Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1902 — AMERICA’S BOAST [ARTICLE]

AMERICA’S BOAST

Is the Superior Position of the Toilers of the Land. CONGRESSMAN CROMER’S SPEECH In Support of Rigid Legislation Prohibiting the Immigration of Chinese Labor—The Peace and Comfort of Our Laboring Men More Important to Us Than All the Trade of the Orient One of the strongest speeches delivered In the house of representatives in support of stringent legislation against Chinese Immigration was that of Representative Cromer of the Eighth Indiana district. Representing a great Industrial section in congress, Mr. Cromer has been especially active in the advancement of all legislation advantageously affecting the Interests of the wage-earner, with whom he has shown himself to be In thorough sympathy. In closing, Mr. Cromer said: We have no objections to admitting into our country oil that come from foreign lands who have mind and heart and Intelligence and are ambitious to, become American citizens, if they will renounce their allegiance to kings and potentates, and will declare their loyalty to our institutions and to our government and become genuine American citizens. Our country has been the asylum of the oppressed from other lands ever since the Pilgrim Fathers landed at Plymoutu Rock-. From the foundation of our republic, beginning with the early settlement of our colonies, there have come to our land from foreign countries those who loved liberty better than slavery, who preferred the free institutions of America to the despotisms and monarchies of the countries frourWhich they came, and mingling their blood with ours and assimilating with us, have become Imbued with our civilization until they have become a part of our body politic. Our country has grown great and our nation has become strong and powerful because the liberty-loving people of other countries, the bravest and best, have united their fortunes with us in America to make this the best government in all the world.

No Place for the Cooly* But our civilization has no place for the Chinese cooly. He has no ambition or sentiment in harmony with our people. He has no desire to become an American citizen; indeed, our lawa and treaties prevent him from so becoming. He clings to the institutions of the celestial empire. His object in coming to America is wholly mercenary. He comes here, not because he loves our institutions, not because he loves our flag, but because he finds it a good place to make and accumulate money with which to return to his native land. He is no benefit to our people. He takes what money he earns back to China instead of investing It. here in business or using It to improve and develop our country. Corporations and capitalists, who place their selfish interest above the general good, above the interest of all the people, may be In favor of admitting cheap labor, but all who respect the rights of others will ravor the absolute prohibition of Chinese coolies. There are those who fear that if we are too drastic in our legislation against the admission of Chinese laborers that we will destroy our friendly commercial relations with China which have so long existed. They fear that her merchants will not buy our products nor sell to us theirs. There may be some reason for this fear in the minds of those who are unfriendly to this bill, but in my opinion there is ao reason in fact upon which to base such fear. China herself Is committed to the policy of prohibiting ths emigration of her laborers to this country. By the terms of ths treaty of 1904 she was willing to hava this policy adopted. But admitting tor the sake of the argument that there is danger of losing our trade with China, will we neglect our duty to our own people in order to hold our trade with that country? Our first duty is to our people at borne. Give It Up If Need Be. As for myself, I am in favor of protecting the American laboring men in their rights and giving them employment at good wages, even though we sacrifice our trade with China. 1 am la favor of giving up our commercial relations If need be for the good of Americas toilers and for the elevation of American citizenship. The peace end comfort and happlneee of our laboring men are worth more to ue than all of eur trade with the Orient. Our borne market le more valuable to ua than the markets of the world. But wa will not be compelled to give np eur trade with China. We will retain It and It will increase with the coming years. Will wc refuse to listen to the jaat demands of American laboring men?. The labor unions of this conntry have taken a great interest In this Question and have sent petition after petition and resolution after resolution to members of the congress urging them to support a measure, unlimited as to time, absolutely prohibiting the coming to our shores of Chinese laborera. They have a right thus to advise members of congress. They above nil others are lnfbreeted In protecting their employment and good wages. This legislation la for the protection and parity of their homes and their •resides, their fasti lien and friends. It la the proud beset of eur people that labor In America la better paid, foilsr fed, bailor slolhs< hotter hwo

ed, more ambitious, more Intelligent, more public-epirijted, and consequently more happy and eentented than the toilers of any other land beneath the sun. By organization and co-operation American workingmen have b«en able to demand and to receive from capita] a portion of the profits created by their own toil. They are bettering their condition as years come and go. . I hope the time will soon come in this country when a man who toils will be able to earn, by working eight hours a day, enough wage to support himself and family with the necessaries and com forts of life in Ms own happy home ot peace and plenty and accumulate and lay aside sufficient money to support his old age and his loved ones after he is gone. Protection a Cardinal Doctrine.

I have always favored protection to American industries and American labor. It is one of the cardinal principles of the Republican party to protect those who toil in factories and fields from the cheap labor of other countrles'hy placing upon the products of those countries seeking our markets with competing goods a tariff equal to the difference in wages paid to the workingmen of those countries and the wages paid to the workingmen of this country for making the same goods. I feel it as much our duty to protect our laboring men from unfair competition with cheap men coming into our country, who have neither the disposition nor the capacity to hecome American citizens, as it is our duty to protect them against the cheap goods made by the cheap labor of other countries. It would be folly to shut out the cheap goods, produced by the cheap -labor of other countries, and throw wide open our doors to admit cheap men who are willing to work for small wages and thereby deprive our people of employment, reduce the price of wages, and lengthen the hours of toiil.

No, Mr. Chairman, we will not permit the incoming of those who are not ambitious to become goocT'citizens of our republic, who are willing to work for cheap wages, any more than we will permit cheaply made goods from other countries to come into competition with the goods made by the wellpaid labor of our country. We are proud of our broad domain, stretching away from the Atlantic to the Pacific; we are proud of our country, her laws, ancTher free institutions; we are proud of our flag that has been carried to victory in every war with enemies from within and foes from without, but prouder still are we of the patriotism, industry and character of our people, by whose valor and courage our republic has been established and defended, our country developed and built up, and our flag made glorious.