Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-08-07
Gen. Ewing's SOphistries.


be held this year, but because he is the
man above all others whose course in Con
gress has given form and expression tC
the will of the Democratic majority in
that body. Gen. Ewing speaks with au,
thOrity, as the immediate standard.
bearer of his party; but he speaks with
authority not less as the real leader OF
his party in Congress on all questions OF
a financial character. If there has been
indulged by any Democrat hope that
Gen. Ewing would be silent or guarded
in the expression of his opinions on such
questions, and would thus enable his
party to make its fight mainly other Is
sues, that hope is destroyed by his speech
at Lancaster. He opens the campaign
at home, just as he has described it in
less formal utterances elsewhere, by de-
claring the main question upon which
the people are to decide is in regard to
the financial policy of the Government.
Some Democrats receive his declaration
with chagrin and some with indignation.
But not one of them can deny that Mr..
Ewing was selected to lead his party, in
its most important struggle this year,
because of his financial opinions and
record, and not one of them can deny
that he does represent the intentions
and beliefs of his party, as those have
been shown in many votes in Congress,
at least as fully as Secretary Sherman
represents the intentions and beliefs OF
the Republican party.
Gen. Ewing assails resumption, and
still insists that it is a sham and fall
ure, for reasons which less sincere and
more cunning politician would not have
stated so bluntly. In substance, he says
that "the public debt of the United
States is far greater effective burden
on the people than it was before the first
dollar of it was paid" that although
we have had gold resumption for six
months, 1.-The money actually current is
mo greater now, if as great, as it was
zone or two years ago." and that there
has been no real relief for debtors, for
he says:
Every little debt you owe still nettles
you. Every large debt still threatens you
with the loss of your home, your farm,
your factory or your store. Every tax
you pay calls for more labor or product
than before. Wages do not increase
labOrers still hunt for employers, instead
of employers hunting for laborers; and
it is at last becoming apparent that the
condition of things last year and the
year before is to become the permanent
condition under established gold prices
of labor and property.
Such assertions as these may be safe
ly placed without comment before an
intelligent people. Is it true that wages
do not increase? Every laborer who has
intelligence enough to earn fair wages
at any time knows that an upward
movement in the rate of wages paid has
at last began. Is it true that labOrers
still hunt for employers as anxiously or
unsuccessfully as they did one year ago
Every workman in this country knows
that it is not true; that the number of
the unemployed has been greatly dimin-
ished, and that faithful and capable
workme1 are now in demand in nearly
every employment. Is it true that "the
"dition of things last year and the year
"befOre is to become the permanent con-
ditiOn.' On the contrary, every en-
plOyer or wOrkingman in this broad
land knows that "the condition of things
"last year and the year before" has de-
parted, and that we have in its stead a
condition incomparably more favorable
both for the laborer and for the employ
er. Hope and enterprise have revived.
More men are at work than at any time
since 1872. The wages paid are actual
ly higher, in their purchasing power,
than the wages paid at any previous
time since the panic. If we are not at
liberty to suppose that Gen. Ewing is
one who deliberately tries to deceive his
hearers, we must conclude that his own
in unlucky coal and railroad
speculations, has made him incapable of
seeing or reporting facts which are OBJ
yiOuS to the workingmen for whose well
fare he claims to care. They know that
there has been change in their favor,
since resumption took place. Many of
them do not clearly see that this change
is due to resumption, and upon that
point Gen. Ewing might have employed
,ophistry with some effect. But they
know by their own daily experience that
The change has taken place, and will be
apt to attribute to the personal or polit-
cal interests Of Gen. Ewing the false
which he makes.
Unfortunately for him, he cOnfesses
altogether too frankly the spirit which
moves him. Every debt still threatens"
ne says. And why not? Why should a
lebt not threaten, when the debtor re-
fuses to pay? If Gen. Ewing, or any
)ther man, has borrowed the hard-earn-
ID savings of his neighbor. and sunk the
money in wild speculations in coal lands,
IT railroads, or otherwise, why he should
'e not be Threatened continually until
lie has paid the money? That is the
and the end of the business,
S to Gen. Ewing and the fnanciers of |
lis school. They want to get rid of |
aging money borrowed and honestly |
ue. Their neighbors, on the contrary,
want to be paid. The money has been
ost by the misconduct or miscalculation
f the borrowers. The lenders trusted
ot to the success Of their plan, but to
heir honor. And now that honor is so
hin and sickly that they publicly grum-