The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-06-15
VINO Gets the Benefl,s ?

In his speech on taking the chair of the
republican national convention Mr.. Nc
KINLEY said in regard to the tariff bill
that made him famous:
There is not line in that tariff bill that
is not American; there is not a passage
that is not patriotic; there is not a page
that does not represent true Americanism
and the highest possibilities of American
citizenship.
This is An application Of his general the
DRY expressed earlier in his speech, as fol-
lows:
A protective tariff encourages and slim
ulates American industries and gives the
widest posi- Utilities 10 American genius
and American effort
ii Mr.. MCKINLEY were called upon for
evidence in support of his assertions he
would proceed to give figures showing the
national increase in wealth and produc-
ton. He would probably inform his hear
ers that according to the census the as
sessed value OF property in the United
States had increased from $4,000. 00O, 900.
in 1850, to $4,000, 100000 in 1890, and
that this represented an increase in true
000,0O0000 in 1890, which is a per capita
wealth of 81, 600 He would give other
similar figures, but he would not and
could not give any facts to show
that it in any way broadened or
improved ''the possibilities of American
citizenship" No one denies that the tariff
system increases the wealth of some peo-
pie enormously. 1t could not be other
wise when you are taxing me whole COM
munity and giving the profits to the ia
Vored few. Who is getting this increased
wealth? Is the condition of the average
man improving Is it any easier for an
American to rise above the condition Of
his birth? These are the questions that
must be considered il We wish to know
whether "the possibilities OF American
citizenship" are improving, and as to
these nothing could be more deluSive than
figures showing the total increases of the
country under a system that is designed
TO prevent the distribution OF natural
benefits and concentrate the profits of all
industry. Mr.. BELLAMY puts this truth
very aptly in the Neao Nation in n recent
article on g. S. KING's book, "Bondholders
and Breadwinners," as follows:
Suppose a hundred families, of four
persons each, live upon and own q hun
drsd farms and these farms show a graft
| flying increase in value during the past
decade, 90 that each family's possessions
should be worth $1,000. Here each per-
son would possess an average actual wealth
Of $1,000, and the community would be a
happy, prosperous and wealthy one.
But suppose that ninety-seven of these
| families are living on mortgaged farms
their debts increasing faster than their
farm values, tho community as a whole
still showing q very gratifying increase in
wealth, but all that increase being
| in the hands of the three men who
operate the bank, the railroad and
the factory, could it then be said that the
community was a happy, prosperous or
wealthy one? Hardly. The three fami-
lies would be prosperous-e minently So
while the ninety-seven would be drifting
to inevitable ruin, Notwithstanding the
same total wealth might exist in the COM
munity az In the first case.
AS well might the ninety-seven shout
over the accumulated wealth Of the other
three-their banner, railroade7 and manu-
fzcturer-as that MN ETY. seventh undredth
Of American citizens should shout over
the increase OF wealth OF the other three
hundrsdths-their bankers, railroaders
and manufacturers.
Test the question Of individual progress
IS you may, you cannot find anything to
support Mr.. McKELEY's statement. Take
for example WOODEN manufactures
There has been o continuous increase in