I am aware that one wiseacre repeating what another wiseacre has said. will reply. "You admit labor free. while you cry for protection against manufactured goods." It is almost as easy to answer this statement as to make it. - In the first place. it is not true that we admit all labor free. Some we exclude absolutely. like contract and Chinese labor. In the second place. the labor that we do admit free comes from Europe. and the immigrant from Europe does not bring his rate of wages with him. On the contrary. a few weeks or a few months make him as anxious for good wages as his American brethren. Our standard of living becomes his and he ceases to lower our rate of living and modes of life. The European immigrant does not bring his rate of wages with him. but the bale of goods from Europe does bring its rate of wages. and the bale of goods is not susceptible to the influences of association or to standards of livii. The bale of goods brings its rate of wages with it and keepsit. and works in that way towards the lowering of all American rates. Lastly. it is no argument to say that because you do not have protection in one direction where it would be good you should give it up in another where it is also good. So I freely admit that our failure to give suitable protection against the labor which comes in the human being is a grave defect. The principle embodied in the contractlaborlaw should oe enlarged. because the protection we now give by the duty on tbe bale of goods should be extended. There is no greater need at this time than stringent laws to sift and restrict the immigration to this country for the protection of our rates of wages and of the quality of our citizenship. This protection against excessive European immigration will come as the exclusion of the Chinese and contract labor came. from the good sense and unerring instinct of the people. which will lead them to measures to guard their homes. their future. their race. and their civilization against forms of competition which they can not meet if it is left unrestricted. What. then. becomes of a doctrine which all the legislatures in the world continually evade? What becomes of a doctrine with a hundred violations staring it in the face from every statute book. violations which even its devotees support or accept?
Identified stereotypes
Generalization that European immigrants lower the rate of living.