The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-06-09
H WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
TIME LEGISLATION.
FRIDAY. JUNE Q. 1888.

1t is becoming more and more evident
gress must adopt the principle of enact
ing laws with the proviso that they are
to stand for a certain length of time.
In the June number of the Review Of
Reviews appears this comment: 1T is
not in the least true that this country
has been victimized or imperiled to any
alarming extent by the protective policy,
nor is it true that the Mckinley act is
the morstrous thing that the politicians
who have never read it declare it to be.
On the other hand, il is not in the least
true that this great country would be
ruined by trading freely with other oun
tries. The fact is that our principal
trade has long been and always will be
with ourselves. and our industrial life
came be fatally affected by any tariff
policy that any conceivable American
government could I've foolhardy enough
10 enact, always provided the policy were
TO be stable for a reasonable PERIOD
Shortly before noticing this paragraph
the writer had been in conversation
with a prominent business man Of this
city, who said il substance: THE
present financial uneasiness may be as
cribed almost entirely TO the state of I'M
certainty that exists because Of the
facility with which our laws are altered.
If the Mckinley bill, for instance, had
been enacted into Law with the proviso
that it could not be repealed in less than
ten years, the trade Of the country would
have been solid and thriving during the
period for which the law was fixed. |
believe the same may be said if the Mills
bill had been made the permanent law
for a similar period, But this system of
changing the laws Of one congress by
the next. or the mere threat of changing
them, keeps the country lodging, and
gives an unsettled condition to every
thing
Tins cOmmyn sense statement of the
case will IMPRESS any fair minded mar
Every law tnat has to do with national
policy should be passed with the distinct
understanding that it shall prevail for a
stated period. and that it cannot be re-
pealed before such fixed time has expir-
ed.
As a case in point we hnve the wool
market. Tie buyers know that there
will be uncertainty and u pauicky feel
ing among growers this season because
OF pending changes i'll the tariff laws.
The proof that there is no real cause for
Il low wool market il this country is
found in the fact that our growers who
have capital to operate with will ship
their wool direct 10 England. where the
market is high and steady. The buyers
know there are not many who are pre-
pared to do this, and SO they are plan
ming to take advantage If circumstances
and to make a large profit through a
scare that could not exist if wool were
the free list and it's price governed
by supply and demand.
stable laws in all things that relate TO
national policy are more important than
An army and navy, Through having no !
'ecognized financial system We are to. ,
lay the sport and plaything of the /
money sharks Of the world; and through I
10 stable system of trade with
'th=' LatlcL= We actually bear down the !;
1-.c@= Il our NJ commodities. r
go
Where are our statesmen that they do v
rot see these things: Win it require a |
to bring the ruling classes to =
heir senses: o