Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-10-27
Has Had Enongh ofIt.

4 sensation was caused in Holyoke,
Mass, last week by the appearance of the
Democratic daily Free Press with the Re
publican ticket at the head of its columns
and leading editorial stating why the
change had been made. The Free Press
said
at is with deepest regret that the Free
Press acknowledges that it has lost faith
in the Democratic party, and that it firmly
believes that the present industrial stagna-
tion, financial strinGenCy and general dis
tress existing throughout the land are the
result of Democratic supremacy. One
year ago this country was enjoying a pros
perity such as had never existed before
There was not an idle mill in Massachu-
sets. In this city there was not water
wheel that was not turning, not spindle
idle, not a loom that did not send its pleas
ant hum out on the breeze, not paper en-
gine or machine that stopped from Mon
day morning till Saturday night at mid
night; all was life and activity in this, the
greatest paper producing city of the world.
There was not a large mill in the city of
Holyoke that did not run over time. So
great was the output of paper, cotton,
wooden, silk and machinery that the rail
roads kept a double force Of men at work
with extra locomotives all night as well as
all day, handling the enormous output of
manufactured goods that were being ship
ped to all parts of the known world. And
this condition of affairs existed from sea
to sea and from the Canadian line to Mex
leo. The whole world looked on and won
| dered at such prosperity. Such was the
condition of affairs one year ago.
THE Democratic party has now had alb
| sOlute control of the affairs of the nation
| for several months, and the result-the
I most sOrrowful time the nation ever saw.
! Business paralyzed, industries shut down,
wages cut down, financial panic, such a
stringency in the money market that bank
| after bank, business house after business
! house, has had to close its doors hundreds
of thousands out of work. Today there
! is scarcely mill in the city that is running
| full time, and of the large mills there i,
but one that has not gone on half time ol
cut wages 10 per cent or more. This
frightful condition of affairs appeal,
strongly to the American citizen who has
powerful weapon in his hand the bal
lot. 1t was the ballot that has brought
about this great change from prosperity tC
poverty, from industrial activity to indus
to financial depression"
Having thus vigorously stated the busi
ness situation, the Free Press goes on Il
say that "the present industrial stagnatiol
is without any doubt the result of the FIRE,
trade plank in the Democratic nationa
platform of 1892" and the fear that tn
free trade policy, under the guise of tarii
reform, will be carried out, and American
labor sacrificed to the interests of the for
eign manufacturer and importer 1t there
fore refuses longer to support party and
platform which have brought such calami
ties on the American people, and, in effect
follows the example set by patriotic Demo
Gratis at the beginning of the war b
choosing country in preference to party.
There is no doubt that this change G
front is a sign of the times. Thousand
of men who were beguiled by Democrat
sophistry year ago are secretly cherishin
the feeling which the Holyoke paper S
strongly expresses.