The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-14
BECAUSE.
you can.

Protection protects. It protects the
republican millionaire in his struggle
for existence against the working man
Of this country. Poor fellow! His con
dition would be pitiable to contemplate
if he were deprived of this means of
adding to the store in his already over
flowing pocket. book. Such must be the
deduction of any intelligent voter who
studies the report recently presented by
the senate committee on finance on the
motion of Senator Plumb. They we're
instructed to report, with each item of
increase or decrease of duties in the
tariff, the reasons for such increase or
decrease. Naturally, they did not care
to 60 into the true inwardness of things,
and the result of their labors is logical
scuriosity. In nearly every instance Of
increase they practically state that the
duty was increased because it was in
icreased. Very satisfactory! Almost as
satisfactory as woman's traditional "be-
tcause."
: Here are few gems from the collec-
lion. The duty on pearl buttons of the
inferior sort is advanced 300 or 400 per
Gent. Their cheapness has hitherto
recommended them to the poorer
GLASSES, and the committee, impressed
with the idea that the "because" theory
,night not be altogether satisfactory to
sthevictims, took refuge in-we have no
desire to use supplementary language
va serious departure from matter of
1act. II we are to credit the press dis
catches, 'sthe increase on pearl and
Hhell buttons was intended to protect
domestic industry against the competi-
Iion Of foreign convict labor" Here we
ff1ave two serious misstatements The
buttons Of this kind imported into this
uountry are not the product OF convict
labor; to the best Of our knowledge
4hey are the work Of poor but honest
women and children resident in Vienn,
,xhd it's suburbs, and we should like t.
lave some better authority for the icon
syict" statement. Protection of domesti,
Industry in this department OF labor is
delusion and snare. There is no pre-
I tense Of the existence or proposed exist
ence OF the industry in this country
Why noth have been honest and admi
that the intention is to compel tn
.people to use some other kind of buttol
that will cost good deal more! Evel
II the convict theory can be substan
'tiated in some slight degree, what harm
can such labor do our workmen in tn
production of an article that we do no
produce and have no present intention
of producing?
Building stone increase seems to nee'
no beating about the bush. It is in
tended ito check importations of for
eign granite" The large increase in tn
duty on cigar wrappers will protect do
mestic growers from excessive importa
zion Of that article" The increase OF
the present duty of ~ per cent. on glas
bottles was 'sdue to increased competi
tion by foreign makers" Raw suga
goes on the free list "as matter of wis
public policy" The increase in laces
embroideries, ETC., twas due to the feelin,
on the part of the committee that thes
articles of luxury (sic) should pay par
of the revenue necessary to be derive,
from some source to offset the large re
duction resulting from placing sugar o.
the free list" Well, it will pay part
but small one. It will pay abou
s1,8cO,0OO, if importation does nc
weaken with increase of cost, and suga
yielded about So, 100000. The defci
must be made up somehow, We suppos
but it is difficult to see the advantage {
spreading an equal aggregate Of TAKE
over q multitude of other commoditie
involving increased expense in cole
ton, increased burdens upon domest
industries, and increased opportuniti
Tor using taxation for the promotion
private rather than public interest
This may be @wise public policy" b
We refuse to believe it.