Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1892-10-18

better return to the Republican party,
which they too hastily left. Mr..
Burke is not in favor of free lead;
neither is Mr.. True. Then they had
better join the Republican party.
Nothing now stands between you aud
free lead except Republican Senate
and Republican President.
The speaker then entered at length
into discussion of the lead tariff and
its effect on the price of that metal.
He demonstrated BY copious facts and
figures covering the past 80 years, dur
ing which tho tariff was II cents per
pound, that, even should silver 90 to
1923 an ounce the loss to Idaho
mines, it lead should be free, would
be so great that fully one half Of our
silver lead mines would be compelled
to shut down, and to remain idle. He
therefore warned his hearers against
voting for either Cle~eland OF Weaver,
as they are pledged to free lead-to
making lead free, which is produced
BY poems who work for SO cents per
dav.-REP.1
In early days there was not much
lead produced in the United States,
and none to speak of imported from
Mexico. and consequently lead was
worth six, seven, or eight GENTS per
pound. Gradually imporsat,ons from
Mexico increased. Lead did not
come very fast because. as l say, there
was q tax on lead and it was sneaked
in by subterfuges, contrary to law, and
tho question whether it could not be
brought IN without paying duty was
even discussed. But along in Cleve-
lands administration they ruled finally
if the silver in the ore was more valu-
able than the lead the lead should
come in free. They then imported
enough Mexican ore to reduce the
price of lead here in the United States
to 50 60 per 100 pounds. This closed
many of the lead mines in the Union,
and would have eventually closed
every mine in Idaho. The Mckinley
bill, which extended the duty of II
cents per pound to that class OF ores,
was passed. I had the honor of intro
ducing that amendment. intro
duced it in the Mills bill, but the
Democrats beat me. In the next
Congress which was Republican in
both houses succeeded in getting
it in the bill. And since that we
have had more stable and fixed price
for lead than we ever had before.
And there is not a man, or woman,
Democrat or Populist, that can con-
trovert that. 1t has run over IS 25;
it has stood between 81 aud $4.75 all
the time-or an average of abou,
$4.35 per 100 pounds. And all min
ing men will say to you that with the
price of lead between $3.50 and 81 %
they will do we'll; but that below that
they can do nothing. Both Of the
parties opposing the Republican party
are pledged to free lead. You will
get it it they gain power-and you
cannot escape it.
You cannot compete with Mexico
in the production Of lead. Mr..
Romero, the Mexican Minister a
Washington, published statement ii
regard to the wages paid laborers il
that country. They verage 36 cents
a day. Miners get so cents a day
Here miners get from So to 81 day
In this section they get $3.50. Thu
transportation from Mexico is as chesl
as from here, consequently it is simpl.
a question of wages. You can keel
on producing lead, but it will be a
the cost of reduction OF wages pail
miners, because $3.50 per day canno
compete with SO cents per day. l
you say here miners get $3.50 pc
day, some one will say they get 8
cents a day but or miners will d
seven times as much work, AMI tina
will make it even. Or, our miner
get 81 day and do eight times a
much work as tho Mexican miners.
do not believe you want to be broaRt
! in competition with peon labor at 5
cents per day. Yet that is what 20
} will get unless you maintain the Re
publicans in power.