The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-13
SEATTLE, SATURDAY, JUNE 10.
A FATAL ADMISSION.

The Telegraph, of this city, in yesterdays
issue presented labored effort to make it
appear that the Republican party is
inimical to all grades of foreign immigra-
ton, and inferentially that members of
that party are prejudiced against all
classes of adopted citizens By clumsy
inadvertence the absurdity of this plea is
demonstrated by quoting two Republican
papers-the Omaha Bee and the Milwau-
kee Sentinef-in complimentary reference
to the foreign elements IN their states.
fully off-setting quotations OF opposite
import from the Hartford, Conn. Post
and the Press Times of this city.
And no less clumsy is the Telegrdph's at
tempt to connect Republican support OF
the protective tariff system, which all
recognize as distinctive Republican
principle, with the opposition to foreign
immigration, upon which ifs own quota
tons show that Republican papers are
divided. rs the same might De shown as
20 the Democrats by quotations from one
and another of their papers.
Bat the acme of stupidity in this connec-
tion is reached by the Telegraph
when ii oracularly declared that
alt IS to be remembered. on the
other hand, that high tariff
liz naturally increases immigration" By
high tariff" that paper means protect
i've tariff. Then the sentence quoted
amounts to dogmatic assertion that pro-
lection has the effect Of increasing immi-
grafton. What does that argue? Whether
one is opposed to immigration or in favor
of it, all must admit that the impelling
motive Of an immigrant is to improve his
condition. In ninety-nine cases out of
hundred those who remove from one coun-
try to another, or from one part of the
country to another, are impelled by de-
sire 10 better their condition and an ex-
pectation of doing so.
II follows that as the prospect Of better
ment In brighter or more uncertain, the
tide of immigration will increase or de-
crease, in the absence of q check to an in
crease. The more prosperous the country,
and the larger the field for labor that it
offers, the greater, if unchecked, will be
the increase of immigration. Then, il lit
is to be remembered that high tariff
naturally increases immigration, it must
be equally memorable that such tariff
must increase the prosperity and the field
for employment of labor in the country
which attracts the increased immigration.
This is unquestionably true, and not
only accounts for the increased immigra-
ton which increased protection has stim-
ulated, but also accounts for the enlivened
interest in checking the immigration of
undesirable classes. That the new tariff
has increased prosperity and the de-
mand for labor, and that this has
naturally increased immigration" is true,
and it is equally true that this is Great
ing demand for reasonable laws or regu-
lations to discriminate and exclude or
check the immigration of undesirable and
unassimilable classes, which is no less to
the interest of assimilable and orderly
adopted citizens and prospective immi-
grants than to the native born.
The friends OF the protective system,
which increases prosperity, which in turn
naturally increases immigration. are in
favor also of protecting home laborer. and
the better class of immigrants against the
influx and ruinous competition of immi-
grants of the baser, the turbulent and the
Semoralizinr sort