The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-09-15
CAPTAIN euHEs PosIrIoy.

CA<IA1N 6uAES POSITION.
Captain Gum, the Populist candidate
Tor Congress, is on a tour through the
state, the object of which is to persuade
the voters of Idaho to send him to
congress a. their representative.
Personally, Captain Gum is a very
pleasant gentleman. but the voters OF
Idaho are not called upon to express
their personal appreciation of him.
They are called upon to say whether they
endorse the principles he represents, and
the general policy Of the Populist party
In congress and in those states where
they have had the power and have used
1t most disasterously to the interests OF
the people.
In his address he states he has not
changed his principles, though he has
changed parties. This may be true as
to the silver question on which there is
no difference of opinion among western
people, but if Captain Gum endorses
the principles OF the Populist party as q
whole it is not true on the tariff uestion,
1t Is well known that the Populist
party is in line with the Democrats on
the tariff issue. The representatives OF
the Populist party in congress voted
with Democrats to destroy every indus.
try OF the west. They voted for all the
outrageous assaults of the Wilson bill
upon the industries of the country.
Captain Gum, if he is true Populist.
is in line with all this. and should the
people Of Idaho elect him to congress he
would vote in favor OF free wool, of free
lead and free prunes.
Even Senator PETER admitted that free
wool would destroy the wool industry
OF the United States. He, too, is au.
thority for the statement that the an
nual product of this industry is $40 ,oOO,
600 and that it exceeds by more than
$26,0O0,OOO the total product of the
American mines Of both gold and silver
Tor 1892. This industry alone is worth
more to the people OF the country than
the entire output OF our gold and silver
mines, and yet the Demo Populist com.
bine in congress voted to DESTROY il.
And Captain Gum is in sympathy with
this policy.
We can not take space to reply in de-
tail to all the vagaries Of Captain Gums
speech, but when he says as he does
that there is practically no difference
between the Wilson bill and the McKip- |
ley bill it is time he should be called
down. Senator PETER himself charges
that the Wilson bill discriminates against
the farmers. Under the Mckinley bill /
every product Of the farm was protected. !
The Wilson bill turns the dairy and
egg market of the country over to Can.
ada. The Wilson bill makes wool free.
The Mckinley bill put duty OF from II
TO IL cents a pound on wool. Under the
benefcent protective policy OF the Re-
publican party the wool industry devel-
'ped until we produced here 50 per cent.
'f all the wool used in this country. and
would soon have produced all the wool
Needed for the American market. The
wilson bill sounded the death knell Of
his industry. 1t is well known that 6
he Wilson bill has greatly crippled if it s
'as not entirely destroyed the lead in c
ustrv OF Idaho. Now, Captain Gum,
elected, az q Populist, would from a :
Official necessity, be forced to stand in
nth this kind Of policy. 4
When he charges that the tariff issue
. sham battle to distract the attention b
I the people be demonstrates his in
oaiity to grapple with great national s
sues. Is the fight which the Repub-
can delegation in congress waRed C;
sainst the Demo-P opulist in favor of
iaho lead, and Idaho prunes, and Ida 81
wool and hops a sham battle? Do n
'e people OF Idaho look upon these in
astries a. 30 many shams, and are they j.
hing to entrust their interests to a
an who is capable of 30 regarding
lem? We think not. et
Captain Gum is making an effort To
'se before the people as a foe OF the al
ilroads. and yet when he was men, W
u OF the Idaho legislature in 1890 he te
ted for bill to relieve the Northern
'eihc railroad from taxation. He al. eli
voted for the alien land bill to allow &c
lens TO bold freeholds in Idaho.
These are some Of the things which he It's
II be called upon to explain. The to
ople OF Idaho will Gee to it that Edgar ne
ilson Is elected to congress as he is in
mpathy with all the interests OF the ~,
tie, its silver, lead, wool, prune, and ="
p industries, and fully believes the
TIE to he fought with the Demo Pops ole
the present congress in favor Of these CHI
iustries 10 not sham fight, but one
Un which the commercial prosperity D.