Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-10-26
A "Pig-Tail" Tidal-Wave.

What shall be the policy OF this Ma
ton as to the flood of Asiatic labo
which threatens our shores? In Cali
fornia, more than one-half of the do
mestic and field labor is done b,
Cinnamon. In this State, Japs hav,
already almost entirely displaced
white men in railroad track work
The citizens OF Everett are holdin,
mass Indignation meetings and pro
testing against the manifest violation
OF the law prohibiting the bringing o
pauper Japs from Japan and British
Columbia, to take the places of Whit
men who have families and homes il
that city. Cases pending in the Unit
ed States District court against Ta
coma firm, for importing Japs under
contract for railroad work in thi
State, can not be brought to trial, al
though abundant evidence of the vio
lation OF the law is at hand.
The great railroad companies and
other corporations employing large
number of laborers are always in favor
of the cheapest possible wage. They
will do everything they can to break
down the barriers that hold in check
the flood of cheap labor that threatens
us from the west rather than build
that barrier higher.
No one seriously disputes the propo
sition that these great corporation
stand a great deal closer to the Re
publican, than to the Democratic
party. In view OF this fact, to which
party do the laboring classes of this
country and those interested in theil
welfare wish to trust the negotiation
and ratification OF the new treaty with
China in 1902? All great corpora
tions, employing large number Of
unskilled men, will use the weight o
their influence to secure very liberal
treaty with China. 1t will mean
cheaper labor for them, but at the
same time it will mean less work fol
the unskilled white laborer. Thai
will mean greater competition for the
jobs that remain. That will mean
lower wages for those white men who
have work and multitude of native
born white laborers who can get nc
work. The great corporations are
close akin to the Republican party,
In 1896 they gave millions to insure
its success. To them does the Repub'
lican. party turn this year for the
sinews of war. Can we reasonably ex.
pect the Republican party, in the
event of it's success this fall, to dc
otherwise than conserve the interests
OF its close friends and generous sup
porters when the time comes to nego'
tiate new treaty with China? La
boring men ought not to forget this
matter nor should we. who are inter
ested in seeing the field of labor filled
with white men who have families
and who build homes. There is an.
Other matter closely related to the
above. A United States court in Cali.
fornia decided some two weeks age
that the Chinese exclusion act could
not be invoked against Cinnamon
seeking to enter this country, who are
citizens OF any of our island posses
sions. There are several millions oI
Chinese in the Philippines, every one
of whom is at liberty to come to this
country tomorrow and compete with
our own people in all the departments
of unskilled labor. This is one of the
elements OF the "don't haul down the
flag" policy. If We want the glory
and the trade profit of holding coloni'
al possessions, we must take the conse
quences. And this very thing is one
OF the inevitable consequences. The
great transcontinental railroad lines
and the great manufacturing trusts
will get the trade profit and the
American laborer along with the resi-
of us will have to be satisfied with the
glory. For him it may mean loss o.
employment or at best pig-tail wage
Will the American laborer vote to al
low the Republican party, in the in
terest Of its trust and corporate pat
rons, to finally and forever clinch this
policy and fasten its baneful effects
upon this country?