Because import duties at the ports of entry do interfere with the freedom of trade between this and other countries. according to the doctrines of the freetraders they ought not to be imposed. On the other hand. those of us who do believe that it is within the legitimate province of law to encourage and build up the industries of the country assert that it is not only not injurious but is productive of the greatest benefit to impose such duties. not only to obtain revenue but to protect our labor and preserve our market. And yet the Democratic party. in anoth& direction. is a protectionist party. for they joined us in enacting a law to prevent Chinese immigration. an act both of protection and prohibition. What. pray. was the purpose of that law if it was not to protect the American laborer from being obliged to compete in the labor markets of this country with cheap Chinese labor? To be consistent you ought to repeal that law and to vote against that other bill now upon the House Calendar. to restrict foreign immigration to this country under labor contracts. a bill which I venture to assert very few of your number will carb to oppose. The Chinese have learned to live cheaply. to have few wants and fewer hopes. and can therefore. if permitted to come freely to our shores. drive American labor out of all the labor markets or force them to come down to the Chinese standard of living and acting. Can any gentleman point out the difference between the Chinaman supplying our markets with the product of his labor here or the product of the same kind of labor in his own country ?
Identified stereotypes
The Chinese have learned to live cheaply, to have few wants and fewer hopes