The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-21
A LAME EXCUSE.


is paving the way for a lot of troubl,
for the senator and itself as we'll
Both are situated in the center of {
rich and large woolgrowing belt ant
consequently favor the present tariff
no wool, realizing the benefits tina
have come to that industry because O.
the imposition of heavy duties on the
imported article, democrats though
they be. Furthermore, the senator
at least has SO expressed himself, they
would do nothing to cause a change in
the wool tariff, butfor all of that they
cannot overlook an opportunity to say
something real mean taBd cutting OF
the '1obber tariff as applied 10 9th.
er articles.
Just now the Tribune is engaged in
trying to make its readers believe
that were it nct lor the iniqGities of
the Dirsley bill the extension of the
Burlington flom this city to Great
Falls would long ago have become
an equality instead of q mere posi-
bility as yet contained only in the
womb CT the future. This it claims
tC be so because CT the exceedingly
high prices demanded for rails by the
manufacturers and holds the tariff re.
sponsible for that condition, forget
full that there have been times when
steel rails sold in the country for less
than the tariff on the imported ones.
The unprecedented demand fer rails
is the prime and about the only real
cause for the existing high prices.
The prohibitory prices of which the
Tribune complains are enc of the in
evitable results Of the law CT supply
and demand. The outrageous tariff
which it persistertly ard mistakenly
at every possible opportun-
ity, it is true is indil ectly the cause
of the high prices the railroads are
compelled to pay for rails, in that it
has improved business in all branches
to such an extent that there is a con
slant and growing demand for rail
road transportation, necessitating the
construction of new lines, the extern
sion of old ones and the reconstruc-
ton and undermining of those already
built and in operation. Were it not
for this same tariff there would not
be the demand for better facilities for
carrying the large amounts of wool
annually shipped from Great Falls,
for there would be no wool to ship
and there would be no call for the
road it says could not be built be-
cause of the tariff. The same condi-
ton obtains in all other branches of
trade and industry. To be consistent
the Tribune should assail the tariff as
it applies to wool and demand it's re-
moval or at least reduction because it
makes clothing dearer for ome peo-
pie than it might be were there no
duty on the raw article.
Insofar as the Dingley tariff affects
the general development of the coun-
it believes that it has made a point
against the tariff by giving it's opera
tions as the real cause that prompted
reconsideration of the intention on
the part Of the Burlington to build the
projected road. There is too much
testimony available on every hand
to show that instead of having been
detrimental to the general develop
ment of the country, the Dingley tariff
has been instrumental in furthering
that development as nothing else
could have done, and it is still adding
to that development.
The Tribune should be either a free
trader or a protectionist and not at
tempt to be both in spots. Having
received ample demonstration of the
beneficent. effects of the tariff as ap-
piled to n of the principal industries
at it's very doors, it should not permit
its narrowmindness and prejudice to
denounce it as it affects other indus
tries elsewhere. Such a course is in
dicative of selfishness not to be sus-
pected as having harbor in the mind
of any loyal and patriotic American
citizen. If it is right and proper to
portect the woolsrCwers of Cascade
county it should be equally right to
protect the producers of ether goods
and wares.
While his statement that he wanted
to kill LeOpOld as much for the in