Speech #470161884

To gain the approval of the people to this process by which they are robbed the protectionists proclaim their hostility to foreign competition for the sake of American independence and for the sake of the dignity and comfort of American labor. Thus patriotism and charity are made to cover with their mantles the arm of robbery and the hand of stealth. Suppose it could be provided by law. as it is in our navigation laws. that the factories entitled to the protection of the American Government should be owned and operated only and entirely by American citizens. how many of them would have to haul down their imaginary bunting which flaunts the false motto at the head of their speeches. "Americans must makq the goods of America." Suppose that we could possibly enact into a law the demand of the labor unions for an import license tax on skilled laborers who come from abroad. and declare that none but permanent American citizens should enjoy the advantages of American protection. what would the charityloving American manufacturers do for pauper labor to work their mills when the highpriced American operatives had waxed fat with accumulated reserves in the treasuries of the labor unions and refused to work except at their own prices? If Congr&s could cut off the philanthropic American manufieturers from the chance of employing European pauper labor to come over the sea and work their millswhenever they could make a profit by so doing. we should develop a marvel of earnest and eloquent protestation and argument against the destruction of their favorite doctrine of free trade in labor. They demand with bold. unblushing audacity that they shall have free trade in labor in order to keep down the price of labor with the aid of foreign competition. and free trade in raw material and provisions in order to keep down the price of feeding laborers by aid of the competition of foreign markets. and with equal audacity they demand high protective duties to keep dowa foreign competition as to their manufactures. so that prices shall be kept up. There never was so mere a sham that has received such decorous and dignified support and such unchecked currency among thinking men as the pretense that protection is needed for our manufactures in order to secure American labor against competition with the pauper labor of Europe. Nothing is more under the control of the prices in the markets or more under the influence of the laws of supply and demand than iuman labor. These laws by which labor is thus commanded and controlled apply to all classes. grades. conditions. and qualities of people in every civilized country.