The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-27
The Opening Gun Of the Campaign
Fired by That August
Body.
Aldrich Defends the Policy That
Multiplies Both Millionaires
and Tramps.
The Tariff, Say Hs and Vest, VIII BE the
Issue The News OF tho
Capital.

WASHINGTON, July 26.-The opening de.
bate in the presidsnsial campaign was heard
in the snnate to-day, Mr.. Aidrich opening
it with the declaration that ths tariff ques-
tion was to become. by common consent.
tho leading issue Of tho campaign. Voat
announced the determination of tho demo-
cratic party to make that the issue in every
township IN the land. The conference re-
port on the general deficiency bill WAS
agreed to. Ths French spoliation claims
are dropped and the Pacific railway claims
for government transportation postponed
until pcxt session.
After routine business the presiding
officer laid before the senate Hals's
resolution az to the relative effect of ths re-
publican policy Of protection and the DEM
ooratic policy Of tariff for revenue only.
Aldrioh addressed the senate. He said in
vestigations by tho finance committee
clearly established the fact that decline,
instead of an advance. had taken place in
the price Of the necessaries OF life and the
decreased cost of living since the adoption
OF the Mckinley bill. II il = significant
fact that while the cost Of living in the
United States has declined, the cost Of liv-
ing in England had increased 10 per cent
in the same period. At no time in our
history has the earnings of the people OF
the United States been an great. measured
by the powers of tho purchase of the COM
forts and neeessaries of life, as to-day.
Referring 80 Vests assertions that never
before the present tims had there been such
disturbances of labor or such hostile and
inimioal relations between employe and
employer. Aldrich presented the statistics
of strikes in each year. from 1880 to 1890.
in the United States. These strikes varied
from 610 in 1880 to 100 in 1890. whereas, in
Great Britain. the paradise of tariff re-
formers. 3,164 strikes occurred in 1889.
Vests statement ~ to the prostrstion OF
opposed to the actual facts. The farmers
day, with an equal number OF bushels
of grain or pounds Of wheat, could buy
more and better clothing, machinery or
supplies than ever before.
Vest replied to Aldrich: I'm the face Of
the recent carnage at Homestead, the sena-
tor from Rhode Island repsesentsd
| that there we're most amieabls relations ak
letting between employers anu employed in
the United States. Either the American
workingman," said Vest, must be an an
archist by nature. or else he is to-day op-
pEc6aeA uAu IODDou 0y uI8 oMpOyoI. Az
to agricultural prosperity. Vest asserted
| that the price of farm lands has steadily
gone down in Missouri and other larqely
agricultural states. Paddock denied that
statement as far as Nebraska il concerned
and Davis (Minn.) and Allison (Ia. put in
similar tlenials for their states.
Pettiarew, rising to say something about
North Dakota's increase of value, Vest re-
marked 1t was because the land was entered
at $l.25 per acre. Allen said land bought
in Washington two years ago at govern
nent prices now sells for from $40 to $25
per acre. Vest retortad that he didn't t
doubt it. He was out there a few years ago
when they were asking thousand dollars
an inch for land in Tacoma and other
places.
The debate was continued by Allison and
Palmer. Palmer didn't believe the repub-
lican party WAS responsible for such events
as the Homestead tragedy. but it was re-
sponsible for having promised that its leg
is!ation would make suoh occurrences i'm
possible. The republican party, since it
ceased to be a great patriotic party, has
been welded to the dead issues of the war.
The protection party had joined it for its
own selfish interests.