Speech #500105570

The record shows that he favored and supported two bills for that purpose which have passed the Senate of the United States. one of which afterwards became a law. and one of which was pigeonholed by a Democratic House of Representatives. The record does not show that he was ever opposed to the principle. that he was opposed to the general proposition. and his opposition to the bill of 1882 was placed on other and perfectly defensible grounds. I shall be very much surpiised indeed if an examination does not show that the statement which has been today made by the Senator from Missouri and subsequently reiterated by the Senator from Kentucky. concerning the naturalization of Chinese in Indiana. is a mistake. an entire and total mistake on their part. and something far worse than a mistake on the part of others. Mr. President. this effort to show that Senator Harrison was opposed to Chinese restriction and in favor of Chinese immigration and cheap labor upon the Pacific coast will fail. The people of the Pacific coast are too intelligent and too well informed to be deceived. They know that the first treaty for commercial relations with China was negotiated by a Democratic administration. They know that th6 Republican party when in control of the administration took up this question. secured a modification of the treaty of 1868. and has secured all the legislation which has ever been had for the restriction of Chinese immigration. and knowing this they are willing to trust that party to deal with this question in the future. And then. sir. they are engaged just now with more important things. They have read of the attempt of the Democratic Administration and the Democratic House to place wool on the freelist. and lumber on tle freelist and salt on the freelist. and vegetables on the freelist. and fruit on the freelist. and the attempt to break down the barriers which have been erected around this country by the Republican party to prevent the wholesale importation of the cheaplabor products of other countries and to flood this country with such products. and these things are engaging their attention. Instead of searching the record now to find by what processes General Harrison came to the conclusion that Chinese immigration is not desirable. they are casting their eyes across the Pacific to Australia with her 3.000.000 inhabitants and 3. 000.000 square miles and 80. 000.000 sheep. and they are waiting to see whether the Democratic party will be able to open the floodgates and let in the cheap wool of Australia and of South America and of Africa to destroy their flocks. to drive them to the slaughter pens. and ruin that great interest. They know what party favors protection to the American laboring man. they understand the policy which lies back of the Mills bill. which inspired the Presidents message on the tariff. which would break down the great industrial system of the North. which would deprive millions of men of their daily labor. and therefore of their daily bread. They see the Democratic party with its arms around the great industrial structure of this country. as Samson had his arms around the pillars of the Philistine temple ready to pull it down over their heads. and they will be willing to trust this question of Chinese immigration to the Republican party. and they will look to it for the protection of the American laboring man against the cheap products of the four hundred and four millions of Chinese in China.