Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-11-17
ative

reeSOn
wen to the
Iany thought
red vote OF
- ing, but the
49, >Sss~rIooked. This
Jiy should take decisive
question. The system now
revalent Of a secret ballot in
was warmly extOlled and its i'm
.uent advocated.
uch space was devoted to the question
immigration, Mr.. Powderly saying
thereon in part; Some six years ago your
General Master Workman declared that
he was in favor of the restriction OF immi-
grafton. The views then expressed were
not received with favor by the order, but
nOtwi thstauding that fact his sentiments
have not changed since then unless II De IN
the direction Of a more rigid exclusion OF
immigrants than be then favored. We
may adopt short hour laws in every State
ss well as the nation, we may tx wage
scales throughout the land, we may enact
protective tariffs until the articles OF for
eigu manufacture are prohibited, out while
the tide of immigration flows on IN
an uninterrupted stream, there will be no
dependence upon short hour laws, no rell-
ance on wage scales, and there can be DO
protection 70 American labor that Will
keep the status Of American worklngmen
higher than his brother who lives under
the weight of centuries OF mOnarchlal mis-
rule. Your General Master Workman has
no hesitation in saying that be favors the
total exclusion Of all immigrants who are
not self-sUStaining on landing 10 this cOun-
try. he would TX term OF yearS-ten
would be long enOUgh-duriug which time
no immigrant should be permitted to land
with a view 10 remaining, unless he could
prove that ne had sufficient
MEANS TO SUSTAIN HIMSELF
and those depending on him for one year.
Unworthy motives may be attributed 10 me
because Of these sentiments, but they are
honestly entertained and such construction
as may be placed on them will not change
my mind, for l fOresee great danger, not
alone 10 labor, but 10 the whole country, II
the immigration question is not carefully
and herOical,y handled in the near future.
10 may sound exceedingly well 10 assert
that we have room for all the world; thai II
would be uu-Americau, that 10 would De
uu-Cnrisran 10 deOar others from the 0ene-
tits we enjoy There is less danger Of de-
barring them from these benefits that that
there is that they viii take the enjoyment
of these benefits from all Of US.
1 have repeatedly said that IL is
not % the interest of the immigrant or
those who proceeded MIN 10 land him here
without money. without friends and with
out O knowledge of tue conditions which he
mus. face i'm his struggle for bread 1t is
NOT because he cannot earn livelyhOOd
in his own land that the foreigner comes
here: 10 Is because the institutions
of greed OF older growth have taken deeper
root The rapacity of employers OF labor,
the'grecd OF the owners OF steamships and
the moral cOwardiCe of our public men
have prevented the enactment OF legislation
which would have long since relieved the
strain We can better afford 10 aid the
European in battling down the institutions
which crush him at home than to continue
"a svs .em which viii inevitably reduce our
own wOrkmen 10 a worse condition than
tHose now experienced abroad Oy those who
are looking . this land FOR relief. What
viii you DO on the immigration question!
Ga strikes and lock outs Mr.. POWGerly
said. During the last six months the pee
pie of this land have witnessed such at
tempJs az making the power Of aggregated
wealth supreme as were never dreamed of
before. Whether 10 be at CUur d'Alene,
at Homestead, az Buffalo, or in Tennessee,
the instinct which guided the rspaciOus
hand was the same. The underground wire
which detected the attack ran 10 the same
centre from all of these places.
(rNTEArTyrD WEALTH