The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-04-19
The WEISER SIGNAL.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10. 1894.
AND THE FOG HORN BLEW.

Last week we remarked casually
that the Statesmen was very pro-
nounced in its views on the tariff
question, being protection journal
of the most pronounced type, and
like all Others of a similar class. as
sumes without reason that the pro-
lection idea is the very acme of pat
rlotlc devotion. Criticsing the SIG
NAL, the Statesman says, "as the
shadow OF the flag reaches from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, so the bene-
fits of protection spread over the en-
tire nation. We rise to remark
right here the EFFECTS of high pro
lection (udge for yourself if ssbene
fits be the proper term) are felt and
spread over the entire nation and in
widely different manner, benefittng
very materially the oppulent manu-
lacturer OF the east at the expense
of the INDECENT consumer in this
western land that honest toilers are
endeavorng to reclaim and that the
effect has been TO make us poorer lust
to the extent that we have been made
to pay tax ON every comodity that
enters into our domestic use. The
benefits are very discernable in the
frst case and the effects are very
sensibly felt in every home in our
state III the latter-a constant drop-
ping wears away stone-and the
little by little that has gone out of the
great west for the patriotic idea of
protection has finally slipped the very
life blood of our existence, and for
us, unfortunately, the 'shadow of
the flag has been over us in such n
manner as to completely shut out tue
sunshine of prosperity There is no
doubt but protection is remarkably
good for the class protected, but as we
OF the west are not included in that
class, WE again remark that this
line OF patriotism is too expensive
for our use. We no not make these
remarks from partisan stand point,
but in purely sectional and
selfish light. The exigencies
of the present demand that
we look ut things that way-as
does the east in all it says and does
leaving politics and sentimental no.
tions entirely out of the questions
The east would have us back up her
interests with our patriotism, but her
own national sentiments are bent only
TO those lines which will bring New
England out at the big end of the
horn. The west is asked to tax itself
to build up gigantic factories in New
England, but when national interest
comes up dixie silver which they i'm
agne will benefit the west a little
more than the east they do not hest
tate to cut its throat. The money
earned by the factories we are taxed
to build in New England is spent in
New England; the difference between
raw material purchased in the west.
and the manufactured article sold in
the west goes to New England; the
money paid railroads for transporta-
zion of raw material to the east and
the manufactured article back to the
west again, goes to New England
stockholders; the west is taxed to
pay interest on bonds and the money
derived from the bonds is spent in
New England harbors, New England
shipyards, and to New England man
ufacturers of armor plate, etc. while
Idaho gets but SIT, 900 for public
surveys and $40, 600 for river i'm
provements. Thus it can be seen
that our whole national political. COM
merclal and social system is mauip-
ulated SO as to center the national
wealth in the east-a huge leech
sucks and sucks at the blue veins of
the west-an augur hole has been
bored in the trunk of the western
maple, the eastern bucket has been
hung under the spout and our vitality
is slowly being sapped away. The
patriotic cry of high protection is the
cloak behind which it has been posi-
Die to arrive at these conditions. The
SIGNAL is still in the fog. but the
log horn has blown, warning us from
The shoals in its neighborhood; but
we are of the opinion that the States
nan article is one of that class of
explanations that do not explain.
--
The manufacturers stalk forth
INTO the west with their interests in
heir hands and inland for ,,r,,,a.,; I