Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-09-25
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1t Is fact perhaps not generally known,
but nevertheless we challenge Its con.
tradiction. that the Republicans in the
recent constitutional convention intro.
duced a resolution TO prohibit all foreign
born citizens from voting who might be
unable to read and write English; and
that every Republican in that conven-
tion, three members excepted, voted for
its adoption. It wal defeated by the
Democratic members, and to them, there.
fore, or rather to the party which they
represent, should every foreign-born citi-
zen in Montana extend the hand of fell
lowship in recognition :of the highest
service that can appeal to human in
telligence and gratitude. II the resolu-
ti0n had made no class distinction, no
distinction between native and natu-
rallied citizens, then the affront would
have been less direct and, therefore, less
severe. But 1t was a direct slap In the
face OF every foreign-born citizen Of
Montana, and administered with all of
the collective force of the combined Re-
publicans in that convention, three
members only excepted. It was e.
pecially aimed at the Irish-Amerieans of
Montana because of their numerical
strength and Democratic convictions.
The Republican party Of Montana Is very
willing to tax the .foreign-born citizens
property but 1t has no use for him polit-
ically unless he votes the Republican
ticket, and then not in the distribution
of Offices unless it happens to be a thou
sand times more blessed to receive than
to give. Speaking generally, the foreign
population Of the United States belongs
to the laboring classes. That is no dis
credit to our foreign-born citizens nor
disadvantage to their adopted govern
ment, but because they belong to the
laboring classes, just as soon as they be-
come familiar with our political insti-
tuti0ns they become Democrats, and this
explains the hatred Of the Republican
party towards them. The foreign-born
citizen, If a .workingman, doesn't have
to be able to read and write English to
know that in America Democracy
means Jthe elevation of labor and
that Republicanism means Its op-
preston and degradation. Instinct
would teach 4 laboring man
that, though he i were deaf, dumb
and blind. self preservation Is the first
ttptes1r ffasfean as IL ip1 B qR ti is tho I Rfdps
self-preservation depends entirely upon
their own exertiOns being outside of the
pale of the Republican protective feat
ures Of the:.tariff. Self-preservation has
led the workingman to the Democratic
party; 1t has led him to organization
throughout the entire country as a self
protection and because the boosted pro-
lection Of the Republican party has
never meant protection to him. Instead
Of being the party of protection it is no.
toriously the party of oppression. The
Democratic party instead Of being a free
trade party is the party of protection in
q broad sense; for 1t believes In such an
equitable revision of the tariff as will
afford equal protection to capital and
labor. Stree trade" has been applied to
by the Republican party to
distract attention from its own unfair
and d~isgraceful methods. |
While it has been yelling free trade at
the top Of its voice 1t has been getting
Its work in by class legislation-by leg
lslating for the few and against the
many. 1t has yelled stop thiefp' to roll
The masses on In the pursuit and thus
escape detection itself.