Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-09-07

It is not unimportant-as thousands
OF honest American wOrkmen are de-
prived, by the shutting down OF the
mills, Of achance to earn their bread,
and as the whole nation finds business
contracted by money stringency caused
solely by the threat Of industrial revc-
lution-t0 try 10 DIX the responsibility.
With whom does II rest? Did any one
person set IN motion the train Of cir
cumstances which has produced these
lamentable results? Let US see.
During his first term Mr.. Cleveland
began the movement which ended In
his reelection upon q free trade plat
form Up to that time the Democratic
party, having strong inclinations to
free trade, but fearing the patriotic
instincts of the American people, had
usually shnf1ed with the question.
But Mr.. Cleveland in 1887 sent to Con-
gress = message which was devoted
wholly to dennnciation of the protec-
tive system. This attack upon home
industry rallied the free-traders, and
finally the Democratic party, ito the
British system Of which Mr.. Cleveland
made himself the champion. In the
same strain, In 1883, Mr.. Cleveland
wrote his letter OF acceptance. He ex-
pressed his purpose through the in
strumentality OF tariff reform" to
cheaper ~the cost Of the necessaries Of
life, and to increase the purchasing
power OF the workingman's wages"
The cheapening process has been per-
formed, but where, alas! are the wages
Of the workingman!
Following MI. Cleveland's example,
the entire Democratic press OF the
country began to denounce as plumber
ers OF the PEOPLE the men who conduct
cur great industries. Day after day for
years past these journals have en-
deavored to arouse evil passions and to
divert public opinion to the view that
manufacturers are public enemies, who
have enriched themselves by ilching
the substance OF the people with the
help Of the federal government. Last
year the Democratic platform described
the Mckinley tariff law Is the .culmi-
mating atrocity Of class legislation. "
Thus the control Of the machinery
Of the government, with unlimited
power TO break down and to de-
stroy, passed into the hands Of q man
and 8 Party, both Of whom had for
years boen .waging war upoG vast
Industries, in which hundreds 81 mill
lions Of capital were invested and which
could mot hope to continue successfully
when the influence Of their own gov
eminent should be welded directly
against them. Under such conditions
what could have happened but that
prostration should befall? What could
be expected by q manufacturer from Q
President who, over and over again,
had denounced him ~ Q robber, and
from q Congress elected to ROOT out aud
to destroy . system OF robbery? It
would have been folly for such . man
to 20 on with his business operations
! precisely as II no revolution had o G
CURED and - il he had the assurance
he possessed under Republican rule
that he would not be molested.
Silver purchases were made month
by month when Mr.. Cleveland sent to
ICOngress HIS hrst incendiary message
In 1857. They were still made when
he wrote his letter OF acceptance in
1883. They were made wnen he &C.
cepted the noimination last year upon
: revolutionary platform: but still the
business of the nation pro- pered. But
no sooner had he and his tarty come
into Office, with positive ability to make
good their threats, than . great wave
Of depression swept over the land. II
lis impossible not to perceive that the
whole cause OF the trouble was the sue.
cess Of the Democratic party, or t.
deny that the man who gave the Inn
petis TO the forces Of destruction was
Grover Cleveland, to whose rash utter.
ances and aggressive promotion of the
free trade cause Is to be attributed, far
more than to any other influence, the
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