The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1904-03-04
Don't Fancy Foreigners.

Editor True Northerner:
Dear Sir:-An item in last week.
Northerner prompts me to beg space IN
your valuable paper for the purpose OF
doing my part in defense OF the laboring
class of people against one of the most
contemplate, unprlncipled purposes
which has ever come under my observa-
ton. Aud to bring this matter before
the home wage earneTs and all others 10
the true light as they have existed IN
the past aud present, | must call To
mind the condition of the grape grower,
the farmer aud the laborer.
We will 20 back TO "A period of ten
years ago, and then along the line up to
the present, and compare the condition
oil all parties concerned.
In lS93-4-5-6-7 there was a poor market
and sometimes a poor crop and low
prices on all products; during this time,
what were the laboring man and woman
doing? They were tolling in the fields
for the farmer and frult-grower on "a
meagre pittance of soc, and at the high
est 75c per day aud board themselves
mand such prices for little work, but
they did.
AS time has wended its. way onward
vineyards ard orchards have come to
maturity, croTs have been good, prices
have advanced, aud prosperity has
seemed to favor all alike. AT no tiuIe
of peace has this section of the country
ever enjoyed such degree OF prosperity
as at the present time. The laborlng
people for the first time in years have
reached a period of fair prosperity; at
least time when they can live mod
erately respectable aud feel that the
wolf is not waiting the creak of the
door.
The laborer is the one who helps to
keep this great universal machine going,
and | feel that he is entitled to live, and
mans labor should equal his living at
all times. And, too, the working man
and woman live, labor aud spend their
money in the home place, and all help
the machinery to move along. The
farmer, the merchant, the miller, are all
shareholders with the laborer, aud all
should look to the welfare and interest
of home first, and each and every one
should try to prevent the blocking of
the wheels of industry. But from the
tone of the item referred to, it seems
that we have those IN our midst who
care little for home labor, its life or
liberty, and are now shouting from the
house tops for all those who want field
laborers to make their wants known,
and a trip east is now in view where the
party expects to secure some of the
slough and scum of foreign emigration
to come to this locality to labor in the
fields, orchards and vineyards.
Laboripg men and women of Van
Buren, county, | ask, how do you like
the principle manifested in this act of
one of our intelligent home citizens?
How do you enjoy the fact that in the
near future you will be plodding along
in the field side by side with those who
have no thought but to- work for mere
pIttauce, save all by eating and living on
anything that the hogs would not eat?
Just think of it and turn the morsel
over in your mouth and try to spit it out
Have you any love for an old home citi-
zen who would disregard the prosperity
of his fellowman, who would deprive his
schoolmate of the means of an honest liv-
lug? But we trust his pauper hunting
will not prove successful. However
without doubt, our worthy pilgrim is
journeying on, guarding well his carpet
bag of applications for his hobby horse
which he expects to find at Castle
Garden, n. Y.
Very truly for home,
SAGE BRUSH