Omaha daily bee., 1893-11-09
THE MEANING OF IT.

Inc meaning VI Lnt ON6TW lSiiulnk 10
publican victory in the states where ma
tional questions exercised a predomi-
mating influence on the minds of voters
must be obvious to everybody. A year
ago the general conditions affecting the
commercial and industrial interests OF
the country were in the highest degree
favorable. All the great manufactur.
ing enterprises were in active operation
and the labor employed in them was
fully occupied at remunerative wages.
The country as a whole was highly
prosperous and for several years he'd
been making marked material
progress. During the two years
following the adoption OF the
present tariff law between 300 and 400
new industrial plants were established
aud nearly half as many old ones were
extended. The new capital thus in
vested exceeded $40, 600, 900 and gave
work to more 81, 900 additional employees.
In the first six months of 1892 there was
built l35 new factories and mills. Re-
ports of the labor commissioners OF New
York and Massachusetts, for 1892 showed
a great increase in the production of
manufactured goods in those states over
1891. There never has been a time in
our history when work was so abundant
and when wages were as high as at the
time when the American people by their
votes transferred the control of the
legislative and executive departments
of the government to the democratic
party. ,
Results have abundantly
that in this the people made a very
grave mistake. What are the present
conditions? For ten months the country
has suffered from a severe business de-
preston. Hundreds of factories and
mills are idle and a larger number are
running on short time. The unemployed
are more numerous than ever before in
our history. and for the hundreds of
thousands of idle men and women in the
leading manufacturing states the
outlook seems hopeless. A few
new plants have been estab-
lished within the past year, but
the number is insignificant in compari-
son with those which are doing nothing
or operating only to the extent of one
third or one-halt of their capacity.
Necessarily, all other branches of bust
ness have been similarly affected, and at
this time nobody engaged in industrial
and commercial business is as prosper
Gus as a year ago. The only people who
are prospecting today are the usurers
who thrive Upon the misfortunes of
Others. In thousands of homes which
one short year ago we're free from any
pecuniary obligation the chattel mort
gage, with it's merciless demand, is now
an object of fearful solicitude.
Can there be any doubt as to what has
brought about this extraordinary
reversal of conditions? 1t is unmistak-
ably due to the apprehension that the
democratic party may carry out its ex-
treme reactionary views regarding the
fiscal policy of the country under which
during the last thirty years we have
attained our enormou industrial de.
velopment. The immense plurality for
Mckinley in Ohio and the election of the
republican candidate for governor ir
MISUNDERSTANDING cause of protection
having been more distinctly an issue ir
those states than elsewhere-can fairl,
be regarded only as a most vigorous pro
test of the people, after the sober
second thought, against the remark
able doctrine of the democratic party
that the principle of protection is un
constitutional, and consequently mus
be abandoned. The republican part,
will not make the mistake of assuming
that the verdict of the people of those
great manufacturing states means tina
they desire or would be willing to &C
cept a higher tariff than that we nov
have. 1t has no such significance
Doubtless thousands who voted for thu
: republican candidates in Ohio ant
Massachusetts believe that there shout,
, be some notifications of the tariff, bu
, they believe at the same time tina
American industries should continu
to be given such reasonable measure G
protection as will operate as a safe
@ guard against destructive foreign compe
tition. 1t would seem that this is ais
a the view of a majority of the voters o
4 Iowa, and it probably had some infu
o ence upon the result in New York.
q Will the party in control of the gov
eminent give heed to the plain meauin,
of Tuesdays electjons? That remain
n to be seen. So far as the republicans i
q congress are concerned, they will ur
doubleday be stimulated by these resnlt
to a more aggressive fight against gel
a eral tariff changes han it has beer III
derstood they intended TO make. The
a will feel that there is an urgent deman
upon them not to permit The enemies
protection to have their way uncha
:, lenged.
D. TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.