The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-01-22
Monday. January - 1891.
GIVING AMERICANS \ CHANCE.

On Thursday last. in the lower house
OF Congress. the Wilson tariff bill being
under consideration. and the immediate
tonic under debate being whether the
schedule on woolens provided by the hlli
should become operative on and after
the passage Of the bill. or-as proposed
by Mr.. Wilson himself IN an amendment
-be deferred until Dec. /, l-94. Mr.
Wilson. in urging support for his amend
ment and just before the vote was taken.
is reported by the Associated Press as
follows:
The iobhers are now hositarjnE whether 70
place their orders for fall goods. here or anroaa.
and il the committee amendment T. carried ~
home manufactures VIII max hsNt Ihl ""'S'
Only a few words. delivered possibly
without eloluence or passion. yet they
tell the whole story Of the Democratic
assault on the industries Of this country.
II is not enough that this statement
should come from a Democrat, but that
If comes from the chosen tariff reform
and free trade apostle of that party
the man selected by the administration
TO frame the bill which Is To throttle
American industries and degrade
American labor. The man of all others
who. through his continuous and pains
taking investigation of the subject for
the past year. must know whereof he
speaks. and he says it without shame, TO
the American people through their rep
resentatiyes in Congress, My PROPOSE
fion is. to give the Americans one more
~hance. If YOU will vote with me, the
American manufacturers of woolens.
can supply the home market this fall.
but this is as much as we can 10 for
them. After that they must meet for
eign labor schedules and take care of
themselves. But We are willing to give
them this chance"
Mr.. Wilson's proposition might ookas
II he was not as ~hard-hearted as his
party. bnt one cannot depend upon looks
or words either in politics. The proPo-
sition was not conceived in either hon
esty or fairness. Mr.. Wilson knew that
II American manufacturers made next
falls goods, there would he a temporary
rush in the factories. which would show
MP well for the party in next falls cam
paign. while If they We're shut out from
ever this brief period Of activity, 1t
would be dlsadvantageous TO the party
of tariff reform. This was the reason
Why he was moved to be SO generous as
to give the American manufacturers an
other chance. but thanks TO the good
sense of the Republican minority in the
house and a lack Of following among the
Democrats. Mr.. Wilson's amendment
was voted down. and if the bill carries.
the schedule on woolens goes into effect
on and after lis passage. and the hon g
manufacturers will not make next falls
goods. II Mr.. Wilson's remarks could
have been Anticipated and quoted in the
campaign Of %. what a chorus of deni-
ais and ~evasivc explanations would have
gone up from the Threats Of the demo
cratic orators all over the nation. How
in our own state. Mats would have
ruared and beloved; how the two
Smiths, Robert Burns and John T.,
would have argued and explained: how
they would have grown red Of face and
short of breath, ~denouncing any such
expressions from a democrat. and yet
Mr.. Wilson. the chosen one stands up
in Congress, and asks his party as a spe-
-ial favor - to give American manufac-
turers one more chance under a Demo
cratic administration.