Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1891-07-09
LAMENT OF BOURBON EDITORS.

LAMENT OF BOURBON EDITORS.
The editors OF the Great Falls Til
bune and the Benton River Press, to
be sincere, are compelled to antago-
nize one Of the greatest industries in
this state. Naturally, they must make
the best of the peculiar position in
which they are placed. Located in
the heart of a wool-growing region it
is difficult to advocate the principles
OF Democracy and champion thecause
OF the fiockmaster at the same time.
Grover Cleveland and Rodger Q. Mills.
high priests of the Democratic party,
one the most prominent in the race
for the presidency and the other leader
in the fight for speaker OF the next
National House OF Representatives,
did all they could in their official ca
pacity to take the duty entirely OFF
from wool and place Montana grow
ers in competition with the barbaric
and half-civilized countries OF the
world. To be in harmony with the
leaders of their party, and to keep
their digestive organs in readiness for
the toughest kind OF crow, they are
constantly assailing the Mckinley bill
with reference to its bearing on this
years wool prices. With fiendish de-
light they cry, "where is your % to
25 cents a pound for wool, that was
promised during the last campaign
Whether such assertions were made
or not is OF little moment except with
the demagogue. 1t is with the appli-
cation of the policy under all condi-
tions through a series OF years that
We must look for benefits, and the
majority of our woolgrowers are
mindful of this fact. There is a vast
difference between the fiuctuation Of
a few cents and q permanent decline
in prices to a point which will leave nc
profit. Ii wool is low o owing &c
a supply left over i'll eastern markets
how would the price range higher by
breakingdown the barriers and lettins
in the flood OF wool from South Amer
lea and Australia free OF duty? Had
the Mills bill passed and Cleveland:
policy prevailed, we don't believe
Montana woods would have been worti
l2 cents to day.
Conditions must be similar before {
healthy competition can exist. Is tn
| NIAn+a. "oolo.ou,o ,SlSnr - aan
pete with the hockmaster OF Australi;
who employs the very cheapest labor
Is our herder ready to accept tin
miserable pittance received by TIN
dusky serfs of South America? ii h,
is willing let him cast his fortunes witt
the Democratic party, for though thi'
party may claim to he in favor o
tariff reduction on some articles it i:
on record as favoring free wool.
Occasionally these editors will I'M
Willingly publish the truth in relation
to wool and the reasons for n de
pressed market. John Il. Read of the
Inter Mountain, gives Col. Danie
Searles credit for thefollowingextract,
hut we think it a bit of irony, and that
it was copied from a wool circular
The writer says:
"Ouridea is that wool is low because
for W winters past there has not
been the usual demand for wooden
goods. The last two winters have
been exceptionally mild and the de.
mand for wooden fabrics in conse.
quence has fallen off at least one-half,
The markets are glutted with wooden
goods and there are as yet no buyers.
For this eason manufacturers are
timid and will not put their money
in raw material until they see some
Improvement in the wooden goods
trade. They would be foolish to keep
on buying wool, making cloths and
piling them up on an already over
stocked market"
The above states the situation very
clearly, and if the Democratic press
contend that after all it is only a
question OF supply and demand they
weaken their own position, as with
the duty off from foreign wool it
would come to swell the surplus and
force prices down still farther.