Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-10-02
Remember that the
Election is held Tues
day, October Il.
Why Workingmen Are Idle.

DhSiueSS lS Uull. MaQuIact0rleS are
doing little. The host of unemployed is
steadily growing larger. What is the
cause?
The explanation lies open to anyone
who has watched the course of events
during the last tive or three years. Over
production in some lines of industry and
the sudden close of the period of ex>
tenslve railroad building caused tenn
porary check, but the recovery from this
had begun when the tariff agitation
sprdng up to arrest its progress. The re-
vision of the tariff as the result of the
Tariff Commissions labors tended to re-
store confidence. In some points the re-
vision worked hardship, but there were
assurances that the proper correction
would be made, whilst to the main body
there was given prospect of stability
for some years, at least. Manufacturers
and merchants settled down to their
business with the expectation that no
material changes would occur through
legislation for some time to come.
Then came the Democratic Congress,
the struggle between the free traders
and the various shades of protectionists
in the party, the complete triumph of
the Democratic free traders in the choice
of Speaker and formation of the Ways
and Means Committee, and the introduc-
of the crude and ill-digested Morrison
bill, that betrayed an utter Ignorance of
the whole tariff question. Instead of
revising the tariff with view OF remedy
ing its alleged evils and regulating its
inequalities, it proposed horizontal re-
iuction that made those inequalities. more
lrominent. 1t was avowedly the first
OF series of such reductions, the effect
Cd which would be to kill our manufac+
turing industry by inches. instead of
stibbing it to the heart by the immediate
repeal of the protective tariff. Four
itfhs of the Democrats in the House
fcted for the bill, wi hilst the Republicans
stood as solid wall against its passage,
and, with the aid of small minority of
Democrats defeated it for the time.
The bill was defeated by only four
votes. Is it any wonder that the BUSH
ness of the country vas startled by the
magnitude of the peril and the narrow
ness of the escape? But the danger was
not over. From Congress the Democratic
free trade majority carried their schemes
TO the National Convention. A plat
form was adopted which, obscure and
contradictory as its language is, yet is
hvowed by the free traders of the COM
nittee framing it to mean precisely what
they desire, and to be in exact line with |
he declarations of previous Democratic |
platforms in favor of tariff for revenue |
Pnly" and progressive free trade" A
candidate was placed upon it who, dumb |
hs an oyster himself, has been vouched |
for by the most rampant free traders as
IN full accord with them. Is it any
wonder that the business of the country
Jaw in this cause for new alarm?
| The success of the Democratic party |
n the coming elections would be eon+
l'urd as an Endorsement of the views
'fthe free trade majority of that party.
Tie Morrison bill would be considered
o mild u measure. A new bill cutting
IA deeper would be forced through, and
it.rrested in this Congress by Repub-
| lin Senate and President would be
caied in the next. tits the possibility
othis which unsettles everything now
ii which will prevent any recovery
u!il the decision at the polls. Nc one
isvilling to make engagements ahead,
wen all the calculations upon which
Thy are based are able to be deranged
b.a change in the tariff Manufacturers
al uncertain whether they will have
mrket for their goods, or whether they
lw.l be overwhelmed with asudden flood !