The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-07-22
A Startling Picture-The Radical Pol.
icy Running the Trade of the Nation.

In striking at the political rights Of
white men, the Radicals inflicted a most
damaging and deadly blow upon the bust
ness interest of this country. Indeed, the
blighting effects of Radicalism cannot be
over estimated. Trade has been pros
trated, credit impaired, confidence IN the
future shaken, manufacturers prevented
from using their capital, merchants denied
the full benefit of such stocks of goods az
they had on hand, business men generally
crippled and ruined. When the war ter
minated men prepared for resumption
OF trade N all sections OF the Union The
capitalists of the North knew that the
South was stripped of all articles needed
to begin sfresh the race for individual and
sectional prosperity. Planters in the
South needed agricultural implements Of
all descriptions, plows, hoes, shovels,
wagons, carts; all that could be used in
producing crops and getting them TO a
market. The railroad companies required
rails to supply the places of those worn
out during the war or destroyed by the
invading forces; and locomotives and all
kinds of rolling stock. Their depOts and
way-station houses were also to be replaced,
and much of the material for this purpose
must come from the North. The mer-
chants were out Of stocks, and would re-
quire almost all kinds of goods that were
either made in this section or imported
from Europe. Hats, boots, shoes, house
hold goods of all descriptions, books,
medicines, and, indeed, all that the North
had to dispose OF, were badly wanted in
the South, and thus the trade promised to
be OF most remunerative and exhaustive
character.
rr1 OF to Of fssntc
chants, manufacturers, and capitalists of
the North, East and West, founded their
expectations for a speedy resumption of
trade between the two sections They
knew that the South would soon pass from
under the war cloud if allowed to do so.
And they expected that Congress would
aid, not impede, the efforts of the people
in that direction. Business men in this
section did not think it possible that Con-
gresS could destroy the labor system of
nearly one-half of the States in the Union,
turn the laborers into non producers, and
then support them at the expense of the
nation. A majority of the active, pushing
people of the North would not believe
that the Radicals meant to pursue policy
the legitimate result of which you'd be
to lessen the production Of cotton, rice.
sugar, tobacco, and, indeed, all the staples
of the South, and thus put it out of the
power ofthe people of that section to pur-
chase from the North those articles so
much needed in ali parts of the South.
But they were disappointed Such
course was pursued. In order to hold po-
litical power and elect Gen. Grant, the
Radical party inaugurated and carried out
a policy which uprooted the material pros
perity both of the North and South. The
bad effects of such a course are now felt
in this city, in the State and in the nation.
Manufacturers are idle, merchants totter.
ing, and general gloom pervades COM
mercial and business circles. Capitalists
cannot see into the future. They cannot
calculate for the coming year In the mean.
time the expenses of the government are
enormous, taxes unprecedented, and the
revenue system crude, one-sided, and OBJ
pressive. Instead of attending TO such
subjects as the tariff and the currency,
Congress, at its last session, wasted months
In talking about the negro and connecting
plans for holding political power in the
South by means of his vote. They would
not leglslate for white men and their in
terests. England and France are strain
ing every nerve to build up the material
interests OF these countries, If sugges-
ton is made of a practical character it is
at once accepted. The Suez canal is
being constructed to open the markets of
Asia to the merchants of France, and
French agents and French gold are un-
dermining American interests in Central
America These facts should jolt the
Radical party out of the ruts. But they
do not. There is no change in their pol
icy, except such as is forced by the stern
logic of political defeat. They still legis.
late for section and party, to the exclusion
of business interests of the whole people. |
AS In the past, 80 in the present, the out
givings Of Radical politicians and the |