The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-14
BUSINESS men PROTEST.
Congress to Hear From the Mer-
chants Of New York Once
More.
This Time They Are Opposed to
the Sectional Lodge Elec-
ton Bill
wholesale Grocers, Regardless of Politics.
Denounce the Measure as Injurious
to Commerce.

to Commerce.
Congress is again to hear from the busl'
ness men Of the country in opposition u
one of the two great partisan measures
which are under consideration, says tht
New York Times. This time it is the force
bill which has received their condemna'
ton, and for much the same reason thai
merchants and importers of this city slS
weeks ago went down to Washington 70
protest against the passage OF the tarlll
bill, namely, that the people do not want II
and that it will work incalculable injury to
the business interests of the country.
This time it is different branch OF the
mercantile trade that has taken the lnltla-
tive in the matter of tho force bill. With
the tariff bill it was the fabric goods branch
that led in the protest. The wholesale gro
GERS are the ones who started the business
crusade against the more partisan and I'M
worthy measure of the two. At a meeting
called by +. =. Ihurber. OF Thurber. Wy
land g. Co., and held IN the office OF that
firm last Monday, about score OF his
neiehbors who are engaged in the grocery
assisted in the formulation of programme
of procedure.
Men of all parties and shades of political
belief were present and joined as non
partisan committee in the preparation OF a
petition and statement which embody
their views as business men, without con-
sideration of politics, upon the federal cleo
lions bill. The next day some thousands of
these petitions and memoranda were
printed and their circulation was begun.
The plan is to send the documents through
business channels broadcast over the entire
country, and to have the petitions signed by
business men and sent into the senate at
Washington as rapidly as possible.
The first of these petitions, signed by 107
of the leading merchants Of the wholesale
grocery district, was sent forward by Mr..
Thurber Yesterday to Senator Hiscock. The
petition is as follows:
To the Honorable the Members of the
Senate and the House Of Representatives
Of the United States: The undersigned,
citizens of the United States, of all shades
of political belief, respectfully but earnest
~ protest against the passage of the federal
elections bill, commonly known as the
force bill, for the following reasons:
First-It is unnecessary and inexpedient
and calculated to create discomfort and dis
cord between the people of the north and
the south, at present peaceful and prosper
Second-It will fan into life the smolder-
ing embers of the race question, which
time and education are gradually extin-
gushing. The property of the south is be-
ing taxed to educate the illiterate, and with
the growth Of intelligence the race question
will be naturally and peacefully solved.
Third-The people Of the south accepted
and have gone earnestly to work to help
build mp common country. BY q union
of northern capital aud soutdsrn effort the
-aenhaDuRn 6eateS avo rapidly developing, but
the force bill, in the Judgment Of your
petitioner. would turn "a ti's. clock
Ljure alike The whites and Cne blacks, the
ootSh and the north.
I F0uFth-The measure In question il for
partisan rather than for public benefit.
Active. partisans oftentimes lose sight of
the general welfare IN seeking to advance
the interests of their party. The force bill
does not embody the spirit of the great
Grant and Garfield. Gen. Grant at Apo.
mattox said to Gen. Lee: "Tell your mer
to take their horses home with them to helI
them make their crops" and in after years
rebuked partisan zeal with the words
.'Let ~ have peace.' The southern people
have been trying to make their crops, pay
their debts. and keep the peace, and youl
permitted to continue in the same course
which has already cleared away most of the
shadows which surrounded them, and which
the sunlight of prosperity and intelligence
with little more time will entirely dispel
Accompanying this petition there is d
memorandum" as follows:
When partisan Legislative measures are
proposed which will be injurious to com.
merce and the people at large, the business
men and other citizens without regard tC
party, who think them unwise, should ex-
press their opinion thereon. The federal
elections bill, commonly known as the force
bill, now pending in the United States sen
ate, is such bill.
II you agree with the sentiments of the
inclosed petition sign it. get your friends te
sign it, and as soon as filled mail it to one
of the senators from your state, list OF
whom accompanies this petition. The &C
companying blank sheet can be used t
paste ON the bottom of the petition heading
if more space 10 required. Some circulars
the same as the petition heading. are ais,
sent herewith. Leave one with each signe
to show him what he has signed and thu
reason why he has signed it. Where tn
signers have personal acquaintance will
either of their senators they should write
letter expressing the hope that ne will ep
lisye that this measure will be as bad TO
their party as it will be for the country a
large. Respectfully. &C.,
The BUSINESS MEMS NoN-PARTIsAN Com
MITTEE.
p. S.-Sign as individuals mot firms)
and give residence address.
Mr.. Thurber protested earnestly tina
there was no politics in the movement hu
that it was just what it purported to be
non partisan business protest against wha
was felt by business men to be mischievou
and uncalled for measure. The characte
of the signers to the petition which ha
already gone forward was sufficient as
surance Of the non-political character of tn
movement. Republicans of the most stall
with democrats. prohibitionists and mug
wumps in signing the petition.
Yesterday about forty duplicate petition
were started in az many different bushes
centers, and several thousand of them wer
packed in with goods for shipment to Gus
toners in the north and west, and other
were sent by special express to the principa
houses in the larger cities for dissemination
from those points. Mr.. Thurber said h
felt that this sort of appeal to congress
would have an effect that might not be pro
duced by other means. Congress woul
surely give ear, he thought, to the voice o
commerce.
What ~ You Know
About the Superb Pullman DINING "a,
which have been recently placed in seryic
VIA the Union Pacific, "The Oyerlan
Route" They run on the fast yestib,,l
ExpcoaS between Council Bluffs and Do,,.