The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-20
A MOTHERS PROTEST.
she OBJECTS TO THE ENORMOUS
TARIFF ON WOOL.ENS.

Remembers Well.
The following letter from an Ameri-
can mother to the New York World Is a
strong and reasonable protest against
tho tax imposed by the Mckinley tariff
on wooden goods:
am a busy mother, and l am shut in
my room with grip. l have spoken dis
respectfully of ibid not believe in it.
Now it has me in its grip and l could
cry. One other thing this winter / did
not believe. have found true and have
cried over-the cruelty Of the tax on
woolens to little children. "Rise SOM
avenger from their d~eprivations.
am not a woman s~uffragist. have
wished that my husband would go into
politics no more than duty requires of
loyal men, and | look to American men
to stop this tax, which is, l say, the
most monstrous iniquity lone in our
land since the days of our acquaintance
with King George III. But the stupid
arrogance of his taxation was more en-
durable than the fraudulent sham Of
fellow citizens. Where is the spirit of
the men who threw over the tea in Bos-
ton harbor? How | should like to see
Mr.. Mckinley there! But this is ir-
relevant and he is governor of Ohio,
and of course it was not the money Of
any tariff beneficiaries that helped him
there! King George Ill, stupid and
biguted as he was, would never have
legislatcd against the health of growing
children--the men to be. Good woolens
are as necessary us good milk to children,
and he who dilutes their milk is no
worse than he who taxes their hannels.
| have lost no child yet. and | believe
| owe it. under God, greatly to their good
WOODEN clothing. | have let silks and
vclvcts go: even my bonnets may go, but
my little ones have always had q full
supply of good all wool clothing, from
head to foot, from the skin out" of diff
fercnt weights, as the weather changes.
Now our best houses offer me an in
ferior German stocking at the price !
have paid for English merino. There is
an Australian wool in the market, heavy
and coarsc-all kinds of inferior substi-
= t'il'Ss tlO DN'titlit''IH C'lI. lNhN Iitiith
flannel ! have made my little girls
dresses Of for years is taxed out of the
market.
It is now made nearly as light rs cash
mere, being taxed by weight, Arnold's
salesman told me, and he sold me a
coarse German flannel ut the old price
of the French. Hooked for Shaker skirt
ing flannel at remnant counters. The
kind | wanted was dear ''because there
is a great deal of wool in it," Domestic
i~ianncls are dearer; perhaps because the
price can he raised.
Now. | ask, what will he used by those
who formerly bought German and do
nestle woolens chcaply:
Will their children wear II mixture of
cotton and wool, mostly cotton, or shod-
dy or all cotton? Ask Mr.. Mckinley.
cannot believe he understood what he
was doing. Woolens may be less neces-
sary inland. and men do not know it all
about children and %fiannels, but there
will be more Group, dipbtheria and
bronchitis, more half clothed and stunt
ed children. How dare they make this
infamous thing u law?
But | have faith in my country yet!
Our people are very patient and law
abiding, but when the wrong is under
stood | believe there is IA power in our
land to rise against it, by whatever
party it is done. | am told there are
Republicans opposed to this measure Of
the men who lead them by the nose.
| am not an unpatriotic woman. !
could not possibly go abroad and leave
my children behind me. | do not even
care to import Paris gowns-I like New
York dressmaking better. Yet |, too,
had ancestors who lived and died pro
patria. My Observation-Disclosures spun
their own wool and knitted it for hus-
bands and SONS whose naked feet left
prints of blood on the SHOWS of New
, Jersey, and | will do it if there is q
necessity. But are we at war? Is there
need for "a war tariff? Need | eat squash
instead of Malaga grapes:
| should like to see our IN
whiten the seas of the world. | should
like to see good merino woods made at
home: then take off the tax Oh raw ma
terial! | know something about the
sheep raising. | have an interest in !.
western farm where We took great pride
in our sheep. The Shutdown wool was
!, the finest we raised, altogether superior
!, to most wool in the market, yet inferior
to merino wool. | understand the me.
rino sheep do not bear our climate.
Please ask American men about these
things. and ask them to set it right next
fall or sooner. Sugar may be taxed
again, | hear-another thing needed by
!, children. | am reminded Of Dean
, Swift's remark when some one said,
/ 1.-THE air in Ireland is very excellent and
healthy" For heavens sake" said
| Swift, ''don't say SO in England; for il
= xo,, 10 tba,, x,,;1l ,,rt,;p1,, %ou ~