The record-union., 1899-10-03
THE LABOR VOTE.
1t Will Not be Humbugged by
ROutwel1.
(From Adams. Mass. Freema

(F'rom Adams, Mass, Freeman)
The anti-imperialistS, so called, are
rather disappointed at the lack of in
crease in the number of adherents to
their cause The people of this country,
rank and file, are still a patriotic race
and have as little patience with sem
timent that contemplates dishonor to
flag and country as they had in '61.
EnliStments under the banner OF
these malcontents were never numer-
Gus and the plain, straightforward
statements made by President McKin-
ley recently, have made it impossible
to carry on their campaign with the old
arguments Cor whatever they may be
termeO and SO a new style of warfare
has been inaugurated. Ex-Governor
Boutwell, announces the new method Of
procedure in his letter, addressed to
George E. McNeill, expressing regret
at being unable to be present at a dim
ner of labor leaders at Quincy last
week. Mr.. Boutwell, says:
'The nation is passing through a
crisis, or rather it is in a crisis, which
portends all of evil to the laboring
population that can ever come to them
their downfall from condition of in
dependence, Of power in the affairs of
the country, to a state of servility
through competition with the millions
of the Oriental world"
The venerable gentleman advises the
following course as a means to head off
this phantom crisis:
"The laboring population Of this
country have one means of averting
the evil, and LIDO not hesitate in advis
ing its use. ~.
Let them unitedly and with energy
oppose the reelection of President Nc
Kinley, and their days of peril will be
ended and the country will be saved
from the grasp of imperialism"
In plain words, Mr.. Boutwell, does not
agree with the President-and practi-
cally all the intelligent men of the
country-on the Philippine question,
and proposes to punish him, using the
laborer as a, catspaw in carrying out.
his design.
But does the venerable gentleman
know the laborer of this approaching
twentieth century? His acquaintance
with him in late years has been very
limited because he has not had use for
him. He should renew the acquaint-
ance. When this has been accomplished
he will have discovered an enlightened
character wf1U is doing his own think
ing; doing his own reading; using his
own eyes and casting his own vote
The workingman of to-day has lived
under the Mckinley bill, the VIII
son bill and the Dingley bill. He does
not ask the gentleman from Groton to
tell him under which of those bills he
enjoyed the steadier labor or the better
wages. It is craven in his memory and
cannot be eradicated. He knows the
conditions of himself and family with
the Democrats in full power at Wash
ington, and he knows what it is to-day
with William Mckinley at the head of
the Government and a good working
Republican majority in both branches
of Congress- He knows it himself-he
wants no man to tell him and more
over he thanks God that it is as it is.
This suffrage which the Ex-Governor
apparently thinks he can Gee" and
sHaw'' as suits his caprice, knows that
these millions were in the Orient
before the Philippine question was
thought Of The laborer has not been
troubled through competition on their
part and knows that he will not be in
the future
The export of manufactured goods
from this country has exceeded the
imports in both of the past two years
and this is the first time that it has
happened in it's history For every
working day in the past year, Ameri-
can manufacturers have sent abroad
over one million dollars worth of goods
6he exact figures being 1888, 667, ,794).
This condition of affairs obtained un-
der the Dingley tariff. The capital Of
the country has confidence in the pres
ent administration and the Republican