Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-10-20

chaser in the markets for everything
that the different industries produced.
The regular and uniform demands u
the country not only had to be met,
but the abnormal aud extraordinary
onss created by the rebellion had to be
answered. The Geyernment vas .
heavy buyer Of coal and iron. and Of
everything necessary to feed and clo,he
the armies. Al branches of trade we're
stimulated By the excessive strain put
upon them. Prices went up and wages
went up. The country seemed to be
prosperous, but the thoughtful man
knew better. He knew that that the
whole thing was delusive, hollow and =
snare. Money was abundant and men
thought they were on the royal road to
wealth. Extravagance crept into all
ranks Of society, and profusion and
prodigali.y ruled the hour. Honest
thrift had TO hide her humble head and
retire from the din and glare of this
unreal glitter. This state of things
continued until the war ended. And it
would have been we'll If We had then
taken pause and considered. Blu. the
furnaces and forges and mills and fac
tories and mines went on producing
their commodities. The natural con-
sequence was that in a shore period
there was such an immense accumula
tion that the supply exceeded the de-
mand. 1t could not be used. There
were no purchasers. Then what fol-
lowed . Why, production had to be
stopped. Labor was net needed and
thousands Of men were turned out of
work. In little time the small horde
they had laid by for rainy day was
consumed, and they we're compelled to
stand in the market places idle-ready
and willing to work at any price but
no work could be had. Values of all
kinds began to shrink. -Four hundred
millions of railroad coupons went to
protest in one year. Large banking
houses began to fail, carrying down
with them many smaller concerns-each
one, however, affecting individuals and
families, until the circle of ruin, ever
widening, at last enclosed the whole
country. And then, as if the malice
of circumstances would make the disas-
ter as deplorab!e as possible, the Chi
cago fire came like demon TO annihi
late the last vestige of hope that mat
tiers might be readjusted Is it any
wonder that hard times are upon us !.
All classes are touched by the calam-
ity, the rich and the poor as we'll. But
how is the Republican party response
Bile. The logic of facts must be
twisted out of all shape and reason to
do that. But, it is said, if the Cur
rency Bill passed by Congress had not
been vetoed, the hard times would have
been avoided. But the assertion is a
fallacy What good would it do the
laboring man if greenbacks we're as
plenty as blackberries, if he could not
get anyl And how could he get any ex-
cept in payment of his labor, But his la
Dor is mol needed, and will not be needed
until the surplus accumulations are con-
sumed. From what quarter then shall
relief conel 1t will not come from
platforms or resolutions or speeches or
acts of Congress. These things are
worse than vain. No change of admin
istration can help matters, for the pol
icy of no party can check or interfere
with the inevitable operations of the
laws of trade. These will move on in
their prescribed orbit with the grind
ing and remorseless exactitude of the
ebb and flow of the tides of the ocean.
No! Relief can only come from time.
Time at last will make all things even.
England aud France have gone through
similar ordeal, and no nation, of which
we have ever heard, has escaped the
depressions and fluctuations Of trade.
When the glut in the markets, caused
by over-proiuctiou, is removed, the
industrial interests of the country will
revive, and then the furnaces and forgss
and mills viii! show their wonted ac-
tivity, while out OF the clash and clapg
and hum of returning prosperity they
Will compose song which shall thrill
the hearts of the people with thankful
ness. But, patience must do her per
feet work before this can come to pass !"
Mr.. Herr passed from the considera
tion of "Hard Times" to the question
of Currency, which he discussed in a
most convincing way, and closed in a
peroration IN these words:
"These, fellow citizens, are some of
the questions, the issues, the principles
and consequences now before the peo-
pie for their decision. Shat. the de-
mand of the Democratic party be
granted 2 Shall the magnificent edifice
erected By the blood, the toll, the pa
triotism of the Republican party to per-
petuate the glory of our common coun-
try, be transferred to men whose male
diciions rested upon it as they saw it
rise grand and stately iu all it's beauti-
full proportions Let the Arch Angel
plant his feet On the highest peak of
your loftiest mountain and sound his
trumpet through the land. Earth hears
the summons and the sea Nature
feels the awful silence of dread expec-
ration. The waters move with infinite
trembling and the dust stirs with mys-
terious compulsion. They come : the
sheeted dead, an innumerable caravan
that no man can number. From their
watery graves and unmarked resting
places they come with shattered limb,