Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-11-02
PUBLIC OPINION.
THE APPROACHING ELECTION.

Kinley's majority should be nifty or
hundred thousand, TINT could not be
fairly claimed, and would not be claimed
by any sensible person as measure of
victory. The country, in the
midst of plenty, is virtually in want;
there must be other than natural causes
for this. Food is plenty and compare
lively cheap; the fields under the opera
tions of natural laws yielded abundantly;
the mines are full of treasures waiting
to be removed; the loom, the anvil and
all the tools connected with industries
are ready to be handled; skilled mechan-
les are ready and anxious for employ
ment; no strikes clog the wheels any
where; the population of the country is
increasing; there are no panics that can
be traced to overspeculation; money is
abundant and every dollar in circula-
ton is equal for all commercial purposes
to gold. The banks have resources
rapidly accumulating, and these they are
either afraid to use or there is no de-
mand for them. Call loans in New
York are quoted at II to 2 per cent.
Merchants and manufacturers have cur
tailed their business; they would not
branch out if they could, they would
not borrow money if they could. Every
body is afraid to move, thence, as an
immediate result, the great armies of
unemployed wage-earners, and hence,
too, the great armies of workingmen
who receive reduced wages or employ
ment on short time. There must be a
cause for this. What is it? A year ago
the conditions in this country were far
different from what they are now; no
natural causes have occurred to bring
about this remarkable and disastrous
change. What, then, is the matter? 1t
can only be intelligently attributed to
that change in political affairs which
has produced a feeling Of uncertainty
ali over the country; not in one State or
section, or in any particular branch OF
business, but in every section, and in
all branches of business, from the de-
posits beneath the earth, through the
products of the fertile soil of the farmer,
the forests that afford employment to
the lumbermen, the railroads, the man
ufacturing establishments, the mercan-
tile houses, the counting-room, the banks
and the carrying trades, the depression
is universal: it extends into the homes
of the people; even charitable institu-
tions are crippled; there is no exception
Under cur system the people are the
source of all power and, therefore, with
the people lies the responsibility for the
changes in National affairs, which have
brought about the prevailing depression
There is no remedy for this except
through the ballot box, and even that
can not be immediate in its operations
except so far as public opinion may in
that way be voiced. The lamentable
condition of affairs at Washington is
now subject to public scrutiny; it is COM
mented upon by the press of all parties
by the intelligent people of ali parties
it is attracting attention in European
countries and is intensifying the credit
panic in the United States,tfor there is
no panic in this country that can prop
erly be called by any other name. A
small minority in the United States
Senate is permitted to fiddle while the
great industries of this country suffer
vet there is Democratic majority in
that body, as there is in the House, and
the Administration is wholly Demo
cratic. Now that party can not be uh'
aware of the condition of affairs; 1t is
not blind to the sufferings that prevails
and the apprehensions that paralyze
every branch of business and carries
distress into almost every family in the
land, yet the minority fiddles, the MAORI
ty listens and virtually pronunces itsell
helpless. Even the President, who is al
the head of the party which now con
trolls our Government, is sneered at by
the majority of his own party. This is
true presentation of the prevailing con.
dition of affairs. But it may be asked
what can the people do about it? Moth
ing, except that they can express an
opinion and thunder protest thai
would shake the foundations of politica
misrule at the National Capital.
This opportunity is now presented to
the people of Ohio, and if they do moi
embrace it they can not fairly consider
themselves blameless. If they should
fall to vote through the ballot t-box the
prevailing sentiment the United State;
| Congress will continue to trifle with the
interests of the people and claim thai
their conduct is justified. We have SAID
that the pending cambaign in Ohio il
not in strict sense a political compalgn
but business one. 1t so happens thai
the sentiment of the people can not al
this time be voiced through Democratic
machinery for the simple reason that the
Democratic machinery at Washington is
responsible for the distress that needs te
be removed. A vote for Neal, therefore
irrespective of his party affiliations
would not aid in warning the men in
power at Washington; on the contrary Il
would be construed as an Endorsement
of that policy which is now so univers
ally condemned. A vote for Mckinley, ,oI
the other hand. would operate in the right
direction and it would be needed, too
There is time in the life of all men
and we may say there are many times
when it becomes duty for special pur
poses to cut loose from party affiliations
and vote in the interests of the country
and its industries. That time is now
with us and the opportunity will occur
on the seventh of November. If thi:
shall not be taken advantage of, ther
depression will continue, and this viii
lead most assuredly to disasters fal
greater than those experienced within
the last six months.
STRIKING YINDICATION.
| Pittsburgh Times.
The report of the United States Consul
Anthony Howells, (DemocraH of Cardiff