Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-17
TO SENATOR HIGGINS.
An Open Letter From n Wilmington
Workingmsn--No Protection for tbs
I.uInrinp Man.

An Open Letter From n Wilmington
Workingmsn--No Protection for the
Laboring Man.
The following, an open letter to
Senator Higgins, is handed The GA.
zETTE for publication. While the
writer conceals his identity under the
initial 3D." he is laboring man In the
full sense of the word; and his views
are from the standpoint of man who
has been brought in contact with the
pauper labor of Europe, as inferred by
the text of this letter;
70 he Hon. Anfhony Mggins-DEAR SIR:
Having read your admirable speech on
Immigration, directly upon your return
from Europe, and having formerly held a
conversation with you on the same sub
ject, take the liberty of addressing few
thoughts to you, hoping that you may be
the pioneer in removing some OF the evils
that beset labor in this country. Many of
the laboring classes have been patiently
awaiting 20 see if either of the great
political parties would move In the direc-
ton of restricting, if not totally stopping
foreign immigration to this country. Im-
mense sums of money have been expended
in legislation to protect American indus
tries, while comparatively nothing has
been done to protect American labor from
l5o0,OOO) five hundred and fifty thousand
foreigners, who swarm to our shores
yearly, and are received with open arms
by government officials and commits
sioners, to take the places of American
laborers, who to-day are walking the
streets by thousands looking in vain for
work by which they might feed starving
family Undoubtedly the government tries
to realize that it has done wise thing by
stopping contract labor from coming to
tins country; persons who rs a general
rule are experts either in the learned pro.
fcssions. or mechanic arts; who are not
only able to take care of themselves, but
would make valuable citizens.
such persons perhaps 40 or so, more or
less) are returned to their native land each
year, while more than half Il million, who
are mostly the ofl-scourngs of Europe, are
thrown into our seaboard cities and towns
to the disadvantage and displacement of
American labor. Protection to American
industries is one thing. but protection to
American labor Is quite another thing
unless the tariff applies to persons rs well
rs commodities. aud American labor is
beginning 10 see il in that light.
The political party that first takes up the
idea of protection to American labor
against foreign immigration and adhcres
70 it, will lie the party that will get the
American labor vote.
Nothing need he said about the moral
and social evils attendant upon the whole
sale influx of the worst elements of foreign
countries; Chicago, New Orleans and other
places. tell the story.
Some would-bewise men tell US it would
be unconstitutional. liosh. If we have a
constitution that ignores the interest of
the laboring class, amend IL. If the Chi
nese can be kept out, why not the Italian
the Pole, the Hun, and others | could
mention?
The vast horde of immigrants that come
to us do not come in competition with
presidents or congressman, or governors
or judges. nr lawyers or doctors or minis
tiers or capitalists but they do come in
direct competition with American labor.
n