The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-12-31

to accomplish in the writing of that
first letter. Our answer, made now in
the light of experience and free from
partizanshtp and the passion of an APP
preaching election, is clear and unmis-
taxable.
The purpose of the relief we asked
In that letter was to avoid that which
We therein stated would come to pass.
VIZ; that women should sit helpless in
cold, dismal little rooms and their chill
dren face starvation.
We stand upon this appeal and feel
that lin the presence OF a nation with
humanitarian Instincts we stand upon
solid ground.
Industries Paraiyzed.u
Let all who win sheer at the sug-
gestion that the business men Of this
counNy do feel for the woe and suf-
fering of their employees. Neverthe-
less, the broad. clear fact stands out
that In our former letter the business
mems association OF Montgomery coun-
ty based their appeal on humanitarian
grounds. We called for help to avoid
that which has now happened and we
called for 1t from Washington because
1t was only from Washington that this
help could come. Only at Washington
and only under your direction can the
tariff which now paralyzes the indus
tries of this country be so amended
as to give them that protection which
Win lift this depression. Read our
former letter. please, and refresh your
mind as to what our appeal was.
1T is upon that appeal that we still
stand
ut will not meet the situation to
answer us by saying that the war has
interfered with importation and. there
Tore, we do not suffer from foreign
competition In the first place, impor-
tations have not ceased. That fallacy
might as well be exploded here as to
be reserved for further discussion.
Destructive importations have not ceas-
ed. In the second place, the war has
placed some business at our disposal
and to this extent helped us, but de-
spite this fact so great has been the
blow against our industries by the pres
ent tariff law that when even with
the help of such war orders as have
reached us our Industries as a whole
lie crippled or idle.
Must Not DODGE.
I'VE place this question squarely be-
fore you: Why do you not make your
theories successfully work or give us
those that viii? The business world
Is asking just that question and we
now bring 1t to you direct. You must
accept the responsibility for the con-
ditions which we now face. Had your
theories, which have been enacted into
laws by a docile congress, brought
forth peace and plenty in the land you
would have accepted the universal
gladness as a part Of your reward, and
the business men of this country would
have given you ungrudging praise.
Since, then, these theories have
brought depression upon the industries
of our land and idleness for vast hosts
of the working class upon whom shall
we place the responsibility for that re-
suit? 1t must come to you. 1t rightly
belongs there. From that responsible
fty you can not escape and somebody
ought to be brave and patriotic enough
to squarely say so.
I'VE assure you that we write this
letter from no critical attitude and
that 1t is presented in a spirit that is
free from all political passion. Unfor-
tunately. our last letter came to you
In the midst of heated political cam
paign, and for that reason you may
have gained the impression, as others
did, that 1T was written for political
purposes. No such suspicion can at
tach to this communication. The eiec-
ton Is over We are not in the midst
of a campaign or even approaching
one. There can be no questioning the
fact now that we write to you as dis
tressed and shackled business men, as
disheartened employers of labor.
HUMILIATION In Remedy.
1--WE have no desire to lay before you
disastrous conditions for which there is
no remedy and thus to merely annoy
you. We lay these conditions before
You for the very good and solid reason
that you can correct them. We dare
believe that in the presence of the want
and hunger that now stalks abroad In
this land patriotism demands a remedy,
even though the cost OF that remedy
may involve such humiliation as goes
with confession of experimental fail
ures. What If this shall be the price
to be paid for the prosperity of the ma
ton? Shan the servants of the people
hesitate to pay it? Indeed, your petit
TONERS hold that In paying that price
the altar Of such a sacrifice will glow
with true patriotism and finish with
great craftsmanship. II we demand a
sacrifice We offer an opportunity. If
We cali for a confession of failure we
present. through that confession, the
way to honorable and enduring success.
ut may be that this letter will no
more move our president than did our
former letter. We trust 1t win. II,
however. his ears are closed to our APP
peal; IL the wasted energies OF our in
dustriai leaders. the Idle hands of
vast multitude Of willing workers and
even the cry of hunger are OF no avail.
then we at least may be held blameiess.
We have asked for bread. If stone is
the peoples portion the bitterness will
surely be intensified when they reflect
that they might have had bread. But
we will hope that this second appeal
will not be in vain. for we have now
laid before you concrete evidence that
the cry OF hunger Is In the land. With
that cry ringing in the ears Of our
president and the congress about him