Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-09-08

lection OF American labor and Ameri-
can Industries, that law could not
have been enacted. Now, | am in
clIned to think that the people of this
country Will accept the views of Daniel
Webster upon constitutional ques-
tions quite as readily as they will
those OF the Democratic convention at
Chicago. 1t also happens that wit hin
"a twelve-month the supreme court OF
the United States has declared pro-
tective legislation in accordance with
the constitution, has declared the Me
Kinley bill wa duly and legally passed:
and though they do not say it, they
might have said, and this glorious act
is due to the great Tom Reed OF Maine.
He says, when he sees n Democrat in
the house. you are here and the
Democrat says, Il am not here and
he says, Il see you and that is enough
for me, and ii you are here tor any
thing you are here to make quorum,
and | will see that the constitut on of
the United States and the Mckinley
bill are sustained
''The concensus of opinion seems to
be in favor of the constitutionality of
the protection of labor, and it seems
to be that all of us who are inclined
to interpret the bill In favor OF this
system can do so with a clear con-
science on the Sth day of November
next. Our Democratic friends confne
themselves to another great objection,
in their opinion, to the protective
tariff. Did you ever hear a Democrat
say that the protective tariff is tax
which is added to the price which the
consumer must pay? | think 1 have
heard that three or four times. Well,
now, SUP pose it is II tax, what of 1T?
There is no one here tonight that
imagines that government of 65,-
600, 900 people can be conducted with
out taxation OF some kind. We col
lected S392, ,000,0 900 in taxes last year;
1920, 100000 of that amount came
through the custom house. Well if it
didn't come through the custom house
it would have had to come through
some other source. We wanted 1892
600, 900; we raised 1920, 900, 900
through the custom house. Ii we had
not received it through the custom
house, we would nave had to get it
some way. Suppose 1T is a tax, what
OF it? The question narrows itself
down between the Democratic party
and the Republican party to just this:
Conceding that it is a tax, we are
waiting for Our Democratic friends to
suggest some way in which that $780,,
OOO, 900 can be collected with less fric-
ton, less trouble and less annoyance
to the American people, and up to
this date our Democratic friends have
not suggested it. Therefore, until they
do suggest it, until the do convince
the American people that taxation
can be gathered with less annoyance,
why, | think it is good sense to cIIn.,
to the form of taxation we are now
| living under.
Now, my fellow citizens, our Demo-
cratic friends must have some reason
for wanting this change. Men don't
change their opinions, they don't
change their residence, they don't
change their politics, they don t change
their religion Just because some one
asks them to. They want Il reason.
Some one says to the gentleman in
front of II e: You come out to Wash
ington territory to live, come out to
Seattle Or Tacoma. What is the
first question my friend would ask?
What for?' He don't take up his
household goods, pack up his baggage
and start for Tacoma, because sons
body asks him to. A man sayst to me,
You ought to he Il Catholicn | ask
him, What for?' You ought TO he a
Protestant = He asks me, what jor?'
And when my Democratic friend says,
You ought to be n Democratn L ask
him, What for and when / ask HIM
to be a Republican he always asks,
What for?' The only reason | have
| L. L Nat
| don't see any cause, therefore
| never have been n Democrat. Gen
orally they say it would be better for
the country if it was under the control
of the Democratic party. Why would
it be better for the country? Con-
vince me that the Democratic policy
is better for the country than the Re,
publican policy and am Democrat,
but | want to see some evidence OF it.
| am not in such a hurry to change
my location as to believe that because
some one says that something will
happen, it will do SO, unless 1t actu
ally does happen.
deal, doesn't it? More prosperity
means less paupers III the country
! We have now 100000 people un
der a protective tariff and have goi
less than 100000 paupers. Greai
Britain has tariff for revenue only
they have 3S, 100000 of people ant
900, 900 paupers. Now, why should
it make a million of paupers out o
3S, ,O0O,0 900 OF people if it is goo,
thing for the country. Now, how vii
free trade lessen our 100, 900 paapers
Hadn't we better leave it there unit
1t cleans out that magnificent nest o
: pauper3 before we bring it over here
1t seems to me so.
9 prosperity means paying of tn
4 debts OF the nation more apidly, doe
! it not ?" Well, England, in seventy
] four years has paid ST4O, 100000 c
e her debt; in twen; y-six years, unde
: our protective system, We have pai
nearly 50, 900. 900, 900 of ouIs. If
: is going to reduce our debt faster, VIII
D don't it Jog along a little faster owe
t there? England owes 81, 900, ,00O, ,00t
n and she has had the benefit of til
+. tariff for revenue only for nearly fit
4 wears. We have had the benefit {
l. protective tariff for only thirty year
d and we owe less than 81 100000, ,OO(
=, The tariff for revenue only ought {
!, bring that S4,000,000 down to som'
:, where near what we owe before !
$ leaves the shores of Great Britain
It Free trade proper means better wage
t for our workmen, doesn't it? Ce
s tainly-bring 1t here and we will gt
e better wages, says our Democrat
d friends. And il it is going to do tha
II here for us, why don't it bring IL
$ wages in those countries where it
o the policy of the government to d
l. something near what we are payir
Ii here? 1t does not. Then why shouI
Vt it do here what it fails TO accomplis
D. over there? Can you see any reason
a | cannot. They say it will make OF
Of laboring people richer. enable them
m save more money and live bette