The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-23
WHY BUSINESS Is DEPRESSED.

publican demand for continuance of the pol
icy of protection is that there are many men
now out of employment, wages have been re
duced in many instances, and mills have sus-
pended operation. eff protection is such
good thing" they argue, ''why are not all the
mills running and all laborers steadily en-
ployedG" That some men are out of employ
ment is but the inevitable outcome of bust
ness vicissitudes-many men are unemployed
even in the best times. The mystery that many
manufactures should be closed or running on
half time is no mystery at all The Demo
cratic party has done all in its power to pro
duce depression and tear down business. The
action of the one hundred and fifty two Demo
cratic members of Congress, who in May last,
voted against the interests of American manu-
facturers, has done more than all else to par
alyze trade and enterprise. Let the reader put
himself in the position of a man who has
his fortune invested In any enterprise. Now
let some other man in a position to do him
harm threaten to destroy his mills,
his factory, or furnace. Will the mill
owner feel like going on with his operations
extending them and hiring more men, or will
he take alarm and endeavor to guard against
imminent loss by reducing his stock and run
ming on half time or not running at alR Man,
ufacturers are much like other men; they
don't engage in business for mere pastime nor
without the hope and expectation of ultimate
profit. A man owns Touring mill run by
water. A considerable number of his neigh
bors threaten to tear away his dam, and his
mill-race and let out the water. He has friends
who have all along stood by him and
done all they could to preserve intact the dam
and race upon which the running of the mill
depends. But meeting is to be held at
which it is to be decided whether his water
supply shall be cut off. He realizes that
those opposed to his interests are very strong
they may come into the majority and carry
ont their plans. Would the mill property en-
nance or depreciate in value1 Would the
milling business prosper under such circum-
stances9 Would it not be the most nat
ural thing in the world for the miller
to wish to get out of business, close up
the mill and send his employees adriftf That
man or party that strikes at the millrace or
at the miller strikes at the milling business
and works harm to it in all its Features
This is exactly the explanation Of the stag
nation of business now apparent The Demo
cratic party, hereditary enemies of free labor
and protected industry, is numerically dan
gerous Its hostility is little, if any, less
pronounced now than at any time prior to
the war; when the solid South, them
as now, stood out in favor of
free trade and impoverished labor
In May last, 1872 Democratic con-
gresham voted to cut down the profits of
manufacture by so or more per cent. by q
horizontal reduction of the tariff by 20 per
cent. The inevitable sequence has followed.
Manufacturers are alarmed; their business
threatened, they are anxious to know what is
to be done about it, and meanwhile they re-
duce expenses to the lowest notch. The en-
envy while attempting to disguise its ultimate
purpose, has given toe much evidence of its
hostility to the American idea to deceive
anybody by its enigmatical utterances
on this subject. 1t has been
shown that the Democratic candidate for the
presidency has written letters in favor of free
trade, though he is not permitted to speak
publicly for Or against it. The Indianapolis
Sentinel says that ''the Democrats have dis
covered that the people want free trade, and
it is Just on that issue that they are going to
win in the election in Indiana" 1t is foolish
to think that Democrats will content them
selves with moderate or business-like re-
duction of the tariff. They believe in
absolute free trade, and think they
have discovered that the people want
free trade. Their first pass at
the tariff was with a broadax, and with the
proclaimed intention of reducing duties by
20 per cent. all round!-a bit of legisla-
lation on par with the action of surgeon
who would undertake 70 cut off an arm or leg
with meat-ax.
Business men are alarmed, and for the best
of reasons, and they will continue in that
feeling until the impending danger is averted
Mills will remain closed or work on half time
and men will be idle or work at reduced wages
until the enemy of American industries is
properly rebuked and shorn of its power to
do harm.
THE Democratic officials of Ohio folloyyinc,