The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-08-30

the forces which seek 10 use the govern
ment as an engine Of exploitation for per-
sonal pront and emolument; on the
other those who desire simply that the
government which Is the agent OF society
(all the people,. shall be restricted in it's
activities TO Its proper functions. IL II
the old. old fight for the rights cf man
against the privileges OF the few; the
| struggle OF democracy against plutocracy.
Happily, II is not difficult; 10 distinguish
In the campaign about to open. or which
side the respective parties are aligned
| The Republican party has boldly assumed
the role OF the champion OF privilege by
dts advocacy OF protective tariff-the
most insidious form OF privilege-while
Democratic party as goldly denounces
protection az the robbery OF the many TO
enrich the few" and as "monstrous
perversion OF those equal opportunities
which our political institutions were es-
Ia ablished 10 secure"
The Republicans put forth the hypo-
critical plea that the tariff on imports
should az least be enough 10 cover the
difference In labor cost between imported
and domestic goods. this 10 catch the
vote Of the workingmsn. who is 20 stupid
as TO imagine that II Is possible TO protect
him by imposing a tax on wealth or any
kind. or whatever It's origin.
The things that are subject to a tsrin
tax are the things that the workingman
must buy. and the sole intent of the Inn
position OF such tax is TO increase the
price OF such things In the domestic mar
ket so far. then. as the tariff affects the
workingman, as a workingman, is 10 In
crease the price OF what he must buy
thereby decreasing his wages. by deCreas-
ing the quantity or quality or the things
that his wages must purchase The work
ing man does not sell wealth. he sells
labor and buys wealth There Is no tarin
| on labor. the only thing that the work
| ingman has 10 sell. That is coming here
at the rate of a million a year, more or
less. and It's right that II should II II
wants 70 A thousand men can and will
unds- proper conditions, produce much
| more wealth per capita than hundred
men can produce, therefore the more I'M
| migrants who are able and willing TO
work the better: for as an increase In
productive units will result In a much
greater proportionate increase in the pro-
duction OF wealth, the fund from which
all wages must be paid will be corre-
spondingly enlarged and thus an Increase
or wages be made possible.
Then as 10 the cost OF labor. To say
| that a tariff equal 10 the difference In
| the cost OF foreign and domestic labor
| must be maintained Is an insult 10 the
American workingman; IL Is proclama
| ton TO the world that the American n work
| ingman is inefficient in comparison with
! the foreign workingman. that he is a
| pauper who is BILE without government
| charity 10 make a living. monstrous
| libel on the most efficient and poorest
| paid workingman on earth. for measured
In his product the American Workingman
receives less wages than the Chinese
| coolie who works for two cents a day.
! What determines the cost of labor
| There are Just two elements that enter
| into such cost One Of these elements
Is an abundance OF raw material easy OF
access and the other IL An abundant
supply OF efficient labor 10 tiansform
| these raw materials into wealth. Where
| is there any country in which these
| elements are present in equal degree with
the United States. and In what way can
a tariff on imports affect the cost OF labor
| I'm the slightest degree7
There is no such country. and a tariff
on imports can have no such effect. Work
! ingmen DO not suffer yourselves 10 be
deluded, The Republican party offers
you a gold brick; you have been buying
| II for 40 years: under and by the authority
with which you have invested that party
1t has enacted legislation which has
enabled per cent OF the people TO absorb
95 per cent OF the peoples wealth. The
only safe course for you 70 take at pres
! ent is 10 put an end TO this legislation for
monopoly by destroying the Republican
party which is the credited agent OF
monopoly The Democratic platform
states the whole argument is suocinct
form: Protection Is robbery"