Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-11-03
that changes them from infants, but it

il such q change of conditions as to
enable them to stand alone-to mann
failure more cheaply than they could
formerly. In America the condition
that requires our industries to be pro,
tected is high wages, and no free trader
has yet discovered a way to mani
facture cheaply and at the same tim.
pay high wages. When such a dis.
covery is made, and patented in the
name of the people of the United
States, SO that no other nation eau
infringe on the patent, it will be time
to ask for free trade; but under pres.
eDt conditions, there is no way to
manufacture in competition with
pauper labor without cutring down
the price of our own labor to tn,
prices paid abroad. Nay that tim.
never come to America.
Again, England had protection foi
manufactures and other products for
a period of five hundred years; and
yet what was the result when sin.
adopted free trade? Her agricultur,
was ruined and her labor was ground
down to the lowest ebb of wages pos
slble Tor the existence of life. If such
was the result in England after
centuries of pro tectisn what would be
the result i'm America alter the few
years oil uninterrupted protection
which We have had?
There a he no question: that under
Tree trade, or u tariff for revenu sys-
tenn, which amounts to the same thin.
for all practical purpose, because the
Democratic party has declared that
all protection is unconstitutional
under either of those systems many
pr detected industries would he forced
to suspend operations, because the,
would he unable to manufactur. il
competition with cheap foreign Labor
md at the same time pay the present
rate of wages; while on the other hanG
the American workman, accustomed
AS he is to high wages. would not eli.
lure such a reduction OF wages A.
would be necessary to maintain ou
manufactures in competition with th'
labor of foreign countries. The resul
would be that thousands or million
would change from being consumes
of farm products to producers &
those articles; and every man =.
changed would lessen the demand ant
increase the supply of such products.
1t is plain to be seer that a change O
\ few thousands would very materi
ally injure the farmer by increasin.
his competition and at the same tim,
lessen the demand for his products
With a necessarily resulting decrsas,
IN the price of those articles. And
that is just what free traders want.
They claim that America, by reason
of the high wages paid for labor, is
not adapted to general manufacture
ing, while. under free trade, she coulu
supply the markets OF the world Will
God. If Americans desire that condi
Ion of things here well and good, bui
We do not believe they are willing t,
,bandon the progress they have mad,
-owards making them, elves independ
mt of all other nations. But if the,
lid desire such Il condition, they mus
'emember that Russia can supply til,
markets of the world with wheas an'
,ther grains, India could do the same
IND other nations could do the same.
Even now we produce mole than W
IAN dispose OF at II reasonable profit;
now much could we sell abroad if our
nome markets were destroyed and oul
production doubled? Let some free
raider nswer. Take another illustra-
zion from Fergus county. Supposing w
rad a manufactu ring industry estab
ished in the county which would EN-
ploy five hundred men, would not til,
demand for farm products be Sc
.argely increased that the ranchmai
:ould dispose of his entire crop a,
advanced prices?
Then, too, Democrats argue that
the pays the tax, as the.
all it. The assertion has been dir
proved in hundreds of instances, il
which the retail price to the American
is less than the tariff upoi
he article. Not only that, but under
che Republican tariff system prices
nave steadily decreased upon all arti
les used by the farmer, rs the follow
ing examples of comparative price,
for the years 1857 (practicai fire,
trade), 1889 1892, will show.
In the good old free trade, Demo
cratic days of 1857 an axecost Sl.49;
n 1889, 95c; in 1890, 92c; in Septem
ner, 1891. $50. In 1857, blankets
per pair, $685.; in 1889, 1923; IN
1890, S4.O9b; in 1921, S3.7O. Calico.
per yard in 1859, 142c; in 1889, TIC:
In 1890. SO; m 1891. &c. In 1857
moving machines, S121.15; in 1889
S56.9S; i'm 1890, S52.6O; in 1891
$47.1O. And so on through the Who'll
list of articles that the farmers ana
the masses us, and there never was a
time in the history OF the country
when a dollar went further in the pur.
chase of these articles.
Yet, Democrats are continually
talking about the "good old times be
fore the war;" Who has not heard
his father and mother tell of the hard
time that prevailed then? And ther,
are many men in the county who dis
tinctly remember those times, and it
is q significant fact that none of then
desire ~ return of those times.
Another old lie that is being re-told
in this county, is that American
manufacturers sell to theforeign trad.
more cheaply than they do to tn,