Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-07-06


What the Business of the Country Ne eds.
Mr.. Depew was right when he made
the statement at Minneapolis that the
denomination of President Harrison
was largely due to the influence of the
business interests of the country. 1t is
a fact that a very large majority Of the
delegates went to the convention unin-
structed, but while there they We're no
doubt influenced by the private dis
patches which were received in large
numbers from the business centers Of
the country favOring the denomination
of the President.
On this point the New York Tribune
says "The same force which impelled
dazed and questioning delegates to cast
their ballots at Minneapolis for HarFi-
son will inevitably influence voters at
large in November. There is a general
agreement among business men that
their interests will be promoted by the
continuance of safe and successful
Republican administration. Prudent
men discern clearly the disturbance
which would be produced in the bust
ness world by the election ola Demo
cratic President and the control of both
houses of Congress by the party oftariff
agitation and free coinage. A long
period of uncertainty would follow, dur
ing which business men would not know
where they were standing or what
might be coming. Tariff revision,
whether it is attempted by Republi-
cans or Democrats, is dreaded by bust
ness men, since it is always protracted
process. the results of which can never
be accurately forecast. During the
transition period general business stag
mates and languishes, and every i'm
pOrtant mercantile interest is relieved
when it is brought to an end. The
success Of the Democratic party In No
vember would involve the resumption
of tariff agitation and the unsettling of
all the prevailing conditions of trade.
The conservative opinion of the bust
ness elements Of the country is against
the premature reopening of the tariff
controversy in Congress. Under q Re-
publican administration and with a Re-
publican Congress they have the as
surance that the tariff act will stand,
and that the orderly course Of business
will not be interrupted.
What practical men perceive is the
fact that the Mckinley act is operating
on the whole very differently from what
Democratic opponents anticipated, and
more satisfactorily than its Republican
advocates ventured to predict two years
ago. 1t has eXerted a stimulating effect
upon all productive interests, has main
tanned high level of wages, and so far
from increasing prices for the consumer
has, ii many instances, reduced them.
With the reciprocity clause it has en-
larged the foreign demand for Ameri-
can breadstuffs and manufactures, and
at the same time has not increased the
cost of imported food products. Many
classes of business men, who
were not convinced at the
outset that the Mckinley act
was either necessary or eXpedient, now
admit that their prejudices were not
justified. On every eide in business
circles there is a strong preference
shown for allowing the act to remain in
operation long enough to be practically
tested. The influence of all conserva-
tive business men will be powerfully
exerted during the next five months to
prevent the unsettled effects Of Dem
ocratic victory for so-called tariff re-
form. The Republican party will profit
heavily by this influence. AS it was
strong enough to secure the Presidents
denomination at Minneapolis, it prom
Uses already to be sufficient to secure
his reelection.
About "Organized Capital in the DEM
ocratic Convention.
Hon. w. G. Owens, of Kentucky. tenn
porary president of the Democratic ma
tened. He should be named w. c.
Malapropos Owens. Certainly he has
earned the additional prenomen as
much as any historical character has
earned his alias or nickname. His
opening speech was SO full of boomer
ang eloquence that it must have struck
his auditors as exceedingly funny not
withstanding the applause which they
gave to the laundering Kentuckian.
Mr.. Malapropos Owens strated out by
saying that the first danger to the Dem
ocratic party was "the organized ma
chinery of organized capital" The
very leading Democrat sitting before
the speaker was w. G. Whitney, 500
of Cleveland's campaign, and owner of
the surface street railways in New York
City. M. Owens had been introduced
to the convention but ten seconds be-
fore by Chairman CALVIN S. Brice, own
ing $4,000, 900 Of organized capital" in
half the great railroad and other cor
porations of the country. In front
of him was Gov. Roswell P. Flower,
owning 100000 in organized rail-
way capital. Sitting near by
was Frank Jones, of New Hampshire.
the Representative OF the organized
capital of the great Eastern brewery
trust. There was ex-Mayor William r.
Grace, of New York, representing the
organized capital" invested in the
South American nitrate beds. In front,
to the right and to the left of Mr.. Mala-
propos Owens were the representatives
and benefciaries of every form of Cor
ganized capital invested in all the
trusts, combines, rings and corporations
of the country. But they were not
made uneasy by the thorns beneath the
roses Of the fowery Kentuckian. They
all joined in the applause.
''Tbe study of the cornfeld" must
have been intended for the Iowans and
Gov. Boies. The reference to the "toil-
ers in the mines" was another hint at
Brice and the labor war III the mines at
| Briceville, Tenn. The temple to the
I plain people" was for the benefit of the
| bediamonded and emblazoned Tam
manyites who had acquired millions
from the spoil of New York City. The
reference to railroad presidents" was
another pleasant reminder to Whitney,
! Brice and Flower. The billion dollar
| Congress" was for the benefit of the
| &c