Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-10-20

were before an audiencein Helena, and
in making it here, he assumes that his
audience is composed of ignorant peo-
pie who would be missled by the DEM
DOGGY. All that need be said upon
that subject is that his own patron
saint, "the Sage of Grammarcy Park"
not to mention the host of other lead
ing Democrats, was foremost in his
advocacy of all of that legislation.
He also accused the Republican party
of being responsible for all of the nat
ional legislation since 1860, and he
straightway claimed for his own party
the Alien Labor law. Right here it
may be as well to state that this point
vas evidently made without the ad-
vice and consent of Tim, for, to onein
the audience, it was most noticeable
that Tim did not half appreciate the
remarks. The speaker did not refer
to Mr.. Collins connection with that
law, and the indictments pending
against that candidates railroad I'M
der the law. Mr.. Smith said that in
1860 SO per cent. of the wealth of the
country was owned by the farmers,
while now they own only % per cent.
Well, what does that prove? Simply
that in 1860 we were a farming coun-
try, while now, thanks to the tariff,
We have a great diversity ofindustries.
While the interests of thefarmers have
steadily advanced other interests have
come in and are keeping pace with the
farming interests and are furnishing a
market for the farmers produce. In
that famous tariff discussion between
Mr.. Blaine and Mr. Gladstone the lat
ter argued that, under free trade,
America could raise enormous quanti-
ties OF cheap food, and become the
greatest farming country in the world,
which is just what the Republican
party is trying to avoid. We e rails
ing too much cheap food as it is.
What we have been striving for is to
provide a market for all of that food
at a profit to thefarmer. The Repub-
lican party has made this nation a
manufacturing nation, as well as a
farming nation, and of that particul, =
thing all Republicans have reason to
be proud.
Another thing in this line which Mr..
Smith stated as an argument against
the continuance of the Republican
party in power is that with a total
national wealth of 81 billions of dol
lars in 1860 1--WE admit the correctness
of Mr.. Smiths figures for the purposes
of the argument only) the per capita
wealth of the United States was 1898,
while in 1890, with a total national
wealth of so billions, the per CAPITA
wealth had increased to only 5000.
This statement was evidently intended
to be deceiving. In the first place the
figures given are so very far from the
truth that Mr.. Smith could not have
made an unintentional error. In the
next placeit must be remembered that
during the last thirty or forty years
the United States has had a most ex.
traordinary increase in population.
both from natural causes and from
immigration, so much SO that it has
, been a matter of remark the world
over that notwithstanding her great
increase in population, her per capita
wealth had kept pace with her great
prosperity. But Mr.. Smiths stats
tics r wrong. According to the cen
sus reports from 1860 to 1890 the
t total national and the per capita
wealth has been as follows:1S6O, SIG,
0O0, 100000 per capita, $514
1870, s3O,OOO,O OOO, 900, per capita
$3.50; 1880, $4,000, 900, 900, pei
capita, $50; 1890, $50, 600, OOO, 900
per capita, 5000. The per capita in,
crease from 1860 to 1890 was $4s5
instead of being only SO, as Mr.. Smith
said. This shows an increase of 941
!, per cent. in thirty years. If all of Mr.
Smiths figures and statements are al
far from the truth as these are, what
reliance can be placed in what he says
before an audience? None, whatever;
and his speeches are the rankest kind
of demagoguery.
In reply to another OF his arguments,
to the effect that the manufactures
reaps all the benefit derived from the
tariff, we state as a fact that the
profits of capital engaged in manu-
featuring in England, as shown by
official statements, is as great or ever
greater than in the United States.
The speaker showed himself the idea
Democratic orator in one other mat.
ter, by slapping the soldier in the face
in his inordinate condemnation of the
dependent pension bill, which provides
a pension to every soldier who is in
capacitated from earning q living
from any cause except vicious habits
On the whole, we think Mr.. Smith
made more votes for the Republican
ticket than he did for his own; in fact,
|, we heard several Democrats remark
that they would vote the Republican
ticket on the strength of his speech.
Il
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