People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1897-05-28
Protection for Both Capital and Labor.

1t is clearly evident that the head
"Protectionists'' dare not offend the
manufacturers, coal Barons" and
other employers of cheap labor by the
advocacy of any measure calculated to
check the fearful influx of foreign
cheap labor by the advocacy of any
measure calculated to check the fear
full influx of foreign cheap labor pour
ing into our American labor market
duty free. The employers say, in eff
feet, to the tariff thinkers You must
impose heavy duties upon goods manu-
featured abroad because that course
protects us, but you must not cut off
our supply of cheap foreign labor, for
the reason that the employment of
imported pauper labor enables us to
keep in check the demands of American
labor. If you want our dollars to help
you keep up the cry of "Protection to
American Labor" you must keep your
hands off of immigration. For the
present, the false pretence of protection
to American labor through the instru-
mentality of the Allen Contract Labor
Law must answer your purpose.
That joke does not hurt us in the
least, for while half dozen immi-
grants are turned back on the strength
of that pretence, two thousand able
bodied immigrants come in on the same
ship without let or hindrauce. There
fore it is your policy and your duty to
us to make great hue and cry about
that protection" law whenever you.
get chance. The labor organ izations
are welcome to their six contracted
laborers among q ship load of cheap
fellows who come right to US for " ork."
Such is the position taken by the pro-
tected ones as against the unprotected.
| In fact there is no hope for '.protec-
ton" on the part of American manual
industry as against the competition of
foreign cheap labor, admitted free of
duty, but in the elective and combined
power of labor itself The industrial
| forces must cut the binding cords of
party" and become independent pa
triots-free from boss tyranny and pc
litical dictation if they ever expect to
obtain the only honest practical pro
lection that will protect them from
that cheap labor of Europe and ASIA
which is allowed to flood our American
channels of industry to the degrade
ton of American labor.
When they shall have demanded ard
secured the same measure of protection
and the same kind that is accorded to
the manufacturer then and not until
then will there be fewer SCOTS and
Carnegies and more happy, comforta-
bic and contented workingmen and
women in Amer ca. In other words,
when suffice ntlY heavy duty is i'm
posed upon foreign cheap labor to pro-
tect American labor from its olighting
influence, in the same measure and
degree that duties are imposed upon
goods and materia S of foreign make
for the protection of manufacturers,
then, and not until then, will equal and
exact justice be melted out to both cap
ital and labor
Dollars are the manufacturers work
ing capital labor is the workingman's
capital. Protect both directly, not
indirectly. The high tariff party, the
Tariff Reform Party or any other party
that will adopt this just and righteous
principle will win the battle.
Protection for capital and free trade
for labor is wrong in principle. Real
Estate Journal.