Speech #550163887

If our final decision is right. it will be appioved. If it is wrong. it will be swept aside by the onward march of a libertyloving people. Again we are told" this presents a serious matter to those of our fellowcitizens who live by the sweat of their brow. it means that every toiler in this country must compete with millions of Asiatic laborers. who are content with wages of less than 10 cents per day. It means reduced wages. consequently less comforts. less opportunities to the laboring masses. It means the crowding of the labor market of this country with a class of laborers far inferior to the Chinese. whom we have excluded." It is very gratifying that some of the gentlemen on that side of the House have become of late extremely interested in the welfare "of our fellowcitizens who live by the sweat of their brows." At last they are discovering that competition "with millions of Asiatic laborers who. are content with wages of less than 10 cents per day" means "reduced wages." "less comforts." "less opportunities to the laboring masses" of our own country. Heretofore these gentlemen have subjected American laborers to competition with. laborers. who labor. with workmen who work. and work cheap. men who are able. willing. well equipped with brawn. brain. and modern implements. men who must have food. clothing. reasonable comforts of civilized life for themselves and family. men who place their products in our own markets to the exclusion of products of our own labor. Now. these gentlemen are solicitous only to protect us from competition of laborers who do not labor. from workmen who do not work. from men who do not produce. whose only raiment is a palm leaf. whose only implement is a knife. and whose only lawful occupation is gathering bananas and cocoanuts. But this small improvement even is welcome. It is to be hoped these gentlemen will learn another lesson equally. if not more. important. They should learn that competition with cheap labor in Europe. in South America. in Mexico. in any part of the world is as injurious to American laborers as competition with Asiatic labor. They should remember that competition with what cheap labor produces. puts upon our own market. and sells in competition with ike products from our own workmen. cheaper than they can produce it. is comlSetition with cheap labor itself. But let me call attention to the fact that during our whole history it has been as competent for the Filipinos to enter the labor markets of America as it is today.