Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-08-11
THEN AND NOW.


In order that our@readers may form an
iaea of the different conditions of the coun-
try under modern Democratic, and Republ-
can rule We call their attention to the follow
ing striking contrast AT the close of Bu-
chanan' administration the democratic par
ty had been in power eight years in success
sion, and the condition of the country then
is thus graphically described bythat eminent
political economist Henry G. Carey Esq, of
Philadelphia. "Had it been possible, on
the 4th Of March. 1861, to takea bird EYE
view of the whole Union, the phenomena
presenting themselves for examination
would have been as follows -
Millions of men and women would have
been seen who were wholly or partially un-
employed, because of inability to find pei
sons able and willing to pay for service.
Hundreds of thousands of workmen,
farmers and shopkeepers would have been
seen holding articles of various kinds for
which no purchasers could be found
Tens of thousands of country traders
would have been seen poring over their
books seeking, but vainly seeking, to dis
cover in what direction they might look for
obtaining the means with which to discharge
their city debts.
Thousands of city traders would have
been seen endeayorng to discover how they
might obtain the means with which to pay
their notes.
Thousands of mills, factories, furnaces
and workshops large and small, would have
been seen standing idle while surrounded
by persons who desired to be employed
and
Tens of thousands of bank, factory and
railroad, proprietors would have been seen
despairing of obtaining dividends by means
of which they might be enabled to go to
market.
High above all these would have been
seen a National Treasury wholly empty, and
to all appearance little likely ever again to
be filed
In contrast with the above we give the
same authors description ofthe condition of
the country at the close of Abraham lin
coins Administration, after speaking of the
policy of the late administration, he says
The effect Of this now exhibits itself in
tie facts
THAT the development of our mineral
resources has been great beyond all former
example:
That diyersifcation in the pursuits of our
people now exhibits itself in the naturaliza-
ton of many Of the minor branches of in
dustry in regard to which we had before
been wholly dependent upon Europe
That the demand for labor has been so
great as to cause large increase of wages:
That the high price of labor has caused
great increase of immigration
That demand for the farmer products
has so largely grown as to have almost alto
gether freed him from dependence upon the
uncertain markets of Europe
That the internal commerce has so largely
grown as to have doubled in its money value
the many hundreds Of millions of railraid
stock:
That the prosperity of existing railroads
has caused large increase in the number and
extent of roads:
That here, for the first time in the history
Of the world, has been exhibited eomnlu-
nifty in which every man who had labor to
sell could sellit if he would, while every man
who had coal, iron, food or cloth to sell could
find at once person able and willing to buy
and pay for it:
That for the first time too, in the history
of the world, there has been presented a
community in which nearly all business was
done for cash, and in which debthad scarce
ly an existence.
That as necessary consequence of this,
there has been large and general diminu-
ton of the rate of interest
That farmers laborers, miners, and trad
ers have therefore become more independ-
ent of the capitalist, while the country at
large has become more independent of the
wealthy capitalists of Europe.
That so great have been the economies of
labor and its products, that while building
more houses and mills, constructing more
roads, erecting more machinery, and living
better than ever before, our people have
been enabled to contribute, in the form of
taxes and loans, no less a sum than three
thousand million dollars to the support Of
government.
What contrast, the result of four short
years and those, years of gigantic warfare
and unexampled expenditure, yet what a
revolution has been made in the condition of
the country in that short space of time it
has been raised from bankruptcy and gener-
al prostration to condition. Of uneonalled
prosperity, BY the wise policy of the Repub-
lican party. When the people tire Of their
prosperity and not till then, let them replace
in power the modern and degenerate Democ-
racy, whose watchword il TO the victors
belong the spoils, 7 ndwhose rule has always
heretofore resulted in the destruction of all
our manufactures, the prostration Of our ma
tional industry, and in placing the best inter
ests Of our country at the mercy Of foreign
capitalists.