The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 08 (of 12): Dresden Edition—InterviewsIngersoll, Robert Green
Religion
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 08 (of 12): Dresden Edition—Interviews
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
_Question_. Do you think that the friends of Gresham would support
Blaine if he should be nominated?
_Answer_. Undoubtedly they would. If they go into convention they
must abide the decision. It would be dishonorable to do that which
you would denounce in others. Whoever is nominated ought to receive
the support of all good Republicans. No party can exist that will
not be bound by its own decision. When the platform is made, then
is the time to approve or reject. The conscience of the individual
cannot be bound by the action of party, church or state. But when
you ask a convention to nominate your candidate, you really agree
to stand by the choice of the convention. Principles are of more
importance than candidates. As a rule, men who refuse to support
the nominee, while pretending to believe in the platform, are giving
an excuse for going over to the enemy. It is a pretence to cover
desertion. I hope that whoever may be nominated at Chicago will
receive the cordial support of the entire party, of every man who
believes in Republican principles, who believes in good wages for
good work, and has confidence in the old firms of "Mind and Muscle,"
of "Head and Hand."
--_New York Press_, May 27, 1888.
LABOR, AND TARIFF REFORM.
_Question_. What, in your opinion, is the condition of labor in
this country as compared with that abroad?
_Answer_. In the first place, it is self-evident that if labor
received more in other lands than in this the tide of emigration
would be changed. The workingmen would leave our shores. People
who believe in free trade are always telling us that the laboring
man is paid much better in Germany than in the United States, and
yet nearly every ship that comes from Germany is crammed with
Germans, who, for some unaccountable reason, prefer to leave a
place where they are doing well and come to one where they must do
worse.
The same thing can be said of Denmark and Sweden, of England,
Scotland, Ireland and of Italy. The truth is, that in all those
lands the laboring man can earn just enough to-day to do the work
of to-morrow; everything he earns is required to get food enough
in his body and rags enough on his back to work from day to day,
to toil from week to week. There are only three luxuries within
his reach--air, light, and water; probably a fourth might be added
--death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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