The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-26
One Candid Speech.

Wv
With the lesson of Homestead, OF
Conceivable and of Centralis staring
them full in the face. it is not surpris-
ing that the Republican delegates at
Harrisburg on Wednesday applauded
TO tho echo these clog uent words from
the lips Of District Attorney George S.
Graham, of Philadelphia:
1 hope the time will com when, in no
uncertain way, the platform Of our party
will be advanced so as to ~atfirmatively de-
clare for restricted immigration. The
wage-earner has been benefited by the
tariff duties levied on goods and chattels,
but he is exposed to the standing menace
of unobstr ucted entrance at Castle Gar
den. Labor and wages must bow to the
law of supply and demand, and if we pro-
tect our. industries SO that our wage
earners may have the advantage Of
the higher wages paid in our own
country, we create a most inviting
field for the foreigner, whose wages are so
much lower. Indeed, the reckless injus-
tice of ca pital will sometimes import in
ierior classes of labor from abroad to take
the place Of American workmen when
ever a disagreement exists between en-
ployer and employed. Let our ~restric-
tions on immigration not only exclude
the pauper and the criminal, as our plat
form does, but also protect the American
workman in the full possession Of the
benefits OF our tariff policy.
At the time and in the connection in
which these words were spoken there
was no suggestion of narrownes nor
intolerance in the speakers meaning.
He meant and the convention inter-
preted him as meaning, not to discour-
age the utmost welcome to aliens wor-
thy Of admission to American oppor-
tunities. but simply to bar out those
not fit to come in; and to double lock
the bars so that tricksters could not
continue to squeeze unfit ones through.
1t is a familiar platitude Of Democratic
and Populistic demagogues that the
Republican party wishes secretly to
encourage the bringing over of unde-
sirable alien labor under contract. The
charge is untrue. Whatever may he
true of ieolated individuals, the party
in tho aggregate is honest in
it's belief that American labor should
be protected, not only at the custom
house but ut the jumping off place; not
only by tariffs, but by certification and
inspection laws. by anti-contract labor
laws that mean what they say, by
discrimination laws and by laws calcu-
lated in other ways to lessen the liabi-
1itu 70 tTo n oy,1anfaI nApfinaptn1 ro;,o.,
and vice. In proof of this it is sufficient
10 cite the fact that every tangible
move yet made in this direction has
resulted from Republican initiative,
has succeeded through Republican
championship and is sustained largely
through the fundamentally of Repub-
lican support,
At the same time, this restrictive
protection is yet far from perfect.
There is no use denying that among a
great many practical politicians in
both the old parties this simple and
easily adjusted problem has been APP
preached in anything but a business
like manner. There has among the
men whoss livelihood depends upon
votes been an altogether unjustifable
timidity and caution in getting square,
ly ard fairly TO the real point The
p~braseology Of our laws has repeat
odly beaten this immigration evil
around the stump; but it has
been notoriously reluctant to grapple
with the monster and crush out its life.
Mr.. Graham iuterjected a plain bit Of
virile common sense into a rather mo-
notonous afternoon Of florid rhetoric
and got for his candor applause that
amounted to an ovation. Fairly and
honestly interpreted. his sentiments
are the sentiments Of true American.
ism everywhere. Only by distortion
can they be misconstrued into rehec.
tions upon any desirable race or class.
If THE EARLY candidate has any IL
cense to make off with the office. Ben.
jamin J. Haywood, Of Mercer county.
cashier Of the state treasury depart.
ment, will surely succeed his present
chief, State Treasurer jackson. Al
though scarcely settled in his new po-
%sition, Mr.. Haywood that
he will aspire to the higher one; and
what is more important, displays
qualifications fully emitting him to the
promotion.
The Country Editor.
While it Ia true that the multinlica-