Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-09-06

The Bo0eG0 8GfA10 - co021e510ly ole-
tarbed over . iscsatious remark Of IL
political pfosess, Dr.. Wlhan Es<sxa, >
the effect Inst s.ths momens Mr.. cievsIand
beeaa his sdnisissssfisa rhe financial d.
t.ess began % prevail thsousboss The lad ].
The H<nA does not deny de- uufh sf this
st4t<ment. neisher does Il refer 70 the fact
that, prior to the commencement Of Mr.
tCseyelsnl:s saminissssason she coantry vas
enjoy ing N sr. Of unsurpassed prosperity.
Wort vss ps<nty and saees higher than
they ever were befose, even IN The much
qaosed war times for every dollar fiizf
tie vase-ezrnef, received fos their toll uas
gosA dollar. THIS vas uoder Republican
rule. The Denocssfic party. with IL free
trade programme, came into power The
hasiaess interests Of the country had little
20 hope FROM parry whose declared pur-
pose sas the complete reversal Of the
ecoaomie policy Of the government. But
ssks the Herald, IL the present depression
il due to fear Of the Democratic party
"phy did il not begin in November. when il
sas known that the Demoerssic party vas
TO have the government. and not wait four
monshs beyond that pefioi for its com
| mencemeat." ls has never been the custom
Of the American people 10 cross bridges be-
fore they come to them. They have always
been too prone to live in the present. So
| long a. President Harrison sat in the exec
atise chair they knew that the business IN
t.sests Of the country would be cared for,
and no danger vxs to be apprehendsd from
the free trade virus. Again there were a
number Of weeks subsequent to the national
election that the political complexion Of the
| United Staies Senate was involved in donbs.
There WAS reason to hope for some time
owing to the complicated condition OF
affairs in some Of the states that the friends
Of protection might command 3 small ma
| iori,y Of that body when its membership
was finally determined. These causes I'M
dogbictIiy did much TO diver. public atien-
ton and retard the development Of the
panic. The Herald, In its frantic efforts 10
call public attention from the logic Of events,
and preserve the reputation Of the Demo
cratic party In the very midst Of the wide
spread ruin that has been wrought by fear
! ~ it's free trade fallacies, assumes that II
fear Of free trade was the cause Of the
panic, which, according to the testimony OF
Dr. Everett set 10 from the very moment
that Mr.. Cleveland began his admin
isua,ion." then it should have fol
lowed Immediately upon the heels Of
the national election. 1t should have
sprung up, full grown, like Jonah's gourd
in single night. The utter hoilowness OF
this faiiacy by which the Herald endeavori
to conceal the truth Of the situation from
its readers, and bolster up the weakening
free trade cause. will at once appear wher
We give the same line of reasoning little
wider application. The Herald holds tina
the so called Sherman law is wholly re
sponsible for the present depression; bu
the Sherman Law has been in operation fol
two years. Why. if it is the cause of tbs
present panic, did it not begin at once aftel
the enactment of that measure. IL dela'
Of four months after the national election
i, sufficient to fully convince the Heral'
that fear of the Democratic party and il
free trade policy is in no wise responsible,
for present business troubles, surely de
lay Of two years after the passage of TIL
sherman law ought to fully establish thu
innocence of that measure. But the Heralt
is utterly lacking in honesty. 1t is en-
deayoring to hide very self-evident truti
and in so doing fancies that it is doipl
the free trade cause positive service. II
use its own words. 1.-The whole business j
bosh, and the country well understands it.
II il much better to deal with
question frankly and fairly than t
try and becloud it with fallscy
, As a matter of fact both the fear 0
the free trade programme of the Democrat
party, and the Sherman law have contribut
ed to present business. 1t is matter o
opinion As to which of these causes hs
done the most mischief. For our ow
party We have never for moment doubt
, ed but what the former was by far the NOR
potent in bringing about existing evils.
The key to the whole situation is in tn
hands Of President Cleveland. If he is III
iced the lofty statesman, the disintereste
patriot that the Herald has loved to pair
bin he will have courage enoughlto brave TIL
charge of inconsistency and bringing bac
prosperity to the nation. He has but to de
clare that no changes will be made in tn
existing tariff under his administration an
confidence will Immediately be restored
Business enterprises will again resume oper'
tons, the working men of the country wi
once more find employment, the march O
the gaunt spectre of want through the Ian
, will be stayed. wages will be advanced an
the bright sun of prosperity once more smi
upon the land. viii he take the necessar
step?