Speech #460087222

I have sometimes had to apologize to my people after having voted on these tariff questions. or if not to apologize. at least to explain. I have been appealed to by those who represent the manufacturing industries of New England and the Middle States of this Union to stand by their people and protect the laborers. and to protect American industries and American manufacturers. I have done so. yetmy friends from New England will not listen to me when I appeal to them to stand by the laboring classes of the Pacific coast and tell them it is degrading to them to bring one hundred and fifty thousand Mongolian slaves and place them in the machineshops. in the shoefactories. in the watchfactories. in the cigarfactories. alongside the white laborers of the country. As before the war free labor refused to go South and enter into competition with the slave labor of South Carolina. Florida. and Louisiana. so. Mr. Chairman. free white American labor shrinks from the contest when it has to enter into competition with the labor of one hundred and fifty thousand Mongolian slaves. When I make this appeal I do not ask any munificent legislation for the Pacific coast. I do not ask any appropriations of money. Bat we say. in Gods name. when you are dealing with this question of immigration. protect us now. It cannot be said that this amendment is in violation of any treaty. You have a treaty with France. and you have treaties with every European country.