Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-03-09
RAISING A DEAD ISSUE.

In the absence of any other issue
and taking the cue from Grover
Cleveland our Democratic contempt
rary evidently desires to take up the
tariff question as an issue. OF course,
all Republicans will welcome it. There
will be no occasion for argument. II
will only be necessary to refer to the
administration of the stuffed proph.
ct" and its effects upon the woolgrow-
ers and other industries in Montana
and all over the nation. In fact it
will hardly be necessary to recall the
period from 1893 to 1897. The man
who has not got the experience Sc
curely riveted in his memory must
have had a marvellous escape. indeed.
II he wants any more of Cleveland
and free trade ii will be because ne
has his Y open for a federal job and
does not expect to engage in bust.
ness.
Because a local w%oolgrower recent.
ly received a fraction over thirteen
cents a pound for his wool in the
Boston market our contemporary
takes it as a text 10 prove that the
tariff OF IL cents a pound on wool
Is of no benefit to woolgrowers.
But what about this particular clip
of wool? Does our contemporary
know anything about it? Would he
use the knowledge in explanation il
he did know? We have it from very
good authority that this was a 1902
clip OF wool of an inferior quality.
The owner not receiving a satisfac-
tory bid at the Falls the wool a
consigned and owing to its poor quail
ity has but just recently been dispos.
ed of. Under Grover Cleveland's free
wool policy this wool would not have
brought owe cents a pound.
The average price of wool in Mon.
tana last year was Is $40 cents Der
pound. While exceptional clips
reached l6 and IL cents. Woolgrow.
ers generally were pretty well salts.
Ned with the price, though some have
reason to believe that they did not
get all that their wool was worth.
while the mutton market was a dis.
appointment. But this has nothing to
do with the policy of protection and
they have no quarrel or fault to find
with 1t. What would they have receiy.
ed without this tariff of IL cents a
pounl on a similar grade of wool that
would have come into direct compeli
ton with theirs in the Boston market!
There are plenty OF woolgrowers in
Fergus county who know by bitter ex.
perience about what the price would
have been. Some of the best clips
ever raised in Fergus county went fol
eight cents during Cleveland's admin
istration.
The policy of protection is one Of
widespread benefits to all Americans
Upon it all of our industries and pros
perity are in a great measure depend
ent. The success of one large indus
try aided by protection means the
success of many others. This is moi
only felt locally but nationally. II
has been demonstrated. II would
seem, to the satisfaction of the Ameri
can people.
The tariff on wool is for the pur
pose of keeping out OF the American
markets wool that is grown on cheaI
lands by cheap help and shipped here
at cheap rates from Australia, Soutl
America, South Africa, and othel
countries. Remove the tariff and tn,
Boston market. as well as other east
ern markets would be flooded will
this cheap wool, produced at a cos
that would mean ruin to American
w%oolgrowers. There is probably SOM
OF Cleyeland's free wool vet in store
In Boston warehouses.
But the tariff is only an aid. |