The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-20
REDRESS FOR LABOR.

Tho candidacy of Hon. w. T. Field was
the capitalization OF the aspirations,
the perfectly legitimate aspirations, Of
the labor party in the state of Montana
His withdrawal from the field at the
present juncture is simply recognition
of solid fact. In the meantime, there
are but two political parties in this
country. As matter of practical poll
tics, no third party has the ghost of q
chance of success sufficient to put the
reins of power and legislation into it's
hands. Isolated, individual successes
are absolutely impotent to secure the
ends the labor party has in view.
Whatever redress is sought in the legis-
lation of this country must be obtained
through the medium of one or other of
the two political parties. In no other
way can it be had.
The laborers and wage earners of this
state OF Montana and Of the whole
country have crying grievance to re-
dress. Prices are being advanced on
their necessities all round, and wages
show no sign of rise. Through what
channel is that redress to come? Will
it come through Tom Carter, the man
who voted for the Mckinley bill? Win
it come through the republican party,
that stands committed to the terms and
principles Of that same infamous mea-
snre? The voters of Montana are intel.
ligent men. They can read and they
can form opinions for themselves. They
arc assured by republican newspapers
that there is no truth in the statement
that prices have risen in consequence OF
Tom Carter's tariff fraud. They are
told that the democratic party is a di-
rect descendant of the father Of lies,
and, il they read some republican
sheets, that is the kind of mental
pabulum that is served out to them ad
nauseam, by way Of argument. But
they are not utter fools and idiots, these
voters of Montana. When they 90 into
a store and pay for suit Of clothes five
dollars more than they had to pay last
year, they feel convinced that there has
been rise in prices. When the store
keeper shows them circular upon cir
cular from wholesale houses, all reiter-
ating this rise in prices, they know that
Tom Carter is no true friend to the
wage earners Of Montana, and that
vote for him Is luxury that will cost
them one or two hundred dollars extra
year. He is too dear at the money.
Our wage earners read their news
papers. They read not long ago in re-
publican newspapers of the wild revelry
with which New York merchants greet
ed the arrival Of foreign steamers with
goods from abroad in time to anticipate
tho action Of tho Mckinley bill. These
men were not merely exercising their
lungA They had reasons for jubilation.
There was millions in it for them. The
republican orator, who attempts here
after to persuade tho laborers of Mon
tans that the foreign producers pay the
tariff, will be hard put to it. II the
foreigners arc the victims Of our high
tariff and not ono cont falls on the con-
sumner, what was the reason Of that wild
New York orgyf What did it matter
whom the goods arrived, whether before
or after tho action Of Carteris bill, if We
had to pay none Of the extra cost! The
game 10 played out. The wage-earner
knows that hs 10 the unfortunate victim
= ths high tari6. He cannot 70 into /.
stees without finding it out He knows