The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-12-02

Chauncey M. DepeW. III Is inc sAHe
cause that, as AIr. Blaine mentioned to
me before the Minneapolis convention,
would prevent any man we should nom
mate from being elected. For thirty
years the same policy as to tariff had
been pursued in this country. Through
all that period prosperity was unsur-
passed and unbounded among Il peo-
pie. There was never anything in his
tory like the elevated position OF our
pie. Nevertheless, through all these
years, tho Democrats protested to be-
lievo that their theory OF government
would have increased that prosperity
enormously. We had tried their theory
for thirty year before tho war, and 1t
did not bring prosperity. Nevertheless,
the opposition gathered strength, be-
cause it was the opposition. The power
that invariably receives the criticism OF
Mt least one organized political force,
and every disgruntled element be-
sides; the men who arc displeased
because they cannot get office; the men
who have their own notions about the
methods that should prevail in popular
government-like MaCVeagh, Cooley
and Gresham-which could never be
put into operation; the farmers who
Thought they were getting too little for
the produce, not counting on the bone
fits Of the home market and the money
spent among the shopkeepers II mid
die class tradesmen that nearly all went
to buy food; the wage earners who were
dissatisfied to see their employers get
ging rich the innumerable persons who
ALWAYS want to turn out the govern
ment that is for a government that may
possibly adopt their 'isms,' and vast
other elements were gathered in a'great
conglomerate mass bent on changing
something, and that something the gov
eminent. The Democrats had a theory
of what they wanted to do, but they
could moi have won il there had not
been general disturbance OF large masses
of voters who had no plausible or popu-
lar theory, but wanted something new,
because they had been told that there
would be no better conditions under
other systems Of government. The con-
plomeration won. Nothing could have
stopped it. It was the result OF thirty
years pursuance OF the same policy OF
government"
"What is to be the outcome?"
"All that Republicans can do is to sit
back and wait for the declaration OF the
purpose OF the Democrats. They have
Just one of two roads to follow. One is
to let things drift along under the pres
emit Republican policy. That will be
defeat to them in four years, because
the conglomeration will fall away from
support OF the party and turn against it
rs spontaneously as it did against the
Republicans. The other is to put into
effect the doctrine laid down by Mr..
Cleveland in his tariff message OF 1887.
That would put US in an awful condi-
ton. Unless wage earners in manu-
factories would take wages as low as
the English workmen, plus the cost OF
transportation here OF English manu-
featured products, three-fourths OF the
manufactures would close up. The
very men who have voted for free trade
while they were getting 81, S., s., s.
and 50 a day will find, under such
n new order OF things, that So
is an enormous rate of day wages, and
seventy-fve cents the common rule.
The man who gets 81 so a day now
spends most of it for food, and on
se~yenty.ive cents he will have u hard
time to live. Indeed, it is hard to see
where he can be benefited in the slight
est degree. He may get clothing a lit
tie cheaper, but his expenditures for
clothing will not be ten cents per day
of his wages. His cost OF living will
not be lessened, because the price OF
produce is already fixed. His rent will
not be less, his coal will not be less-but
his wages will. The farmer will reap
no benefit from such q state Of affairs.
The price of his product will not go up,
and the machinery he requires for
farming will 60 up, because the strong
est Of the factories supplying this and
other machinery and manufactured pro-
ducts OF all kinds have already put
themselves in line to control their
workingmen and wipe out small COM
petitors.
"The head of a great manufacturing
firm in New York told me only yester-
day that his concern had been looking
forward to q free trade era for some
time. He is q Republican, and may or
NAV not have voted for Harrison, but
thought he Jaw q public disposition to
try free trade growing. His company
has paid all its debts, has no mortgages
outstanding, has moneyat command in
the banks, and is independent OF its
workingmen. If there should be a free
trade policy adopted he said his firm
would be able to secur practically q
monopoly in their field for the whole
United States by reducing wages and
business to the narrowest margin and
thus wiping out competitors who were
not go fixed financially as to rule their
own establishments. There are about
100000 voters in the United States, OF
whom 100000 are said to be wage
earners outside the agricultural fields.
The farmers count for 100000. These
two elements alone have been sufficient,
by changing their votes to the Demo-
cratic party, to bring on such a situa-
ton as l have pictured. But l do not
sec how it can profit tho Democracy any
more than to sit still and let things
drift along under tho Republican pol
ICY" =
"Have youheard Of the planproposed
by Cleveland to separate the pensions
from current accounts and raise money
to pay them on II per cent bonds that
can be used by national banks toextend
the currency?"
"Well, that would be a crusher for
land owners and property holders.
Imagine an old farmer scratching his
head as he calculates that such a course
would put a blanket mortgage on all the
national domain amounting to about
SlsO,oOo,OOO annually now and likely to