The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1893-08-03
Promise versus Performance.

1t is one thing to promise, quite an
other to perform.
One short year ago the Democratic
party was very profuse in promises.
Only let them elect their President and
give them congress and they would
inaugurate an era Of prosperity and hap
pness such As the world Eever saw.
The wrongs of the laborer, the farmer,
the producer and the consumer should
be rightcd and that speedily. They
ignored the fact that the then present
was the most prosperous period that the
Nation had ever seen. All lines of man
ufacturing We're tlourishing as they
had never flourished before. Trade was
healthy ard money easily to be obtained
at fair rates, and circulated freely,
because of the confidence the business
men of the nation had in the integrity
and ability of the governm, mt, and their
faith in the principles and policy of the
party in power. But that demagogic
combination known as the Democratic
party, living in this time of healthful
prosperity and fattening on the bounty
of the land. for the sake of attaining
position and power, made all sorts of
statements of what they would do and,
without the least regard for the good of
the country, filled the ears of the people
with fiction, arraying the employed
against employer, the producer against
the consumer, and by sophistry and
misrepresentation inveigled thousands
cratic ticket. under their speciolts promi-
ses of great good to the whole country
and the whole world.
So much for the promise. What has
been the performance: In 1892
our people were - employed Ns
never before, and at wages at once the
wonderland envy of the people of the civil
lied world. Now our industries are sus-
pending right and left, wages are being
cut down, aud the great army of the
unemployed is increasing every day. and
|
in the face. Business is crippled and
finances disturbed to an extent without
parallel in this country, and the affairs
OF Our nation are discreditcd with the
nations of the world.
OF course our Democratic friends will
account for this and lay it to the Re
publican party. They have always done
so and always will. They say ii is all
| owing to the "sherman bill" Let Us
see about this. I'll" silver purchase act
has been in effect since 1880. three wears
severely felt 50 soon after the Inaugural
ton of the Democratic administration.
and not before. The Sherman bill is Il
bad one. enacted As ii compromise meas
ure and ought to be repealed. but. lack
of performance OF this great party of
promise, has more 20 do with the present
condition, even of our finances. than the
silver purchase act. This violation of
promises so etlusiyely and onlinuously
made during the campaign of lS92. has
the effect to destroy what remnant of
confidence the people may have had in
the party in power and cause them to
| fear the worst from it.
The situation may be summarized as
follows: The Republican party and
the sherman act. with confidence and
the highest prosperity, in 1892; the
Democratic party and the Sherman act.
with distrust AMI extreme adversely. in
| 1888 The difference is in the parties
and what they scverally represent and
inspire. The Republican party prom
Uses and performs the Democratic party
promises and fails to perform.