Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-07-28

Ing the Union SOterons-WOfk Tor the
Rspubilcsn Minority In Congress.
They Acknowledge the Truth.
The Democratic party gained power
last November by promise to in
crease prosperity. The. nation was
then more prosperous than at any time
in its history. But it suited the pur-
poses Of Democratic journal, and cam
paign orators to represent the Ameri-
can people as impoverished and dis
heartened. The Chicago platform
declared that the protective policy
fosters no industry SO much as it does
that Of the sheriff" The Democratic
Presidential candidate declared. in his
formal speech of acceptance nMadis6n
Square Garden, that the people We. e
"burdened as by a tariff sys-
tenn that relentlessly and unjustly d"
mands from them In the purcha.c !.
the necessaries and comforts Of life aA
amount scarcely met by the wages of
hard and daily toll" The whole Dem
ccratic campaign was conducted on the
assumption that the country was suf-
fering from the evil effects of protec-
ton and that Democratic success meant
better times" for everybody. The
most reckless and extravaganza prom
ises were made to the people by Demo-
cratic spokesman; promises which it
was absolutely impossible to fulfill, and
which those who made them never III
tended to be fulfilled. With the active
assistance rendered by the Peoples
party" this gigantic confidence game
succeeded. The structure of deceit
and falsehood on which it was founded
has been crumbling ever since.
Instead OF prosperity, Democratic
triumph has brought ruin to multi
tudes. 1t has enormously multiplied
failures. 1t has brought about a sus-
pension Of credit that has checked
legitimate business development in
every line Of activity. 1t has east
doubt upon the currency of the nation.
1t has restricted wages and increased
the number of the unemployed. Ithas
reduced the values of the securities in
which the savings of the American peo-
pie are invested by more than a billion
dollars. Yet great as is the damage
that has already been wrought, it is
only the beginning OF disaster If the
Democratic platform Of free trade and
State currency is to be carried out.
Free trade organs that were foremost
in assuring the people that the election
OF Grover Cleveland would inaugurate
an area Of increased industrial prcduc-
ton and enhanced prosperity for labor
are being forced by the progress of
events to admit that not only were the
Democratic ante-election promises of
immediate improvement In business
and industry false, but that even
worse distress than that existing at
present is to be expected in the future.
A New York Democratic newspaper
that is generally supposed to maintain
close relations with the Cleveland ad-
ministration urges the Democrats in
Congress to repeal the Sherman act on
the ground that its repeal will restore
a measure OF confidence that will en-
able the country to withstand the as
sault upon its industries which the
Democracy is pledged to make. This
Cleveland organ declares that 1T is the
history of tariff legislation that any
radical changes in customs duties Wis
IDLY affect trade conditions and some
times produce a period of industrial de-
preston" 1t asserts that the result Of
the repeal of the Sherman act would
in effect constitute a balance against
which the party might draw to cover
-xau4ossotcredit due to the neces sarily
p%rotracted and painful surgery to which
1t must resort In removing the Mckin-
ley tumor."
There was no hint in the Democratic
platform or the deliverances of Demo-
cratic newspapers and orators last fall
Of industrial depression" or "protract-
ed and painful surgery" as a result of
Mr.. C~leveland's election. The Demo-
cratic party was then in search of votes.
Its leaders were not ignorant of the dis
astrous effect which the enactment of
their party principles must inevitably
produce. But they knew If they told
the people the truth about free trade
the Democracy could not carry a single
Northern State on the Chicago plat
form. Now the truth can nc longer BE-
concealed, and the voters of the United
States who have already paid a heavy
penalty for the restoration OF DEM
ocracy to power are coolly informed
that they must look forward to still
greater losses as soon as the tariff
haters can get to work. The Repub-
lican press denounced Democratic cam
paign promises as the frauds and false
hoods they were. The accuracy of its
indictment is becoming more evident
every day.
"
Punishing the Union Veterans.
Never before in the history of the
Government has q step been taken So
unjust and unreasonable as that of the
Pension Bureau in the suspension of
the pensions of about one hundred
thousand Union veterans. These sol
diers of the Union, each drawing a
meager pittance from the Government
on the ground of personal disability
to support themselves, are, without
any evidence whatever, presumed to be
guilty Of fraud, punished on that find
Ing by the suspensions, and then told
to prove their innocence before partial
and prejudiced examiners, Or be
dropped from the rolls altogether. No
criminal arraigned at the bar on a
charge, however heinous, is treated as
it is proposed to treat these he
roes of Donelson, Of Shiloh, OF
Vicksburg, Of Gettysburg, OF
the Wilderness, of Petersburg,
and of Sherman's March to the Sea.
1t is safe to assume that they are poor
men, to when the four or eight OF
twelve dollars a month is of vital con
sequences; to whom the little pension
represents their humble food and lodg.
ing, and in many cases food and lodging
% q
for the aged wives who toiled at home
while the soldier husband was in the
field. 1t is evident that in the eyes Of
those in authority at Washington there
could be no greater crime than to have
fought in the Union armies: otherwise
the Union pensioner would not be de
MED the presumption accorded to the
meanest criminal; he would not be sus
pended before the Government which
granted him the pension originally had
determined, upon new evidence, thai
the pension was no longer due. 1t il
no wonder that veterans, and the SON:
Of veterans, everywhere are becoming
aroused and indignant.
Work for Republicans.
It has been thirty-two years since
the Democracy, the party OF free trade
of dishonest money, OF subseryience Il