Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-02-06
BAMBOOZLING LABOR.
THE TOOLS OF PLUTOCRACY JUG
CLING WITH WORKlNGMEN.


Labor Reformers Must Not Allow the
Great Movement to BE Side Tracked.
Fellow Workman" Carnegie-Little to
Hope for from Congress.
The opinions expressed a few weeks
ago on the question of immigration
stirred up some of my friends, and
have received letters from several of
them expressing surprise that am not
in sympathy with the spasm which is
convulsing the country for the exclusion
of foreigners from our shores. While l
respect the opinions of those who differ
with me and value the friendship which
dictates kindly protest against my
views, | am of the same opinion still re-
garding the subject which has become
SO prominent within a few months. /
have always favored restrictions which
would keep out criminals and laborers
who come to us under contract or against
their free will, but l cannot support or
sympathize with the demand that all
foreigners who want to come to America
under the impression that they will bet
ter their condition shall be excluded. /
have great reverence for the traditions
of our country and honor the reformers
who are striving to bring us back to the
principles which made us first among
the nations of the earth
You may call that sentiment. Then
protest against the present agitation and
the lines upon which it is being worked
ON clearly practical grounds. The poll
ticians and plutocratic editors who are
booming the immigration question loudly
proclaim that their zeal is inspired by
desire to protect the American work
ingman and improve his condition
Their claim is buncombe. Not one of
them would support any measure which
did not advance the interests of plutoc-
racy, and plutocracy wants the prices
paid for labor to sink to the lowest pos
sible level. But many labor men who
should know better are caught with the
bait, and other and vital matters are
neglected, set aside and forgotten wtile
this Jack-o'-lantern is chased. Once get
the great labor movement of this coun-
try to steer its craft into the whirlpool of
anti-immigration, and it will go to
pieces on the rocks of race prejudice,
and the reforms which it has been striv-
ing for so long will be set back fifty years,
if they are not made forever impossible.
1t is my firm conviction that the poll
ticians who are engineering the present
agitation against European labor" have
not the intention of attempting to do
more than delude the workingmen of the
country into the belief that their welfare
is of interest to the lawmaking powers.
The results of the late election and the
relationship existing between the prod
ucts of European pauper labor" and the
''pauper laborer" himself make the anti
immigration question good one for the
juggling politician to play with at this
time. The cholera scare furnishes an
excellent pretext for those who have not
the courage to come out boldly and de-
clare themselves as hostile to the tradi-
tions of our country and are not willing
birth and foreign born parents.
Of course the cholera must be kept
out by all means that can be employed,
and labor should insist upon the en-
forcement of the laws prohibiting for
eign labor under contract coming here;
but men of position and influence in the
labor movement are making serious
mistake in admitting that, as cause of
the unfair conditions which prevail in
the labor world, immigration is entitled
to any kind of consideration. Looked
at from any standpoint, fail to see
how any permanent good can come to
the worhngmen of this country by ex-
cluding foreigners so long as plutocracy
is absolute master of all the tools of
production and distribution. l do see,
however, possibility of the reform
movement being humbugged and bun
koed by the present agitation.
Andrew Carnegie is smooth gentle
man. He can write letter worthy of a
New York green goods man. In answer
w " SOlllLlLlllCuIlOu lTOlu GllG 1lUCSDuTR
Art society, notifying him of the
friendly spirit in which the society
viewed his gift of a public library to the
city of Pittsburg, Mr. Carnegie said:
hope, therefore, that your action may bring
my fellow workmen (for have right to use
this ttle) to see that fair play requires them to
separate the donor and his many faults from
libraries and music halls and art gallery, which
have none. If they will only do this, gladly
risk their some day expunging the votes Of
censure passed upon me personally.
1t will be remembered that the labor
organizations of Pittsburg adopted reso-
lutions protesting against the accept
ance of the library proffered by Mr..
Carnegie. If the expunging the gentle
man is willing to risk ever takes place,
it will be when Homestead is forgotten.
1t is said that an earnest effort will be
made to secure from congress as soon as
possible legislation looking to the pro-
lection of railway employees. For wears
this subject has been agitated in con-
gress and out, and nothing has been done.
The old death dealing appliances have
been continued in use, and thousands of