Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1908-09-25

alton for their wild schemes of the di-
vision of the wealth of the country. Ne
I one even intimated that there was lack
OF prosperity in the country. That set
ties the question as to whether or not
the panic was threatened before the cleo
ton. The produce of the farms was at
high tide. The value of the products of
the farms, mines, field and forests was
hlgher than they had been at any time in
the history of the country.
realize that am here at Caldwell in
the great valley of the Snake river. and
have talked from the standpoint of
the environment. In 1892 in this city
saw warehouses bulging with the wool
that could be produced in this valley
and IN this town commanding a price
against which no one raised voice of
complaint. In a few short months the
querry was on every mind, on every
tongue, on every morning of every day
What has happened during the
nightf What banks had failed? What
individuals had gone into bankruptcy
How far had prices depressed since yes
terday? And the great army of unem-
ployed was marching up and down this
country from end to end and asking
not arms-no-labor, employment.
a GREAT ARMY OF UNEMPLOYED.
Over on the banks of the Snake river
was a stockade, into which were taken
and protected hundreds of these wander
ers that had started out in search of the
promises of democracy. Hundreds of
thousands of them marched in idleness,
seeking for labor, seeking for an op-
portunity to earn something for the fam
lilies they had left behind them because
they could not maintain thew where they
were. | saw the price of wool 90 from
IA cents to 16 cents pound to cents in
this very town.
When | spoke to you in this hall, or a
part OF it, in the year 1896, the wool on
your platforms and in your warehouses
was not worth cents a pound, and the
reason 1t was there was that there was
no market for it, and the reason there
was no market for it as the that there
was no money to buy it with, and the
reason there was no money to but it with
was that there was no confidence in the
ability of the democratic party to main
tam and execute the purposes of this
That was the reason.
What was true of your wool was true
Of your sheep; what was true of your
sheep was true of your cattle; it was
true of your lead in the mines and the
lumber IN your forests saw lead go
down in the northern portion of this
state from AZ to 21z cents WHY. Be-
,ause of the removal of the duty on lead,
'r rather modification of it to a point
which afforded no protection.
The raoe1r, .-o,,- -,---,t
hat there was no market for it and no
money to pay for it because it was placed
N the free list The duty and the pro-
eetive tariff policy of the republican
arty was withdrawn from the wool and
he sheep that wore the wool and the
orses that drew your wool bales to the
abroad The wool of foreign countries
vas admitted without duty. Lead was
iven so slight a duty as to afford no
rejection. Lumber was practically on
lie free list Your saw mills were idle;
our mines were idle, and your hocks
Iere disappearing from these hills and
lese valleys. You were poor-poorer
IAN you had ever been beforehand
oorer than | ever hope or expect to see
Oh again, because | do not believe the
eople are going to be misguided and
d away from their interests again by
lie return or participation in the return
the democratic party to power.
FREE TRADE STILL MEANS LOWER WAGES.
This is the great question. 1t will
,ntinue to be such The democratic
lrty stands for free trade; stands for
abolition of that principle of protec-
)n which stands between you and COM
tition with foreign countries and cheap
Dor The only way you can compete
it'll them is to lower your wages and
ur scale OF living; withdraw from
ur children the benefits which come
ON good wage for a days labor
rat is ALL and we are not ready to do
The American people will never con-
1t to lower the standard of civiliza-
n; to Withdraw the principle of gov
lment which gives them their schools;
lich clothes children in responsibility
1t attend those schools; which gives
Il fair prices for your labor and the
)ducts of your labor.
The tariff under which we are now
oying prosperity that marks this era
a Republican tariff, enacted by a Re
olican congress and signed BY a Re
olcan president 1t will remain with
1 and protect you just so long as the
publican party is in power. But in the
II that the Republican party sleeps,
democracy take from you these laws
the benefits which flow from them.
ey will do it because they say they
l. and we know, judging them by the
t. that they will, unless you stand
I'D over the prosperity of this day BY
lding by the Republican party. These
ditions that now exist; this prosper
that you now enjoy, will pass from
!.
'hese are great questions that reach
every individual in the land; to the
'loyer and the employee: to the pro-
Ter and the consumer. Their interests
mutual because they all constitute
part Of the American people This