Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-03-02
SENTIMENTAL POLITICS.
The Vest has Ecerythingt0G Gnin
and Nothing to Lose bya
Change of Government
POIicU,

pfeulculng paftlal or total deStruc-
tion of all American industries as
result of the passage of the VIII
son bill for revising the tariff.
Western republicans denounce it
because it is democratic measure,
and therefore an unmixed evil, and
waste an immense amount of SEN
timent (fOr political purposes) on a
class of people of whose real condi-
tion they know but little, and who
have demonstrated for the past 80
years remarkable ability to take
excellent care of themselves
The few manufacturing indus
tries that we have in the west are
fully protected by reason of near
ness to where their products are
sold, the saving of freight being in
their favor. Western democrats
oppose it, from purely selfish mo-
tives, on the two principal items
affecting this section, lead and
wool and if any other good local
reason could be found it would be
included. In fact, they reduce the
question to just what it is, viz:
self-interest, and in no sense a
question of national politics. Cir
cumstances alter cases. Twenty
years ago the southern States were
all Free Traders. Under present
conditions, with new industries
established, they clamor loudly for
protection, very naturally. The
eastern seaboard States are filled
with factories of all kinds. From
small beginnings they have, in ma
ny instances, grown into immense
corporations. And in the majority
of cases not a dollar more than the
original small investment has been
made, the immense plants being
built from profts-or often the
material substance of well-watered
stocks, and having dividends well
assured by reason Of protection.
Now beyond question the prime
idea of Protection is to increase
and maintain the price of the arti-
Gle protected to make money for
some one, and when the protected
article is finally sold some one has
to furnish the money. And the
national balance sheet for the past
thirty years demonstrates very
clearly that the people of the Great
West have furnished this very i'm
portant factor. And as constant
dropping wears away the stone, so
little by little the wealth of the
West has been unjustly absorbed.
AS evidence, we see the manufac-
turer has grown richer, and the
producer, and producing districts
correspondingly poorer.
Railways and all internal trans
portation companies favor protec-
ton because the raw material and
supplies for operations must be
transported to the factories, and
the manufactured articles returned
There is no question as to who
pays the freight both ways. So in
order to prevent any reduction in
tariff, or else to have it increased
powerful lobbies are maintained al
the seat of government, and sup
ported by both railways and man.
ufacturers for the sole purpose o.
protecting Protection.
Said the miller: "The boy has
fat hogs, but l don't know whose
wheat they got fat on"
But the great act most relied Oh
to kick up a dust to hide their in
iquities is the sentimental howl o
"Protect the working classes ant
keep wages up" when as a matter
of fact, everything imaginable ha'
been protected EXCEPT the opera
tive-high-priced goods are pu
out of one door, and crowds of i'm
ported cheap labor admitted a
another.
But even if this sentimental fal
lacy be true, where is the justic'
of benefting one class solely at th'
expense of another-tO tax A 81 .Ot
to pay B 10 cents and G 80 cents
when A could buy the same articl,
from ID for so cents?
When all other arguments fai
then the patriotic bell is rung, ant
the Eagle is called on to perform
This has always been very effect
i've. But it is gradually transpirin'
that even American Patriotism ha
commercial value when the issu
is purely question of dollars ant
cents. And while we of this Grea
West are bestowing so much sym
pathy on the woes of others an,
neg,ecting our own affairs, let IL
see how we have been recompensed
and where the real obligation is.
One point for the consideration
of western men of all parties is tn
unrelenting hostility of all partie
of the east to our Silver interests
With them it became purely sec
tional matter. And without tn
slightest regret, but with the mos
, hilarious demonstrations of salts
faction, passed the laws that de
stroyed the most profitable indus
try of the west, and has, for a tim
! at least, paralyzed the creates
wealth-producing factor of til
world. And not from sound res