Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-23
ADVICE TO WORKERS.
EIr. Blaine's Address to the Laboring Men
of New York.

AZ VIC Dld1He RECEPTION aG new DIX,
Mr.. Daniel Healy, on behalf of the
workingmen of New York read an adj
diess of welcome, and incidentally asked
the great statesman for some words of
counsel on the great issues of the day.
In the course of his reply Mr.. Blaine
said:
Now, gentlemen, I know that in dis
cussing the question of protective tariff
we are always pointing out what Eng
land is doing. | have lately been in
England for some months, and I found
in English public opinion very great
difference of opinion upon almost all
questions. They are about divided on
what you call the Irish question; they
are almost divided ON the foreign policy
Of Gladstone and Salisbury; they are di-
vided even upon the continuance of the
house Of lords, and they're not absolutely
unanimous in support of the monarchy.
But there is one opiniC they are united
on, and that is that the Hon. Grover
Cleveland, President Of til United States,
embodies in his person the regular form
of revenue and free tn de for the United
States which they like. I have no OBJ
lection to their right of opinion, and if 1
: had it would amount to nothing; nor do
intend to speak disrespectfully Of the
English, for | have received at their
hands very graceful and very cordial
hospitality which I would be churl not
to acknowledge before an American
audience. But that does not affect the
pending conditions that the American
people find their interests in one policy
and that the English want to change that
policy so as better to conform to their
interests. And that, gentlemen, is the
prime question before you in next No
vember's election. [ am glad that this
meeting is called in the name Of the
I shall hold this question from the be-
ginning to the end as question that in
terests every man, woman, and child in
this country that depends upon daily
labor for daily bread. There is no need
70 make any laws to protect capital.
Capital always takes care of itself and
gets full share, but there are laws that
can elevate the condition of the laboring
man and there are laws that can degrade
him, and the republican party has stood
for twenty-five years, and it will stand |
believe, with the blessing of God and the
will of the American people, twenty-five
years more upholding and maintaining
the laboring man, for the government
which takes care of the bone and sinew
care of the men who created the wealth
Iaooring people because this question is,
from first to last, from skin to core and
back to skin again, a question of labor.
eff you agree to live in as poor
house and eat as poor food and receive
as low wages as the people in England
receive we can produce as cheap goods
as democratic administration wants to
see. But it will be otherwise if you
wish to better your condition and if you
want the industrial system of protected
interests that prevail in this country now
to be maintained. The savings of the
wage-workers of England, Scotland, and
Ireland, as I said to-day to a Massachu-
sets gentleman, are not nearly as great
as lie tonight in the savings banks of
Massachusetts, to the credit Of the wage
workers of that small state; and if you
turn the administration of this republic
to-day into free-trade channels you may
not expect those great savings, for you
will put our laboring men throughout
the country into competition with the
laboring men OF Great Britain, and in
the course of five or ten years you will
make them as poor upon this side of the
water as they are upon the other.
81 will not in this campaign stop to
| have 10 personality to indulge in;
have no sores to heal, and would rather
have your cordial and heartfelt and sym
pathetic welcome than any Office you care
to bestow upon me. But in this canvass
in which [ shall take greater or less part
In the country and who are therefore en-
titled to the patronage and protection Of
the government.
ont q
critical state; you represent the state of
New York. Your votes are to tell in
that issue Your votes can be decisive
upon the one issue. Do not be diverted
from that one question by side issues.
Do not be misled by petty squabbles up
on this or that small issue or upon per-
sonal questions of abuse on the one
hand or the other, but give your votes
as independent laboring men and give
them for the interests of your own
homes, Of your own flresides and there
by for the great interests of the great re-
public.
81 never, Mr. Chairman, thought of
this republic as | do tonight. | have
seen the other side; have devoted many
of the last fourteen months to seeing the
condition of labor and laboring men in
the other hemisphere, and l say without
fear of contradiction that in no country
of Europe, or part of any country, is
the condition of labor comparable to
that which it holds in the United States.
Are you willing to give up that position,
or are you willing to maintain it? You
can maintain il by a strong pull and
long pull altogether for Harrison and
Morton"
Ten to One,