Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-10-24
ISSUES OF THE CAMPAIGN.
The Democracy Stands Today for free
Trade, the Same as light Years Ago.

tOotLo w fbI NNWt WIZ"
The Democracy Stands Today for free
Trade, the Same as Eight Years Ago.
EDITOR ARGUs.-with your permits
sion | would like TO have afew words
with the laboring men OF Fergus
county, especially the s~heepherders,
being prompted To do so by remark
made a few days ago by sheepbuyer
that hall the herders would vote
the Democratic ticket this year on
account OF their hatred ofcapital and
n sort of jealousy because their en-
ployers are prosperous.
That this Ii so In many cases is
true, but not to the extent the gentle
man thought. That it should be
true in ally caseis a pity and mistake.
l don't believe 1t Is an exaggerat!on
to say that three-fourths of the bust
ness men OF this county were labor
ing men and worked their way up
from the lowest round OF the ladder.
The majority Of sheep owners have
been sheepherders, and why their
interests and those Of their employees
should be different | cannot under
stand. The working man-if he is
ambitious-expects to be in business
some day for himself. and conse-
quently the better pay he gets the
sooner he can realize that ambition.
1t Is not to his interest tn see wages
go down. And the otherclass-those
who spend as they earn; work a
while and then play n while-cer-
tainly don't want TO make their play
spells shorter and their working
hours longer, as would very likely be
the result Of Il change OF administra-
ton. | do not mean this as n threat
far from it. II we cannot appeal
to reason, then words are useless.
But this is truth that no one will
deny: A man cannot long continue
in a losing business, and while no
party can compel high wages, party
policies al and do SO influence bust
ness that high wages are possible.
and the laborer can be depended upon
to see to 1t that he gets them.
A certain Democratic candidate is
saying a great deal about the low
price OF wool this season and trying
to make itappear that our tariff pol
icy is a failure. Before me are the
returns OF sales OF a n vi wool sold
in free trade times which netted less
than ) cents. Between that and l5%
there is quite a margin. In the one
case $50 labor did not yield a profit
to Inc and in the other $40 labor has.
The man who has saved and laid
by money will not invest and take
chances on losing it unless he has
reasonable hopes oi making a profit,
and that party is best that legislates
to make business conditions favora-
BILE. No party can do more.
Probably someone's saying, THAT
is all settled. We don't want any
free trade, of course" OF such | will
ask II it is not just as much a part Of
Democratic policy as free silver.
When you vote for one you vote for
both.
Aud, just N passing, let Us ask what
has become ofthe paramount issue
of four years ago. 1t was hen the
one issue every where discussed. Tn
less free coinage at the ra'io Of IL to
/ was established we would soon be
mere slaves toiling to support the
gold bugs OF New York and London.
wages, then low, would go lower;
wheat could never raise 81 long as
silver was demonetized, etc. How
strange such campaigning would
sound now, Such a calamity bowler
would be laughed OFF the stage. Facts
are strong arguments and endure
when the mists and fogs OF theories
have vanished.
But someone is saying the trusts
are the principal issue and that IL
Bryan was prt sidenthe would knock
them out. Maybe so: but there Is n
chance for him to show his hand right
now. The manager Of his campaign,
Chairman Jones, 1t seems, Is a stock
holder In a"business cOncel mot n
trust, oh, no: but q monopoly just
the same. Why doesn't he invite him
to- resign and choose n man not con-
nected with the octopus" Consist
tency, where art thou?
One more issue IL prominently be.
fore the people-eXpansion-and un'
less we accept the word Of the TagaI
chief as against the unanimous voice