The Globe-republican., 1894-04-20

q actual legislation In the United Ststea We
have upon our statute books st this moment .
Law 20 preven: the importation OF controcs II
Dor. . Law very imperfecuy enforced. am
sorry TO say. WHAT pat that Law upon the
statute oook: The emand OF the laboring men
o: :se United States that they should be pro-
tected against that form OF competition Tho
workinRmea Of the Uni,ed States called for
and secured this legislation in order to prevent
the lowering Of their rates Of wages By the in.
PRODUCTION OF large masses Of labor which
brought with them by contract the rate OF
wages OF other countries where wages were
lower thaa in the United States
'On what portion OF the let-alOne doctrine ID
you rest economi: correctness Of these laws
supported by both political parties and ques
toned in their SCUM iuess By NO one: II the
free trade doctrine be sound, by Whit principle
do you step IN and say TO the employers OF the
United States: You shall not buy your
labor in the cheapest market II that princi.
PIE OF buying In The cheapes; market Is =
sound principle 1t Is just as applicable to u
manufacturer or an employer OF labor as il is to
anyone else But We properly deny them the
unrestricted right, because in this instance we
recogaize in practice that the doctrine is ab-
surd No grosser violation Of the general prin-
ciple on which free trade rests can be found
than this, AID yet there is not q democrat or a
free trader with any responsibility who would
dare 10 rise in this senate anywhere else
and ask for the repeai OF these contract labor
laws II the let-alone principle is right these
laws are wrong. II these laws are right-and
they are thoroughly right-then the let-alone
principle Is fatally wrong in that direction: and
il il is wrong in one direction there is no reason
to suppose that it is right in any other.
Our first object should he TO hold our own
market. because it is tine largest and best: and
that being done and our market securely
guarded, our next object should be to increase
"a. H. ~.
By means Of invention and protection We have
been enabled thus far to maintain high rates Of
wages ia the United States. while lowering the
price of the necessares and comforts Of life
and raising the standard of living. II We
alb indon protection We shall probably in many
directions increase prices by Withdrawing
American competition from the comle titiOa OF
the world ami thereby raj ling the worlds price.
In any event We shall lower wages. Protection
does no; make high wages but il help, TO pre-
vent their reduction. We have high wages in
the United States and our labor costs are con-
seQuenily high So far as natural resources 20.
we are more richly endowed by nature than
any country in the world. II is only wher We
take from the earth its manifold gifts and
touch them with tae hands OF Id Dor that they
become higher priced than elsewhere
II do not, however, propose 10 spenI any
time now in discussing the bill before As
have said, il EN- bodies no policy and has no
system 1t is not protection: il is not free
trade. IT is mere collection of preferences
and revengeS 1t is filled with Injustice and in
equality 1t shuts the door upon any hope Of
union with Conaia, for it gives 10 Canada every
advantage OF union without eXacting any re-
turn, and frees ncr from all indL dLcements to be-
come as she ought 20 become, part of the
United States II is a reaciionary movement
TO an outworn system resting on u general doc
trine which finds no defense in practice any
r, h,, r,a1avv II to-
enactment promises nothing but continued
change and agitation. The stock lobbing and
speculation OF Wall street have Ieen with it
from its cradle. ana soon, trust, may weep be-
side its grave. The great trusts are gdarded by
its provisions. but there is no line 10 show that
the farmer the wCrkingman, the manufac-
turer have been heard or regarded in its
schedules.
Il turn from this printed deformity TO the
broad principle which the party TO whom
owe this bill pretended to advocate and which
have already discussed That is the principle
of let-alOne in the government, the refusal 10
use the power of the state wisely 10 benefit the
community Protection rests on the broad
doctrine that the power OF the community can
be wisely used in certain cases for the benefit
of the whole body polite. There is magic
in It. We leave 10 the free trader the privilege
Of claiming that he has a panacea for all hu
man ills in a patent tariff policy. We uphold
q system of tariff protection because We be-
lieve il is one important method of defending
the standards of living in the United States
from fatal and degrading competition"