Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-02-10
A TOPIC Of INTEREST
Proving a Puzzle to
Organized Labor.
QUESTION OF IMMIGRATION.
Some in Favor of Further Restriction
Opponents Views Presented.

| BosTON. Feb i0-Says The Journal. I'm
migration. and whether or no cpngrrs
| should further restrict IT.. seems 10 b.
rock upon which the scatimcnt and opn
| ion OF organized labor viii diyi ic Ths
| prevalent impression anon. the genera
| pulls is that workingmen Grc aunt il
favor of restricted immigration Such Il
not the case. In fact. il is almost p-nblbl'
that the ground they will take will be il
opposition To further restrictive legisla
tion Had vote been taken among tn,
members Of organized Ia Dor In the United
States one year ago without doubt the nd
vocHte- Of further restrictive Immigration
laws would have gained a victory.
For the past six months the immigrn-
tion question ha- been discussed in all its
bran hes by the representative Iolics al
organized labor In tho Unit,d States, but
as yet 40 definite action has been taken
and
The Matter sim Lies Tabled.
The American Federation OF ~ or, The
Kni ht- Of Labor, tie Ciwru iIrrs' In.
ternd iDaal union, the international Is.
pog. Gical union, the BrOthrrhu1 OF
Carpenters and Joincrs, the Building Ia
borer-' union and other organiZn Ions OF
national and international character
have ir under discussion. The Central
Tradc, and Labor union ~ Boston and vi.
cinitN. the repre- sentative body of organ
lied Labor in New England, AMI one OF the
foremost trade councils In the United
State has had the immi gIation question
under consideration since Nov l. Vt the
meet. .lg held on that date the iJl!oWing
resolution was intro luccd:
Resolved. That the Central Labor union call
upou tine reprp~"ufati ives Of Na-sachusc:ts IT,
congress e. Introduce auch legislation us viii
still frrther restrict assisted iWai srilua and
prcve'.t hc trcucnluu iutp1:lttllu OF niis o
labor "a Ter contract.
Afts prolonged discuSs.ol this ;. ,ulutiuu
was rc'rrr"l - q special rummittyr This
comini' re made thorough e.. 'n'nIti ~
Of the .i 'ttrr 'tld rep 'rtrd at gr,.t lruyth
at the meeting held Dee O. The report
speciha- the case of the rGpil mohilizlti cn
in this country of Russian Jews, who are
coming at the rate OF 1000 a month"
"AlthOugh we object 20 this, il il through
no spirit of Lnowuo,hnpirm. An old
trade unionlst, himself jew, told the
committee that these PEOPLE
should Not De Allowed 90 land
in the United Statca, saying tia. they
were "a menace 20 his trade, Lis wl..,.s aud
his family" Thor are more rack rented
farmer in five states than In Ireland and
Great Britain combined" The committee
refers TO the present immigration status
as those poor, emascuiatol laws" Ia
closing, tho committee urge that the rcso-
luton originally introduced be da,sel
After the acceptance of the report a
long debate ensued and the resolution was
referred To the Inflated bodies of the con.
l,.,a, 4.
majority of the delegates to the union aud
the opinion genornlIv expressed wGs that
tho resolution should not be- passed. To
be specific. ofH.5 accredited delegates q
were opposed to and 81 favored the rcsohu.
tion. Briefly summarized, the argument
OF those
In Favor OF tho Resolution
Is as follows; There are today, according
TO the report Of the national commissioner
of statistics, I,O01 900 men out of employ.
ment in this country The supply Of labor
Is at q maximum. the demand at mini
mum, hence loss wage II isthe old law
of supply nnd demand. BY a proper re-
strlction of immigration. the continuous
flow into this country Of cheap labor from
the old world would be prevented, and
those who are admitted would De Of a
higher range of intelligence than the horde
now received. So by decreasing the great
army of the unemployed, tho supply is
lessened and the ever Increasing demand
for labor cyhausts the already over great
surplus,nnd new era of prosperity would
come.
Argument of Opponents
OF further restrictive laws Is as follows:
America II tho haven for the oppressed,
and having been originally founded with
that object In view, no backward step
should be taken. The cause of organized
labor is universal, and, rs an injury to
one is the concern of all, one section Of or
Ranized labor has no right TO infiict 4
wound upon another section. The present
laws, properly enforced, are sufficient.
That they ure not enforced is no argument
for tho enactment Of additional laws
Trade unions have no right 10 act in tue
matter; their purpose is to Increase wage,
by obtaining for it its full rights To de-
crcuse the large number of unemployed q
national cight-ho law would be sum
cient.
Final action will be taken on Sunday.
Feb. II. At that time prolonged discus.
sion Is expected. Throughout the roun-
try has also spread the agitation against
further restrictive legislation Letters
from representative labor men in the lar
rye cities all express the opinion that tho
m embers of organized labor in their re.
spective localities will 60 on record as OPP