Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-08-31
Sec'y Litchnan, Of the K. Of L.,
Writes . Republican Letter,
WHICH .DRIocRLrIc IBIBERs
Will Have Something to Say About in As
Future.
R. LIfcHILI BEcLIE RICH
By Letting Out E1tnvasant Contracts for <.
Of l. Printing to His Own Brother, and
Now Wants Republican Protection
for His Particular Industry.

WASHINGTON, d. G., August 30 -Sena
tor Quay, Chairman Of tho Rspahlican
National COMMITTEES. furnisho ths follow
ing letter for publication
PHrLADRLrHIA, Aug. "a, 1888.
Hon. Mattheo S. Quay, Csairans, Nee
York:
DEAR Sin My connection with the
labor movement for the past fourteen
years had made Il necessary for me
to be . close student OF the causes Of
labor depression and Of the needs Of
those who toll. While - body labor
organizations may refrain from active par
ticipation in politics, % much Of what
organized labor demands must be obtained
through legislation that the individual
member OF the labor organization must act
politically as in his judgment will best aid
the aims and the objects expressed In tho
principles Of the organization he represents
and whose success he desires.
PRINCIPLES D0N'T cOME IN.
In the gigantic political struggle now
begun, side issues connt ~ nothing except
to aid or hinder one Of the principal COM
bstants in the political arena. However
sincere may be the advocates of the meas
ures, to secure which these separate polit-
ical organizations are formed, and whatev-
or strength In votes may be shown at tho
polls, the fact remains that the candidate
Of either the Republican or the Democratic
party will be the next President Of the Uni.
ted States. Therefore, to him who has the
good Of his country and the welfare Of her
people at heart the necessity exists to
choose to which Of these two old party or
gsnizstions shall he given aid either d.
rectly or indirectly, by voice or vots.
While IL may be that neither party
offers all labor organizations desire, I be-
lieve that the Republican party In adopt.
ing and advocating the American system
Of encouragement aud protection 70 tho
labor and wages TO our own land u nearer
the declarations and desires of orsanizsd
labor, than its free trade opponsnt-tbe
Democratic party.
A FALSE ISSUE RAISED.
The conflict is between the American
system, as represented by the Republican
party, which would foster and encourage
the labor Of our own people and retain for
them the market and wages Of our own
country, and the British Rystem ~ repre-
sentsd by the Democratic party, which
would break down the barriers OF protec.
tion and throw open our home market %
the productions Of foreign factories and
foreign labor. thus making idle our own
toilers and reducing to lower level ths
standard Of American wages.
when Knights Of Labor and kindred
organizations shall have obtained In for
eign lands the same commanding position
and influence enjoyed in tho United
States the inequality In Wages will disAp-
pear, not by levelling our wages down.
but by levelling their wages up. Il IL far
better 70 level up than 70 level down, -
the larger the income the larger the power
TO consume.
HAVE REPUBLICANS RESTRICTED IMMI-
aRATON2
Until this equalization can bs sccom-
plished, and until the wages abroad shall
equal those at hons, there must be .
proper restriction Of immigration % that
our land may pct bs tho dumping ground
Of the psuper and degraded labor Of tho
balance Of the world. This rsstrictiou
supplemented by . continuation Of thor
ough systematic organization Of the labor
already here, In conjunction with the
American idea Of protection 10 Americas
labor cannot fail 70 secure for our
people tho best results Of tbstr
toll, and By our example
lift the labor Of the whole world 20
higher and better plaps Of sxistsDce,
whichever party wins Something must
bs done 10 regulate moro strictly this i'm
portation Of foreign labor under contract
and the immigration Of paupers aad de-
pendenh. IL nothing should b doue,
then Democratic success would msan not
only free trade In goods made By psupss
labor. bot the Importation OF both ths
labor and the goods"
0Tbe letter then makes . lsrgthy tariff
argument. declaring that the provisioos Of
the Mills bill, IL eufoecsd, would lower The
wages Of labor one-half, and oppcluds -
follows:
Ax0rHKR LABoR POLITICIAN.
"A careful consideration oi all these
iscts convinces me that The present n .
grave crisis In the political affairs of our
country, and that I have no hight 70 ~
main silent Ny position - Gsneral 6sc
retary ofthe Knights OF Labor haA givsa
me An intimate knowledgs Of The vssioas
Il a "a