The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-02-03

DEAR SIR mail this day, addressed in
your care, letter to the speaker and the
members OF the house OF representatives, and
request that you kindly present it in open
session, and that it be read. | am aware
that this is an unusual method, bnt | believe
that the chief executive OF state should
raise his voice in defense OF his people when
their interests are so seriously imperiled as
are those OF Idaho by the proposed action
OF congress.
w. ]. MCCONNELL, Governor.
The letter enclosed by the governor
is as follows:
EXECUTIVE OFFICE.
BOISE CITY; Idaho, Jan. 20, 1894.
Mr.. Speaker and Members OF the House OF
Representatives, Washington, D. c.
GENTLEMEN The state of Idaho, vast
in resources and possibilities, having
already felt the damaging influence of
legislation unfriendly to silver, now
contemplates with alarm the efforts of
the majority in congress to pass what
is known as the "Wilson bill" Although
the representatives of the great manu-
featuring districts of the east and south
viewed with complacency the destruc-
ton of the silver mining interest of the
west, apparently unmoved by the suf-
fering of the wives and children of
thousands of miners thrown out of en-
ployment, untouched by silent tunnels,
noiseless mills and deserted cabins, vet
the people of the state of Idaho in this
hour of present and impending disaster,
are moved with profound sorrow by the
daily recitals of the sufferings of the
unemployed in the manufacturing cities
east Of the Mississippi river. Leaving
the responsibility of relieving the dis
tress of those unfortunate people to
those whose methods imposed their pres
ent condition upon them, desire to
direct your attention to the industries
of the young state of Idaho, and briefly
recite to you the probable results to
them of the proposed tariff legislation.
Our principal products, ranking in
importance in the order named, are
Gold, silver, lead, wool, wheat, fruit
fax seed, horses and cattle. Our first
product, gold, will no doubt be increased
in output, for with diminished wages
many placers can be worked that under
the former scale of wages remained IN
touched. Regarding our second resource,
silver, congress has already destroyed
that Industry, giving in its place a pro
mise of the immediate restor alton of
prosperity, which has, however only
been verified by the establishment of
"soup houses" and additional work for
our sheriffs and their deputies. The
Wilson bill, if it becomes a law, will
close all our lead mines until the neces-
stiles of our miners compel them TO &C
cept wages the same or less than the
poems of Mexico are now paid. Before
congress adopts legislation calculated
to degrade Americas workingmen to
this level, wisdom would seem to dictate
that the members should pause and re-
feet as to the consequences liable to
ensue.
Our fourth ndustry-wool-can not
be successfully maintained in competi-
ton with the Australian product. The
manager of the New South Wales exhi-
tion at the Columbian exposition boldly
displayed sign as follows: "We can
raise wool for cents a pound" beneath
which was the pertinent idquiry, "What
can you raise it for2" The management
of the exposition caused this sign to be
removed, stating that cit was politics,
and no politics could be allowed on the
grounds" Idaho can not meet this kind
of competition and maintain the dignity
of the American laborer.
Our fifth industry-wheat growing
although yet in its infancy, has assumed
such proportions and attained such a
degree of success as to challenge the
admiration of all who take an interest
in this important factor in the economy
of the. farm. At the recent horticultural
exhibit at the worlds fair Idaho carried
off first prizes for the best exhibit of
two of the most important products of
the orchard-apples and prunes. BY
the passage of the Wilstn bill this in
dustry will be crippled, if not destroyed.
The culture of faxseed, which ranks
seventh among our industries, can not