The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-22
WILL TURN REPUBLICAN.
SENATOR SHOUP THINKS IDAHO
WILL BE so THIS YEAR.
Farmers and Miners Receive Better
Prices Under Republican Admin
istration-Beneft of Protection
to WOOl-Big Bank Deposits.

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer.
! WASHINGTON. May 21.-"Idaho will, L
! hope, reverse it's electoral vote for presi
| dent this year" said United States Sem
! ator George l.. ShOup, of that state to-
1 day
Instead of being counted. as in 1896.
! In the Fusion column, | hope that | shall
/ find Idaho recorded in the electoral col
lege for the reelection of President Nc
/ Kinley.
There is every reason" continued the
/ Senator. why Idaho should go Repub-
lican Our state has never known such
prosperity as IL has experienced during
the present administration. The good
times have been felt both by the miners
and the farmers. Protection to American
industries has given the American market
to American manufacturers, with the re-
suit that there has been an increased de-
mand for lead. zinc and copper all of
which are products of Idaho. Not only
has the demand been greater for these
minerals, but the prices have been very
much more satisfactory.
Lead forms very interesting object
lesson in Idaho. Under the Republican
administration of President Harrison the
price paid for lead in our state, ranged
from $40 to 1870. In the same month in
1893. lead sold at $3.50 In 1894 it was
down to $500. and in 1895 it touched as
low as $3.50. With such an experience
as tnat cannot understand why IL is
that our state went for Bryan in 1896
President Mckinley assumed office in
March, 1897 Two months later the price
for lead In Idaho was $3.1aa. In 1883 it
was So. so, last year the value of lead had
increased to Si10 and this year it has
touched si70. exceeding even the good
prices under President Harrison. This
comparison affords an object lesson, and
there should not be a single mine owner
or miner in the State of Idaho recording
his vote next November for anybody ex-
cept President Mckinley and the other
Republican candidates.
Stock growers in our state" continued
Senator Shoup, ALSO realize the benefit
derived from protection. When Ameri-
can wool was protected by the Mckinley
tariff, sheep in our state were worth
from s.. % up to $3.50 per head. just as
soon as the Democrats began to tinker
with the tariff and prepare to pass the
Wilson bill. down went the price of sheep
until they were worth only $1.41 each in
1895, and sl27 in 1896, just one-half their
value in 1893
Sharp Increase in Value.
Let us turn that picture to the wall
and have another look at the protective
tariff view. In 1897 sheep in Idaho were
worth IS cents n head more than in 1896.
In 1898 they were worth 80 cents head
more than In 1896. In 1899 they were
worth $l.Ss more than in 1896, and this
year. accor ing to the department of
agriculture figures, the average
price of each sheep In Idaho was
$3.50 on January l, as compared with
$l27 in 1896. The increase in their value
within that period has been 100 per cent.
and they are now worth more per head
by 80 cents than they were on the first
day of January 1898. before President
Cleveland assumed office.
There is another strong contrast that
I can make about our sheep values" said
the Senator at is this: In 1892 there
were 527.Oo0 sheep in Idaho and they were
worth 81, 265, 900. In 1896 there were over
q million sheep in Idaho twice as many
as in 1892, and their value was only
$40 more.
Now. for one more comparison: In
1897, Just before this administration came
into power, there were l,3760OO sheep In
Idaho and their value was s2,3462S3. At
the beginning of this year there were just
twice as many sheep in the state, and
their value had increased up to S,4i5,oU,
showing a gain of more than 200 per cent.
In value, while the increase IN quantity
was only 100 per cent.
can you imagine that any stock
grower in any part of the country, would
be indiscreet enough to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket with such facts as these
staring him in the face? Take the price
of our wool, it sold at 13 cents per pound
in Idaho in 1891 and 1892. In the Cleveland
years 1t sold anywhere from to 6la
cents Under this administration we
have of course got back to l3-cent wool
again The amount of money paid TO
farmers in Idaho for their wool this year
will exceed s2,SO0000, an increase of 400
per cent Every sheep in Idaho, from
yearings up. could be marketed today at
Sc Is per head. Wool is being sold at Is
cents to IS cents per pound. Cattle have
advanced $40 per head, and horses are
worth IS TO $40 per head more than a
year ago. think Idaho will go Repub-