Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-10-17
THE REPUBLICS GOLDEN ACES

From the Kansas City, No.. Journal.
Governor Campbell, in recent speech
at Sydney, O., among other things said
that the period from 1846 to 1861 Wa
the 'golden age OF this republic. In
asmuch as assertions Of q somewhat
similar character are constantly being
made by other democratic orators -
we'll a. press, it may not be ont OF place
to see what truth there 10 in them.
Tho country was then under the
operations Of . revenue tariff largely
devised BY Robert ]. Walker, the dsm-
ocratic secretary OF the treasury. Il u
true that . period OF great prosperity
continuing for period OF three or four
years followed, but there was . combi.
nation Of extraneous influences that
had not little to do with this pros
perity.
Thus the war with Mexico at that
time, by which $100, 100000 were dis
tributed, exercised potent influence
in stimulating business. Again, there
was . European war which created .
heavy demand for all the surplus food
products of this country, which, to-
gether with tho demand for them crea-
ted by the famine in Ireland enhanced
their prices to an extent that yielded
very handsome returns to the farmers
of this country. Another important
factor was the discovery of gold in Cal
ifornia. which resulted in the creation
Of new wealth that was sufficient in
itself to inauguate period OF general
prosperity.
It is not surprising that all these
influences should bring about good
times and they would have done it UNI
der any economic system that might
have been in operation.
Their influence ceased to be felt, how
ever, after while, and then the people
had an opportunity for testing the efl
fects of the revenue tariff. In 1861
President Fillmore addressed message
to congress in which he stated that tho
low rate Of duty had greatly depressed
the agricultural interests, and year
later he said in another message that
competition with foreign manufactursd
goods had broken down homo manu-:
facturers, that thousands OF Industrious
and honest men had been thrown out
Of employment, and that profound de-
preston prevailed. he further declared
that the destruction of our msnufac-
turers left the foreigners without conn
petition in our market and that tbs
price Of articles sent to America had
been raised in consequence.
In 1867 President Buchanan said in
q message to congress that the none
tary interests Of the country were in .
dsplorable. condition, and that, despite
the country's great natural advantages
and in the midst Of unsurpassed plenty,
IN all the elements Of national wealth.
our manufactures were suspended. our
public works were retarded. our prii
vate enterprises OF different character
were abandoned, and Thousands OF uss-;
full laborers were thrown out Of employ
ment and reduced to want.
Not very pleasant picture this, cec'
tainly, and it il democratic testimony
a. to the effect Of q revenue tsfi&.
Just why Governor Campbell or any one
else should feel disposed to refer to it
as the golden age" OF the republic il
10 difficult to see. History shows it I'd
have been anything but that outsids
Of the few years that followed the
adoption Of the revenue tariff, and
events independent Of that were respon-
sible for that period OF prosperity.