The Washington bee., 1892-11-05

Voo, was asked yesterday to give his
views OF the political situation at thi;
nnal stage of the campaign. He said
Il nave had no doubt, since the Demo
cratic ticket was placed in the field. and
the Democratic platform adopted. of the
complete triumph of President Harrison
and the policies Of the Republican
party. Every serious voter is today
confronted with the question: WHY
should vote for changer And if a
change IS desirable in any event, is such
change as Mr.. Cleveland and his party
proposes the right thing for me to vote
forT In answering the first question
the citizen must reflect upon the fact
tnat never before in the history of the
nation have its affairs and the private
concerns of the people been so widely
, and highly prosperous. Business was
never before so great in volume or 81
varied in character. Money was never
before so largely invested in productive
enterprises. Labor was never before 50
, fully or so remuneratively occupied.
! Not u Workman Idle.
/ "It is substantially true to say that
nowhere in the United States can a
skilled workman be found idle. Wages
have never been so generally high, and
never before has the purchasing power
Of dollar been so great. The man who
denies these things denies blindly. His
declarations run counter to almost every
mans personal experience. The reports
Of the census Office show marvellous in
crease in all lines of production and in
the rate of wages paid employees i'll
every state in the Union without a soli-
tary exception.
Increased Wages.
''The report Of Commissioner Peck
the Democratic chief of the bureau o.
labor statistics of the state of New
York, showing the increase in wages cf
more than $6,000,0 900 for the year 1891
over the year 1890, can be substantially
duplicated everywhere. The report If
the Democratic superintendent of banks
and banking for the state of New York.
showing an increase of deposits in the
savings banks Of the state for 1891 over
1890 Of $3,000,000, is being rapidly fol-
lowed by similar reports from all other
such officials. The report of the senate
committee on prices, signed by both the
Republican and Democratic members
unanimously, showing notable reduc-
tions in the retail price of all classes of
manufactured goods, tallies with the ez
perience of householders. These are iii
contestible facts. We say that they are
directly attributable to the operation of
Republican policies. Democrats may
deny this, while admitting the facts
but if they do deny it they must at least
admit that this splendid condition of ill-
dustry and trade is, at all events, con-
sistent with the operation of Republican
policies. Then why change?
Mckinley Law Successes.
''The Mckinley bill has belied every
Democratic prediction. Mr.. Carlisle il
the senate and Mr.. Mills in the houst
declared that it would increase the tax.
alton, but the revenues have been re-
duced over $60,000,00O. They said it
would decrease the foreign trade and es-
pecially decrease exports. 1t has il,
creased the foreign trade over $20O, 900.
600 year and especially increased the
exports. They said that reciprocity
would be failure; that no nation woulG
make treaties with us, but reciprocity
has been put into practical effect with
fifteen different nations, increasing on
exports in the sum of $30,OOO,OOO OF
about % per cent, at the same time Civ
ing us untaxed sugar, coffee, molasSes
and hides, and lowering the price Of
sugar from eight to five cents a pound
They said it would fail to establish the
tin plate industry, but we have already
manufactured 18,473,019 pounds of tin
plate and IA, 124,781 pounds have been
black plates, mined and rolled and man
ufactured in the United States. Forty
two companies are now actually engaged
in producing American tin plate and be-
fore the second year Of this industry is
completed two-thirds, and probably
three-fourths, of the entire consumption
of this country will be produced here,
In word, the lie has been given to every
Democratic prediction as to the result of |
the Mckinley bill.
Then Why Change?
"How any man in his senses can wish |
a change of policy when these are the |
results of the policy that has been pur- |
sued is more than l can understand. |
But if such a change is desirable from
any ones point of view he must then !
proceed to inquire whether the change /
that the Democratic party proposes is !
the one to be adopted. The Democrats i
in their platform, by a vote of 525 to !,
342, rejected the tariff plan on which |.
Mr.. Cleveland was elected in 1884 and |!
adopted instead a plank declaring all |
duties levied to protect American wages |
The Democratic plank !,
of 1884 was q straddle. 1t said that !
duties should be levied for the purposes
of revenue only, but then said that :
the Democratic policy did not intend
harm to the established industries, but |
aimed rather to promote their healthy
growth. 1t acknowledged that there
was a great difference between the !
wages paid here and the wages paid
abroad. and said that it was wise to
make up in tariff the amount of that
difference. This meant protection If 1t
meant anything, and on that plank Mr..
obtained Office.
Democratic Free Trade.
"That plank was rejected in 1892 for
tbe very purpose, as the convention