Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-08-15
LEWISTOWN, MONT, Aug. Is, 1905
VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS.

The Republicans of the Old Domin-
ion held their state convention at
Roanoke, on the Sth inst. the attend
ance being very large. Leslie NJ.
Shaw, secretary of the treasury, was
present on invitation, and addressed
the convention. After complimenting
the grand old state as being rich in
resources, rich in history, rich in
blood and at one time richest Of
all the states in craftsmanship Mr..
Shaw invited the people to cast aside
factional devotion to traditions and
to take their place among leaders Of
thought and leaders of action
Speaking in behalf Of the great
party, of which he is one of the rec
ognized leaders, Of its policies and
aims, Mr.. Shaw went on to say:
"The spirit Of the last half century
was Republican. 1t was progressive.
The spirit of the goth century will
be Republican. 1t will be progressive.
Judging the future by the past, there
is no reason to doubt that the commune
ties most in harmony with the spirit
of the century will gather most from
the rich harvests of progress. | come
to preach the gospel of American pro-
gress, and to teach these principles
and policies which have made us what
We are and which will carry us to
yet higher planes and to grander
achievements whenever, under God
the brain of the south and the brain
of the north. the brain of the east
and the brain of the west shall be al
lied for affirmative action and when
no portion of our common country
shall be longer held welded to neg.
alive traditions which tend only to
retard.
"And now, my friends, what are
those principles that divide parties
The parties separate primarily on
questions of political economy. Ev
cry industrious citizen is both a pro
Queer and consumer. The
dominant party appeals to the produc
er. 1t tells him that the question Of
greatest Importance to him is the
price at which he .1isposes of his pro
ducts. whether those products be la
Dor or the results of labor. The op
position party promises the American
consumer the best market in the
world in which to buy The Republi
can party promises the producer the
best market in the world in which tC
sell.
Gentlemen. We cannot have both
Our political opponents may promise
high priced labor and cheap products
high priced wheat and cheap bread
high priced cattle and cheap meat, bu
they make these promises without pos
sibility of fulfillment.
whenever they have put their pol
icieS in operation we have had thu
cheap products of labor, for the pro
ducts of cheap foreign labor hav,
found our markets in snperabundance
But cheap products of labor meal
cheap labor. Cheap factory produC
carries as a cOncomitant curse lOH
wages for the artisan, and low wage
for the artisan means curtailed cor
sumption of farm products. Curtai
ed consumption of farm products RI
suits in a reduction in the price there
Of while reduction in price mean
loss to the producer of furniture, c
clothes, of carpets, of farm machiner.
of building materials and every othe
article of rural consumption. All thi
is but another name for staenatio
and panic which has marked ever
experiment with tariff for revenue OF
ly from the beginning of our histor
until now.
'The disastrous results of free trad
have not followed each and every e,
pertinent with free trade because the
were desired by the men who adv'
Gated the measures that produce
them. but because the measures wer
unwise, however learned, however p;
triotic and however honest the me
who enacted them Is y A few year
ago some diamond merchants in Ne
York suggested that if uncut diamond
were put on the free list and tn
duty retained on cut diamonds, the
would employ diamond cutters to CT
them in this country. Uncut diamond
were therefore placed on the free II!
and ten per cent ad valorem duty We
placed on cut diamonds unset and
per cent placed on set stones. VIII
is the result? There are now 200
diamond cutters in this country &c
ting big wages (for il is a delica
thing to cut diamonds) and they cal
in the aggregate several million dc
lars. What becomes of this? It is a
spent-most of it wisely.
1--WE are a co-dependent peopl
When prosperity blesses our shor'
the laborer and the employer OF
Dor, the farmer and the consumer
farm products, the merchant and Il
banker all prosper"
THE PEACE CONFERENCE
ioh c