Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-12-26
RESULTS OF DOUBT.

ing under President Harrison's Ad-
ministration. Why should it not? His
term of office has not yet expired.
True, some works in progress have
been arrested, and some orders for
machinery have been countermand-
ed, because the future looks to manu-
facturers less promising. This means
less increase in productive power
than might have been expected, but
not as yet prostration of existing in
terests. Tt is true also that some es-
tablishments have determined to cur
tail their production, and have cut
down their force or closed altogether.
1t is much too early to read in the
condition of manufactures the results
of change of laws which the demo-
cratic party has not yet effected. In
deed, that party has not yet collected
it's ideas far enough to know what it
means to dc, and it's ardent Free Trad
ers may be more disappointed than
anybody else with it's performances.
For thirty years it has not been party
that has ever done what it set out to
do. When Mr.. Cleveland was first
elected, the Democrats had an excuse
that they were ia a minority in the
Senate. Prices sagged and business
was depressed for months after his
election, until it became known that
no radical change of laws would re-
suit, and then sharp Improvement
/ ell I'LL &c vfYso
session, more than a year must elapse
before the country can know what
the Democratic party do this time, or
what it will try to do. Until that is
made known, nothing like the full eff
feet of the meditated change of policy
can be expected.
! But two effects oan be realized, and
probably will be to some extent, even
while President Harrison is still in Of
fee. Developments Improvement and
expansion will in many directions be
arrested. OF this some evidences ap-
pear already. This arrest of growth
has results that are distinctly hurtful
The force of labor is constantly in
creasing, but the opportunities of en-
ployment in some directions will not
increase. The tendency may be to
push labor into occupations already
overcroWded. Then the continually
accommodating wealth and enterprise
of the country find development in
some directions embarrassed. The ten
dency may be to push those forces
into fields already full.
A second effect is more definite, and
can be perceived to some extent al
ready. Foreign capital amounting to
a Thousand millions has been invested
in this country according to estimates
made within few years. Interest
and dividends have in prosperous
times been largely invested here, as
this was considered the safest and
most promising field in the world.
If the foreigner stops investing; if
he takes away his interest and divi-
delats, and even his capital in some
eases, where will the effect be felt9
First of all, and most seriously, in the
of money. Gold will go
abroad, and confidence in the future {
Of the paper circulation may be i'm I
paired. For more than thirty years !
lnder the Republican policy, this i,
What largely upon foreign reserves of I
'apital. Within the last few years, as
he best results of Protection have
'een witnessed, these supplies of for
ign capital have been SO large as to
insure beyond all question the safety {
L the paper circulation. 1t is already
bivioas that a change In that respect Z
1ay not be far distant Z
1t is because these evils are liable :;
0 come at once, and to continue while a
ncertainty lasts regarding the Demo c.
ratio policy, that early decision and II
ction by that party are desirable f
BUSINESS men can regulate their affairs d
18th more or less success to almost + II
ny conditions, provided they know te
hat those conditions are. They can p,
OF prepare for unknown and un- ., .,
nownable conditions, so that pro- ca
'nged uncertainty is liable to do n
lore harm in the aggregate than
lany Imagine 1t is trne that the =
heels have not all stopped; no one
that they would with Re
ublican President still in office. But
bher harm, less obvious and yet not
be wantonly prolonged, results
ON the uncertainty about the future
hich only the Democrats themselves
IN remoYe.-Tribune