engaged in that kind of bust
ness, are simply wasting their time, for
the tariff nicely solves the problem for
them. Laughter and applause Yes,
it does solve the problem for them, but not
in the way they like renewed laughter]
nor precisely in the way that they feel rs
if they were benefited, and therefore they
have to resort to other means to get their
wages which the employers are not willing
to pay.
But while am on this subject of the
laboring man, let me add, they say that
the tariff does not raise the price. If it
don't raise prices l would like TO know
why the manufacturers, or SO many of
them, are in favor of it? Do they want
a high tariff in order to lower the prices,
Not many of them, think. There are in
stances in which high tariff has lowered
prices for especial and peculiar reasons,
but as general rule, as have already
shown you by what / read from Mr..
Adams report and from other authorities
and also from reason, the tariff increases
che price. II it don't increase the price
you may be sure that the manufacturers
and capitalists would mol want il, and If
it don't Increase the price pray where is
the protection-where does that come in?
They are afraid of our getting things
cheaper in this country than they can be
manufactured here, az they say by reason
of the pauper labor, as they call it, of
Europe. Well, now, if the tariff is
not to increase the price of articles
which we buy and which are manufac-
tured here, where is the protection to
American manufacturers, and how If the
price is not raised are better wages paid,
THE CoL0RED BROTHER.
But there is one class of laborers, my
friends, that want to call your attention
to especially. There is one class Of laborers
in this country which has been, according
to the claims of the Abolitionists in the
country, and of the Republicans, their es-
pecial wards-especially under their guar
dianship, and for whose interests they feel
the most peculiar and earnest solicitude,
and those are the negroes. Now, the result
of the war was to free about 4, 900, 900 of
negroes, and / am very glad they were
freed, and they have increased now to
about 5000, 900 or 1000, 600, for the negro
is prolific animal. [Great laughter and
make their living? Why,
any kind of handicraft that they can, be-
coming domestic servants, blacking shoes,
shaving faces, or doing things of that kind.
But in the country the negro makes what
he gets by cultivating the earth throughout
the whole South. How does he cultivate
it? Why, he either has bought some land,
and some of them have bought good deal,
or he rents land Whether he cultivates
his own land or whether he rents il, the
crops that he gets from IL are the remuner
alton he receives for his toll. Now that
crop in the main consists of cotton, sone
corn and some little wheat, but mainly all
cotton. Now how can the high protective
tariff benefit that negro who raises cotton
and has for his share of the crop three or
four OF FIVE bales of cotton each Year,
Why, gentlemen, there is no tariff at all
on cotton. 1t comes In free az the air.
believe am quite right in saying that,
amt /? Turning to Mr.. Cultivate.
Mr.. O.-Yes, sir.
Judge Thurman-It comes in free as the
air. The price of cotton, therefore, is not
raised, as they say, or lessened by the
tariff tax, and here is all that the negro
has for his labor. He can't get cent more
for his cotton by reason Of any high pro-
tective tariff, and be don't get, perhaps,
cent less. He has to sell his cotton and
to sell it at the price that is made by the
foreign market-the price in Liverpool or
IN London to which cotton is exported