The capitalist invests his money. manages the business. and attends to the sale of the manufactured product. It is the laboring mans work that creates that product. If the capitalist has the right to ask Congress to levy a tax oii imported goods so as to make those goods scarce in this country. and allow hihn to obtain a higher price for his product. then why has not the man who works for that capitalist the right to ask Congress to levy a tax on immigrants. so as to make labor scarce and increase the price of his wages? Protection to American labor! Is that the reason why this war tariff is maintained? This is about the way it protects the laborer: Here comes a shipload of goods. The customhouse officer says tothe importer. "Pay to the Government of the United States 47 per cent. of their value." "Whatfor ?m saysthe importer. "Toprotect American labor against the pauper labor of Europe. replies the customhouse officer. The importer pays the tax and adds it to the cost of the goods. and that tax is ultimately paid by the consumer. By and bye there comes another ship to our shores. "What have you got there?" is asked of the captain. "Two thousand Italian immigrants. " he replies "Bring them ashore. " says the customhouse officer. "rightover here in Pennsylvania we have ten thousand men now on a strike because they can not make wages enough to keep soul and body together. take your men over there and help us protect American labor." [Loud applause.] Your tariff keeps out foreign goods in order to help the manufacturer meet foreign competition. If the capital engaged in an industry can not meet foreign competition. much less can the American workingmen meet it. As Robert Walker truly said: A protective tariff is a question regarding the enhancement of the profits of capital. and not the augmentation of the wages of labor.
Keywords matched
pauper labor immigrants