The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-06-05
Mantle of Montana Presents the
Wool Growers Side to the
Senate.
Manufacturers Always Organized
When a Change Is to Be
Made,
But the Producers Are Scattered.
Effect of Cheap Raw Material
on Labor.

WASHINGTON, June 5.-The senate
met at II q. m, with a view to expe-
diting the tariff bills. Two speeches
were announced for the day, one by Mr..
Mantle (Silver Rep, Mon.) on the wool
schedule Of the tariff bill, and another
by Mr.. Butler Pop, N. c. on his joint
resolution to amend the constitution so
as to give congress the power to impose
income taxes. Mr.. Mantle was recog-
nized at the opening OF the session and
spoke for two hours.
Have Had No Hearing.
He said that there had been no oppor-
tunity for the wool growers side of the
contention in the other branch of con-
gress for the reason that, owing to the
brief time allowed for debate, the wool
schedule had never been reached in that
body. He presented fully, and support
ed with numerous tables and statistics,
the wool growers interests III the con-
troversy, and showed the enormous
losses sustained by the wool growers i'll
the depreciation in value Of sheep and
wool during the past six years. He de-
clared that by reason Of the enormous
importations in anticipation of the
enactment of the tariff law, the wool
grower would not receive much benefit
from protective tariff for four years to
come.
Manufacturers Always on Hand.
He asserted that whenever a tariff
law is to be enacted, the powerful man
ufacturing interests of the country with
their compact and effective organs are
always on the ground aEd in the COM
| mittee rooms, pressing their claims and
| pushing their interests, while the farm
ers and wool growers and producers Of
raw materials generally are an isolated
and scattered class, from the nature of
their vocations, and were thus lacking
| in effective organization, hence in the
| past their interests had been neglected,
and they had not received their just
| share of protection.
Effect of Cheap Wool on Labor.
Referring to the large importation of
| cheap Chinese and other wool produced
| by like cheap labor and which comes
into compe tition with American-grown
woods at rates of duty which Mr.. Man
tie said afford no protection whatever,
he inquired if this policy was not quite
as hurtful to the American wool grower
as Chinese cheap labor to the industrial
wage earners of the country. In this
| connection Mr.. Mantle continued:
To my mind the importations of
cheap goods produced by i'll paid and de-
graded labor which come into competi-
ton with like products of our own coun-
try without the payment of adequate
protective rates are, if possible, more
harmful than the importation of the
cheap laborer himself. If the laborer
comes he must at least help to consume
the surplus products of our farms and
factories. Not only this, but he be.
comes amenable to our laws. If he ac-
quires property, he must pay taxes upon
it and thus contribute to the support of
our government. If he engages in busi
ness among us he must pay for the priv.
legc of doing 50 and under these condi-
tons there is at least some slight hope
that by contact with an enlightened
and progressive people, living in an
atmosphere of liberty and enjoying the
blessings of a free government, he may
possibly gather inspiration from his
surroundings and III time become use
full citizen. But when this cheap labor
comes III the form of box of merchan.
disc or a bale of wool without payment
of an adequate protective duty, it mon.
opolizes our market, Injuries our produc,
ers, degrades our labor and takes
employment from our own citizens
without any just compensatory advan-
| tage.
Mr.. Mantle declared that no protec.
tive tariff can ever again endure in this
nation which does not fully guard the
| interests of the great mass of producers
of what are known as raw materials
and among these he declared the pro-
lection of wool is the most important.
1t is the keystone to the great arch of
protection, and unless it be well guarded
and preserved the whole structure my-st
fall to the ground.