, 1906-09-18
THE B TARIFF"

There appears to be only one thing
upon which the republicans and demo
Gratis of Wyoming divide, and that is
what democratic leaders denominate as
the robber tariff" They make specific
complaint that this particular policy
of the republican party is detrimental
10 the interests Of the people of this
state, but wherein 1t is an injury they
do not say. OF N thing the people
are well assured, and that is the fact
that the tariff on hides and wool has
brought millions Of dollars to Wyo.
ming stockmen. Even Congressman
Coneen admitted that the tariff upon
wool was beneficial to our fockmasters,
although he did not have the courage
to vote against the Wilson bill as a
whole.
For more than twenty years rapid
changes have been taking place in the
political complexion of this state. The
sheep business has been growing and
more men have from time to time en-.
gagged in it, A study of the situation
has always changed the minds of SEN
sible democrats and a year or two Of
the sheep business has invariably
aligned them with the republican par
ty. 1t has been easy for them to see
how they were directly injured by free
trade. 1t did not take anything but a
nrnptIcal lanAngtrotia, d. o-u-.
them. When a man gets a good price
for an article for many years and then
has the price knocked down by free
trade, it is easy for him to see what
hit him. And then when the price is
restored by n return to a protective
tariff he can certainly see what bene-
flied him. That is what happened to
the wool men of Wyoming and the
United States, and the democratic
leaders can rest assured that their so
phistry and %specious arguments will
avail them naught SO far as fiockmas-
ters are concerned. No man can
be expected TO vote away all his pro-
hts. OF course DIR. John Il. Osborne
continues to pretend that he believes
in free trade and that free wool would
be a godsend, but 1t is for political
purposes only. In his heart he knows
that free wool means lower prices for
that article and a wiping out of the
sheepmen's profits. He knows that the
fortune he possesses was made through
the operation Of a protective tariff and
that that fortune was not at the ex
pense of the people Of Wyoming, but
a blessing to them, for the reason that
it was being piled up many men
We're deriving a good living through
the salaries he was paying them. The
number of his employees was not only
greater, but he was able to pay each
individual more money by a consid.
cradle amount. Governor Osborne is
indebted to the "robber tariff" for the
greater part of his fortune.
The sheep men of Wyoming are not
the only ones who have benefited b,
the protective tariff policy of the repub-
lican party. Cattlemen have derived
considerable benefit therefrom, not on.
ly from the tariff upon cattle direct,
but from the tariff upon hides. 1t would
please the manufacturers of New Eng
land very much to have free hides, but
Wyoming stockmen cannot afford to
give up this important source of reye,
nue.. Under the Wilson bill hides were
not worth shipping to market, but at
the present time they are bringing a
good round sum.
II is also a matter of great import.
ance to our coal industry and our iron
industry that the "robber tariff"
should be retained. Both these indus.
tries are developing rapidly and in a
very few years Wyoming may look
for great steel plants, employing
thousands of men. To place iron anu
steel on the free list would be to de-
stroy the iron business of the west and
seriously cripple the industry through.
out the entire nation. In the niaetles,
in the latter days of Grover, the PEG,
pie had quite sufficient experience with
closed iron mills and smokeless steel
works.
1t is just barely possible that an &C,
casional sewing machine and possibly
a few hayrakes are sold in Canada and
in South America for less money than
they are sold for in Wyoming, but wha.
difference does that make? Every
Wyoming industry receives a benefit
from the protective tariff and every
Wyoming citizen who knows upon
which side his bread is butterod will
stand for the policy.
The trouble with the democrats is
that they would like to get hold of
the bat. If they could hit the ball it
would not matter, but they always
strike out
CnribhIar @f-1,-- ls-z.ts "a -.