The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-07-29
TELLS WHY IT is NEEDED
Expenses Of FIockmasters as Great
Now as in the Past-competi.
ton Same as Of Old.

in favor of high protective tariff up
on all imports OF wool, and has pledg-
ed himself so to vote at all times
when the question may come up in the
senate during his term
EIe clearly and emphatically defined
his position Thursday morning in an
address delivered in the closing hours
of banquet given by the North Mon
tana Woolgrowers' association in hon
or Of Governor Joseph K Toole and
the Honorable George H. Maxwell ex-
ecutive chairman of the National Irri-
cation association.
Called upon by the POSTMASTER, SEN
ator Gibson began by saying that for
half of his lifetime he had been con
nected with the wool business, either
as manufacturer of woolen goods or
as raiser of sheep. He reviewed
briefly the conditions of the sheep in
dustry in northern Montana when he
came to the territory, almost quarter
of century ago; at that time less
than a dozen owners of sheep were
to be found between the Musselshell
and the international boundary. To-
day this territory is the greatest wool
producing section of the new world
and the wool grown in northern Mon,
tana is of the highest quality known
on the continent. The woods of Ohio
may be equal to it, but they are GER
tainly not superior, despite the great
er care taken there in the handling of
sheep.
''The industry has grown until it
has become one of the greatest OF
Mantana," continued the senator, "but
the difficulties that confront the sheep
man are many and great, and the in
dustry in which he is engaged needs
the fostering care of every man who
has the interests of the state in part
intrlsted to his charge.
81 have the honor of being one of
the representatives of Montana in the
senate of the United States. and while
/ hold that position I will so far as
am able, by my vote and by whatever
small influence my position may give
me, stand up forever for the protec-
ton of the wool-growing industry. |
was elected to the United States sen
ate as democrat. am a democrat,
but am in favor of a protective tar
iff upon wools.
"The tariff question of today is not
the tariff question of 40. 30 or 20
years ago. The declaration of Gen
eral Hancock that the tariff is local
issue was true, and that declaration
will parpetuate his name. Through
out the land, in every community. will
be found men who believe in free
trade generally and in protection for
certain articles. Local interests de-
termine their views upon this tariff
question. I, as a representative of
Montana, with her best interests
at heart, could not stand UP in my
seat in the senate and vote against
protection for the wool industry of
my state.
's1t may be true that 40, 80 or 20
years ago the infant industries of the
land were in need of the protection
that was afforded to them by the tariff
but no man can make me believe that
such giants as the United States Steel
corporation now need protection.
do not believe that Mr.. Carnegie him
self would so contend. The manu-
facturers of this country, having at
their command the cheapest deposits
of iron ores in the world. being able
to employ the best labor in the world
have successfully won for their pro-
ducts the markets of the world, in
which they can compete without any
assistance by law, and I honestly be-
lieve that the interests, of the masses
would be greatly subserved if the tar
if should be removed from iron and
steel products.
"The advances and improving con-
ditions have brought about vast
change in the manufacturing indus
tries of the land in recent years, but
the woolgrowing industry needs pro-
lection today because it stands just
where it stood 80 years ago. The
wagesNof men employed by the flock
masters Of Montana today are no less
than those paid in the great wool.