Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-03-29
THE EDUCATION CONTINUES.

There have been a good many sources of education for the voter since the sixth day of last November. While the two great parties were Contendlng for the prizes that the immortal Webster Flana- gan recognized as the reward of all poli- tical campaigns the country was treated to some terrible pictures of ruin as re- suit of democratic success. The beauties and blessings of protection-protectio for the men who make large fortunes every year when times are good''-were painted in glowing terms by the orators who drew large stipends from the men whom Judge Gresham dubbed Pharisees, and terrible picture of ruin was drawn as the result of a five per cent reduction of the tariff. As a consequence of Cleve- lands election an immediate reduction of the wages of workingmen was 10 re- suit, mills were to be forced into idle ness, thousands of mechanics were to be driven into the streets. and universal dis tress was to follow the surrender of American interests to Cobdenism, Cal hounism and Great Britain. With the election of Harrison, per contra, the idle mills were to start into life and activity again, capital was to flow like life blood into new enterprises of all kinds. indus trial establishments of all kinds were to take on new life, and the workngmen were to bloom and blossom with pros perity they had not enjoyed since the government passed into the hands of Free Trader Cleveland four years ago. The millennium of indus trial prosperity was to come upon the land the day it was known that Benja- min Harrison and protection had carried the day.
 What do we see now: Nearly five months have passed away since the country declared for this wonderful era of prosperity, but no sign has come, no sign save of slackening work, reduced wages, shortened hours business failures and hard times. Waterbury, where the manufacturers sent out their regular quadrenaial scare circular and where the scare envelopes were used to the eternal disgrace of the men that employed them, like the rest of the country, is in the throeS of the dulleSt business aud work season that has come i'll years. We note, too, that there were reported to Brad streets last week 242 failures in the United States against 191 in the corre- spending week of last year when Cleve- lands free trade ideas were rampant That the failures in the country from New Years day to date number 3,3S5 against 2,S23 in 1888 when free trade was tolling the funeral of American in dustry. That ten thousand coal miners were thrown out of work a few days ago in Pennsylvania, that ten thousand workers in Fall River have been striking for living wages. that thousands on thousands of men all over the country are out of work or kicking against re duction of wages, and i'll no place are the industries of the that was to be the immediate result of Harrison's success. We note, too, that the Higgins carpet workers, whose en- ployers told them that Harrison's cleo tion meant more work and better wages, have learned what it Is to know what disappointment means; that the presi dent of the Brooks locomotive works of Dunkirk, N. Y.. who last fall personally appealed to his workingmen to save their wages and places, has just dis ,l> >r ( orders. Again we note that the Chicago steel mills are arranging to combine with capital of S25, ,00O. 900 to "reduce the cost of production" (which means of course a lowering of wages) and to give more stability to business (which means to raise the cost to the consumers.) And finally we may note that in the iron business. according to Joseph D. Weeks, an eminent protectionist, wages have decreased here instead of increasing as they have in tree trade) England"
 Such is the condition of the country briefly and very imperfectly portrayed since the voters declared for protection and higher wages on the 9th of Novem-
 
 tion caused such tender solicitude on the part of the republican party last fall, are beginning to wonder how long it is going to take for this party to bring about the wonderful state of things that it promised when it was seeking their votes. And they are beginning to won der how far, in very truth. their pros perity depends on political conditions, and particularly on the success of the re- publican party. The longer they reflect on these things, the longer and more assiduously they devote themselves to a contemplation of the hollow promises of tile party of high taxes, the more they will learn from the campaign of educa- tion that continues in the land.