The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-06-23

country who could not get days
work if they We're willing to take a
plate OF soup as compensation.
Senator Garter reverted to the wages
OF herders on the plains. sheep herd
ers in South Africa receive 1896 a
month while out on the plains in this
country they receive $40 month,
Down in South Africa he receives a
sack of corn and sheep to board
him for month, While out in our
country he must have as good a bill of
1are as they give in the ordinary
Washington hotel or he will not stay
Oh the job
Senator Carter also had tilt with
Senator Bacon of Georgia. Docs the
senator think that in order that the
sheep herders of Montana shall be
furnished board on the scale of Il
Washington hotel the price of wool
shall be raised to consumers?" asked
Bacon, to which Senator Carter re-
wool the sheep herders contributed to
the country We're eliminated more
would be paid for wool. Mr. Bacon
asked for yes or no answer.
THE Georgia senator proposes to
settle great, far reaching economic
question With the answer of yes or
no." responded Senator Carter THAT
is one OF the elementary difficulties
with the senator's school Of political
economy. Each matter is taken in an
isolated state, without any reference to
surrounding conditions and circum-
stances, as the standard of living, civ
lization, education, feeding and
clothing. The maintenance of the
standard embraces certain costs in
every walk of life and endeavor
which do not apply to the relocating
millions of China. Yet if the senator's
theory should be carried into effect,
the cotton of Georgia and South Caro-
lima instead of being manufactured
in that country into merehantabl BILE
shape. would be shipped to China,
where labor determines the element of
cost to the best possible advantage Of
anywhere in the world. Cotton of the
Mississippi valley has been for over 10
are made by labor SO low that it is
appalling to contemplate the reduction
of American workmen to the standard.
If you take down the barriers and
consider these workmen separate from
the civilization and conditions under
which we live, of course. you would,
as q matter of economy. leave the
southern people to raise cotton. dis
mantle the factories in the south and
New England and ship the cotton to
the Orient, where it can be manufac-
tured cheapest"
Bacon was persistent. asking if that
was an answer to his question
whether or not the sheep herder Of
Montana should be furnished WASH
ington hotel board at the expense OF
the people. Senator Carter replied
that the herder is entitled to protec-
ton and good treatment. HE is a
part of the mighty SYSTEM" said the
Montana senator. "He is a part of
the economy Of the country. In order
to maintain Il supplemental food sup
ply to put the country where it can
raise it's own clothing. and thus MAIN
dustrial independence, even at the ex-
pense of paying our sheep herders
more than the South African native
gets, we ought to still keep them en-
ployed.'
Senator Carter asked Bacon if he
would reduce the pay of the sheep
herder to that of the low level of the
African in order to get cheap wool.
Becon replied he would put the Mon
tana herder exactly where the Georgia
cotton laborer is-making his living
hv the sweat of his brow" Carter
hoped "the Montana sheep herder will
never be compelled to work for the
wages paid the Georgia cotton field
hand. I wish his wages could be bet
ter, but the cotton production is the
greatest monopoly of all crops, and l
am glad we have it in the United
States
"Monopoly." exclaimed Senator Ba-
con. "The senator does not weigh his
Words"
Senator Carter said although Owen
declined to yield further to this in
terestng colloduy" that the area
within which cotton can be grown is
SO circumscrbcd on the globe that the
is natural one.
Senator Carter brought out the in
terestng fact that the price of wool
was from IS to 20 cents a pound last
year. and is now about "a cents, as
compared to 6 and s cents in 1867.