Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-06-08
ROACH ON RECORD.
Senator Roach, In a Letter, Goes on
Record as an Advocate of
Free Wool.
Says Protection on Wool Is a Hum
bug and Has Done no Good
.m Whatever.
Tries to Switch the Question From
the Main Issue to the Money
Sidetrack.

Sidetrack.
EDITOR TRIBUNE: Some time ago
read a communication in your paper
signed by J. H. w, Williamsport, N. D
From the locality and initials, I judg'
this was written by the able and clio
quent Senator Worst, whom I am glat
to number among my friends. Thil
article is headed "Protection or Patron
age, Which," The argument of tn.
writer is for a tariff on wool, and ht
closes by asking a question: "W1ll Sen
ator Roach vote for free wool?" I think
my friend, Senator Worst, has beer
hardly fair in his statement of the first
proposition. He starts out by saying:
ut is to be hoped that Senator Roach
may be able to see his way clear to vote
against free wool; doubtless he is master
of two great situations. First, by voting
for free wool, he will please President
Cleveland, and as a reward will be able
to secure government appointments for a
small number of his friends. Second,
by voting against free wool, he will sab.
serve the second greatest industrial pos
sibllity of the state" Now If the elo-
quent Senator knows anything about my
position, and my action on public ques-
tions since I came here, he must be
aware that from the start I have had to &C.
cupy the side of antagonism and oppo-
sition to President Cleveland. I do not
think he can accuse me of being actuated
in any vote I have cast, by a desire to
please the president. It is and has been a
source of regret that my views on public
questions have led me to differ at times,
with what was understood to be the
views of the administration, but it made
no difference in my vote, which has
been controlled solely by my own con-
v~ictions of what was right. Hence I do
not submit to the imputation intimated
in the above quoted remarks of my
friend, and I do not think that I have
deserved such q statement from him.
Besides, from my intercourse with the
president, and what I know of him, I
can t%ruthfully assert his actions are not
affected in distributing patronage and
making appointments, by the votes of
any senator. Ithave not been controlled
by the question of patronage and ap.
pointments, in any vote that I have here
tofore cast, and certainly shall not be in
voting for the tariff bill.
AS to the arguments my friend Worst
uses against free wool, I have not the
time to go into the question now. I may
be heard on the subject when that Sec
ton of the bill is reached in the discus
sion. Some Of my friends statements
sound strange, to say the least, in the
light of recent history. He says: "By
voting against free wool he ri will sub
serve the second greatest industrial pos
sibility IN the state" Now I respect
fully submit that assertion is not borne
out by the facts. That the sheep indus
try may be the second industrial posi-
bility of u state is true, but that voting
against free wool is to subserve it, I
deny, for with protected wool, it has not
been possible to subserve the industry in
our state, or any other, for years past.
The price of wool has been steadily de.
clining and there has been no such thing
as free wool, and since the passage OF
the Mckinley act, when wool was gener.
ously protected, the price of wool not
only did not advance, but fell off. What
grounds are there then for the assertion
that free wool will destroy and wipe Out
this one of our resources. Again he says
ut has been demonstrated that NORTH
Dakota has immense possibilities for thu
production of wool and mutton at gooc
profit. All that is needed is ADEQUATE
protection and millions of wealth viii
bless the aockmaster of this state,' etc
Now in the name of all that is good anf
great what is meant by adequate protec
ton? If the present rate, in force sine,
1890, is not adequate protection what il
or will be necessary? Certainly, under
the present rate, it has not been demon
strated that either wool or mutton
could be raised at a reasonabl,
profit. No, brother Worst, your pro
lection theory is a humbug. Free
wool is not going to ruin the industry
but will help with free silver. There il
the rub, when you get down to the roo
of the matter. You say, "Wheat is NJ
longer king at present, and prospective
prices it will be a losing occupation
And why? Wheat is protected as higl
or higher in proportion than wool
Brush the cobwebs of protection Of
your brain give your bright and activ
intellect a chance at the monetary cues
tlon-lf you have not already done SC
Contemplate the appreciation of gol,
1--WE are on the single gold standard) an.
the consequent depreciation, the awfu
falling in prices, Of everything we hay
to sell, and realize the true cause of al
our troubles, and the condition to whic]