Carnegie and his protection compeers were rapidly getting to the bottom of the human scale. were getting workmnen who would accept lower and lower standards of living. and who through illiteracy were slow to realize why and how they were abused. Just as fast as the American atmosphere caused n demand for more humane conditions. men of growing intelligence were replaced by others who lacked the enlightenment to demand of a great and prosperous country a fair share of the product of their toil. The necessity for the contractlabor law is the same necessity that confronts us in the general question of. exclusion of immigration at the present moment. At a time when labor is struggling through organization and agitation to increase the welfare of the workers in the various trades. a continuing influx of people who do not understand the language nor appreciate nor demand the standard that we- are trying to reach. comes in to break down the structure as fast as it is erected. We are constantly told of the everincreasing demand for cheap or common labor. Our industrial corporations and our railroads are contiuuilly pointing out the need of obtaining people who will work at wages that will not support an American family on any rational basis. While we are striving to raise all the people of the country to a plane where they may live under reasonable American conditions. the work is destroyed by continuing immigration. Here is a conflict that can not be reconciled. Either we must abandon democratic ideals. or else we must stop the influx of those who make the accomplishment of these ideals impossible.
Identified stereotypes
Immigrants are slow to realize why and how they are abused.