The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-01

| or Kansas. 1t Is calculated to do lar more
damage to the country than if you had
| openly and squarely announced yourself IN
| favor of free trade These tariff reformers
are the most dangerous politicians that we
have in the country, from the fact that you
never know where to ind them. on
know what free trader means and Wnat
he wants, and how to answer his argu-
ments: but tariff reformer is a wolf In
| sleeps clothing" disguised free trader
that you don't know how to take, or what
he means. He argues on all sides or the
question and has no fixed purpose aOout
| it. The free trader thinks free trade VIII
promote our commerce with foreign coun-
tries, and thus benefit the United States.
The protectionist thinks he can serve MS
country best by promoting and protecting
American industries, thus giving employ
ment and good wages to American labor
ers and cheapening products by increased
home production. But the tariff retormer,
the mugwump Republican, does neither OF
these; all he is after is tariff for revenue
only" 1t was tariff reform" politicians
that run the government during CleVe-
lands administration. Cleveland was
tariff reformer, an opposer of silver
coinage and an enemy of the greenbacks
We had four years of attempts TO carry
out that sort of policy in this country dur
ing his administration and what were the
results? General business proStratlon,
ruinous prices for farms and farm prod
ucts; factories idle, money locked up IN
banks confidence destroyed, and the coun-
try drifting into anarchy. You may re-
member in a communication | sent the
EAGLE after President Cleveland had been
elected. but before he was inaugurated,
the following statement appeared:
The most the people now have TO fear is the &C
i'll question II it will let the tariff alone, business
will undoubtedly revive. and the country Will be
3nesTo3 III n vii Nil = Dr - confidence from being re-
stored and business Will continue dull"
Has not tariff reform agitation been kept
up? Has confidence been restored and is
not business dull?
Now, the EAGLE knows very well that
the most prominent topics advocated In
President Cleveland'S first messages TO
congress, and in the reports Of his secretary
OF the treasury, related to the duties on
foreign imports, stopping the coinage of
silver, and the retiring of legal tender
notes. Secretary Manning devoted three
or four columns Of his first report to con-
gress to these questions, and his policy in
regard to tariff is outlined in the following
statement from this report
Put on the free list as many articles as possible.
Reduce duties on every dutya5le article 10 the low
est point possible"
That was the policy advocated by Presi-
dent Cleveland and the members of his
the Morrison tariff bill and discussed by
congress during the first years of Cleve
lands administration But the bill was
not passed, because, fortunately for the
people, we had a Republican senate that
was i'll favor of protecting American in
dustries. A similar bill was introduced by
Congressman Mills at the second session
and the discussion continued; but that bill
also failed in consequence of a Republican
senate. But the agitation OF these meas
ureS destroyed confidence and demoraliZed
business in the meantime. Had both
houses of congress been for tariff reform"
the whole country would have been in
bankruptcy long before this time.
Now, does Judge Sluss substantially en-
dorse the very tariff policy advocated by
Cleveland and his Democratic tariff re-
form congress, and which was incorporat-
ed into the Morrison and Mills billss What
has been the result of Cleveland's admin
istratiOn on that basis? Let me give you
a few facts in relation thereto.
During the ten years ending with the
close of the last Republican administra-
ton, the balance between our exports and
imports was over 81 ,5f4, 900 $50 in favor of
this country, and in the last year of that
administration the balance was $164 000, 600
in our favor But during the first
year of Cleveiand's administration
the balance of trade went down to about
S44 900, 900, a falling off of about 20,0O0,-
900 in one year. The second year to S23,
000O 900, and during the third year it went
down so that the balance was SOS, OO0 600
against this country. But since Harrison
was inaugurated, that balance has now
begun to work this way again, and we
amount to our credit found in our next
annual reports.
You say in your editorial:
while we have got some better times in the
country they affect in large measure, only people
who have nothing to SELL
Now, while part of this statement is
true, let me give few facts, to show that
you are greatly mistaken iii regard to the
last part of it.
! went to Wichita in the year 1888 was
so highly pleased with the appearance of
that city, and the country around it, that
| bought while there, three or four farms,
about fifteen miles west Of Wichita. in
Sedgwick county. At that time, any man
buying farm in the state of Kansas at
the prices at which farms were selling,
could sell it within year or two at a con
advance on what he paid. Farm
products of all kinds then brought good
prices Within two years after they were
bought, l sold three of those farms at an
advance of % per cent. on the cost, and got 1
my cash for them, which | invested in
other farms in Sedgwick and Barber cOun-
ties Grover Cleveland was elected in 1884, !
and went into Office the 4th Of March 1885
A congress was elected that gave
the majority of the house Of repre-
sentativeS to the tariff reform
Democrats. You referred TO some
Of Cleyeland's Objectionable measures in /
regard To silver, bonds, etc, in your ed
but on the tariff question his in
huence was worse for the country than his
views on silver. Let Us see what has been
the effect of Cleveland's administration in
the direction of the prices of farms and
farm products in Kansas.
The farms that / bought with the money
from those l sold under a Repub-
lican administration, / could not sell under
q Democratic administration for - cents
on the dollar OF what ! paid for them, and I
the prices Of farm products went down 50
low that | was only offered 10 cents a
bushel for my oats and - cents a bushel 4
for my corn. could hardly get enough 1
money from them 10 pay the taxes. Owing
to want OF storage / was obliged TO sell my [
wheat at - cents a bushel. What brought +
this aboutg Was IL not the depressing /
effect of loss Of confidence and general I
paralysis of business caused by the efforts I
10 destroy the protection which the Re i
publicans had placed around our indus |
tries and 70 prevent the coinage Of silver I
BUt the evidences Of better times already /
here. are recognized by the EAGLE Of May 1
T. in which j. found an editorial, from I
which | copy the following:
-Wltain he past three months the leading cereals
md live stccs cattle and hog. have advanced g 4
price from IS 20 81 per cent. had the effect ~
CGt 40 -ts private d = g. places large bod
ms % money. the iGre3- sfe result % returning I
confidence AID tbs last IS more largely res28r= DC
oT the extreme i4etlatGeus u business taaa an I
Jihor single cause"
Now, this statement Is very true. hut Jet (
me ask what was the cause Of the lack Il .
confidence that was 80 largely responli- I
bic for the extreme fluctuations IN bu-i- /
1esss' Was il any other than the policy
Of Clevelanp and his administration. and &
their efforts 10 reduce the duties on foreign .
imports and 70 prevent the coinage Of s.l- 4