Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-31
A Manufacturer's View.

lBoston Glohel
The letter Of Mr.. Erastus Corning. OF
Troy, y. Y. 10 the president Of the sixth
Ward Cleveland and Hendricks Club OF
that city is in many respects the most i'm
pOrtant literature OF the campaign from the
standpoint Of American industries. Mr..
Corning employs over G.000 men, and
therefore his interests are bound u3 with
those Of the aboring men. Concerning a
change Of administration he says:
.'In my opinion the prosperity Of the
country will be largely advanced 10y the
election Of the Democratic national ticket
al the approaching election. More especial
" Will il benefit the industrial Interests OF
the country, which have suffered and are
now suffering deeply from the blighting
policy Of the Republican Administration.
You and know well how great is
the suffering OF those engaged in man.
ufacturing. Employers aud employed,
! always equally affected. are alike the
victims Of mistaken Republican policy.
| The wages Of labor everywhere depend
upon the earnings Of the business in which
| II Is employed. We were told 10y the Re
| publican leaders four years ago that the
| prosperity Of the country depended upon
/ the success Of the Republican ticket. I'm
| fortunately for the country it was elected,
/ and how sad has been the result. The
promises made were delusi0n and a snare.
Ever since that election the country has
| been rapidly declining, manufacturers hay-
| Ing been obliged to suspend business for
want Of employment. Manufacturing can
only be carried on now at a loss, often
ruinous. Prices have fallen too low
TO he remunerative. Thousands OF la
boring men are thrown out OF employ.
ment in almost every State in the Union.
While taxation has not been reduced, OF
which the laboring man pays his full share,
the wages Of labor have sadly lessened. Al
this moment the country is struggling
under greater distress than has ever before
existed in our memory. Last week 23j fail
! uIes Of businessmen and firms were an
nounctd, and that is but little more than
the average OF each week for the last six
months. Every failure throws men out OF
employment and widens t1e extending cir.
cles OF pecuniary distress and ruia."
Further On, in speaking OF the causes OF
/ the terrible business and manufacturing
Depression
And all this occurs when Heaven has
blessed the laborS OF the husbandman with
abundant crops. The generous earth yields
H. much more than is required to feed our
IS, 600 200 people, and we export largely OF
our products 10 feed other countries less
favored by Providence. With such album
dant crops and balance Of trade largely in
our favor, the IDS we suffer can only be
charged upon the uDwise policy OF our
rulers-a policy which has driven our ships
from the ocean, and given all the profits
Of carrying our large exports and imports
aud the vast passenger business across the
ocean. with hardly an exception, 10 the ships
Of other nations and under foreign fags-a
policy which still subjects us 10 Internal
revenue taxes. tax imposed only as a ne.
cessity OF war, but still continued, though
we have had profound peace for nearly
twenty years IA policy which, at this mo-
ment, holds locked up in the public Treq.
sury S450, 00O. 900 In gold and silver. ex-
acted by tax from the hard earnings OF the
people, and withheld from the channels Of
business where II Is so much needed, and
constantly increasing In amount as the
peeuniary suffering OF the country In
creases. II is certain now that we cannot
thrive under such rulnous policy. II Is
driving the country TO bankruptcy and ruin.
iithreatsns with starvation vast plumbers Of |