The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-09-18


employ II ent, would have been reduced
to the minimum. Under the so-palleC
protection policy of the republican
party, and the high wages incident tc
the civil war, wages in this country
were at the highest point thirty years
ago, and every time foot or so has
been added TO the height of the tariff
dam, wages have gone down. As be
fore stated. those same high prices for
labor have brought hiiher hundreds oil
thousands OF foreigners who not only
have been competitors with American
working men, but they have become q
menace 10 the very existence of the
industries that attracted them to this
land, and to the government that
shelters them.
The democratic party have charged
the protective policy OF their opponents
with the crime, for it is a crime, OF
building up one section of the country
at the expense of another and of foster
ing one industry to the detriment If
another,
That indictment has been met only
with derisiOn, hut there is a case in
| hand which every man and woman in
Utah can understand.
Thirty years ago the valleys and So
called deserts of southern Utah were
covered with grass, white sage, bud
sage, ETC., which furnished nutritive
and almost unlimited p4sturage for
tens Of thousands of cattle. The
mountains provided luxuriant sum
mer range from which the cattle would
emerge so fat and sleek that they
could endure the severity of winters
with but little loss OF flesh or numbers.
All it cost Ia those days'to raise steer
was week spent twice each year at
the spring and fall drives
The owner of two or three COWS could
regain possession OF them at the spring
drives, and by securing the calves,
could turn them on the rich natural
meadows adjoining the town, and make
butter during the summer for winter
use. In the tall he could turn out his
COWS and the natural increase would,
IN few years, maze him independent.
But protection to the wool industry
came along and the stockm as
class have been ruined,
Prot ection Of wool SO stimulated the
sheep Industry that the mountains
and valleys have been hlled with
droves OF sheep, whose close grazing
and Sharp boots Lave destroyed the
forage vegetation in the mountains
and are rapidly killing the grass and |
sage Of the desert ranges.
In addition 30 the natural profits of
wool growing, the protection afforded |
the'owners enabled them to make from |
lifty to seVenty-tiye per cent. on the in
vest ment. This fact stimulated the |
industry all over the United States to
the extent that the supply of native
woods exceeded the demand, and right !
in the face of the highest tariff ever
known on wool, ii began to depreclate
In price until competition in the sell
ing markets. and still closer compe-
ton Ior western ranges, had Well-nigh
ruined the industry before the panic
which is clearly tras S-t9le to the pro-
tective policy, finished the work of
ruin to the wool industry of the west.
Now, Will not the most obdurase of
our friends, the republicans. acknowl-
edge that those who raise stock are
one class, and that aheep. men are an
other class? Will they not concede that
the tariff increased their profits? Will
they not alsJ concede the fact that the
profits of wool growing in
duced an unnatural expansion of the
industry? Will they not grant that
the million and over of sheep in Utah
denuded the range to the extent that
cattle cannot now live where, ten or
fifteen years ago, they would thrive?
In short Will net any candid man coz
cede that the sheep industry has killed
5he cattle il dustry, and that in so do.
ing, one class has suffered for the ben
aft of another class, and that this con.
1ition of things has been wrought by
the unnatural, illogical, wage-destroy-
ing and damnable policy of protection,
sm2 ]. F. GIBBS.