New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-25
THE COOP GIFTS or iN"f.

Tho business Of the year Is practlcall! e'''"'
II has been year Of tremendous changes anu
;ts struggles have been costly almost p!"hi
calculation. and the fact that il closes Win Il
volrmc of business even a little greater than
,oor ago is under the circumstances cnconrag
;,o Ret,or hy far is the fact that dangers "l
,bo orovcst character have been avoided ana
tina, decision Of the people has probably avert
cd those, dangers for years. II not forever w
one can estimate even now what might nave
hccn the loss and sacrifice if any tariii III acc"f"
with Democratic professions and pledges or
either the hill passed hy the House vi '"' Wv
framed lay thc Senate committee. had been
enacted The industry ana business "i 'Ii' Vo""
FRY escaped almost incalculablc harm "h'h
these were both defeated. The iariii 'ni'""'
though its full effect has not yet been i'i' WIS
with reason hailed as an escape from great his
chief threatened
So thc only action on monetary qlosl"hS' ]"
inadcuuaie and disCraccfully wanting III ''-
nocjtv was a relief because mncaSurably dah-
ccrous measures We're prevented. rec S"N'i
coinage was threatened. hut was dcica''d. rI''
State banking has been threatened ever since
Congress met last year hut thus far scar''l!
any prospect appears that congress can "N'''
upon a bill of that character No one can
estimate what harm would haN" b''h u'"' I"
the industries AMI the business ~ 'he country
II bv any mischance. either Of these measures
had succeeded and not Il little ~ the m"h'r""
recovery which has been realized is duc l" inc
escape from these impending pcril'. with Only
two months Of this Congress remaining thore
Is ground for hope that no further action "f
sorionslv harmful sort will be permitted.
Grave damage Of another sort has been
osconod Tho tremendous struggle between
strikers and Transporting companies which the
strikers quickly transformed into struggle pc
twoen their organizations and the Government
Of the country. appeared to many 'honHh''"
mon 70 threaten the pcrpetuity Of free insiitn
lions Certain II j. that seif-Governih'ht "ou"
not stand in this country II II suier'' SUE"
despotism and lawlcss violence as mat oil inc
American Railway Union 10 disregard the tights
Of all citizens and al companies But 1t u no"
we'll known that this struggle would NOT nave
been forced upon the country If. IN Inc hliuS
of many labor agitators. there had not bc'h Il
belief that the highest officials IN the Demo
cratic party would play the donagoGu" anu
Ike Mayor Hopkins Of Chicago ana Governor
Al,geld Of Illinois, would neglect or refuse L"
enforce the laws. No man can osiimai" how
serious the consequences would hay" been hhd
tbc courts and the President pursued a similar
course and encouraged instruction under the
prctcXt Of a strike
When one considers what the pcopl" nave
escaped in this diving year 1894 he finds reason
for astonishment that the proslraiion has ho'
hoen greater and that the recovery has already
given back so much Of our industry ana ,raH'.
II Is not the result to-day. cOnirasled with the
situation at the beginning Of this year. or at inc
close Of the prosperous year 1S'2. that warrants
the most cheering comment. hut rather the re-
sult attained in contrast 10 what might nave
bcfallcn the country had il not escaped elmer
Of many great dangers. II has had year 81
cyncrlcncr Of Democratic rule ana mas barrN
missed jncaIcIlahlc disasters. The p"opl" nav"
shown by overwhelming majorili"s That th'y
want no more Of il. but can now look back WIN
profound thankfulncss upon the record "f me
wear and rejoice that they were abb" I" inter-
nose n determined vote and an Overwhelming
ma iority before the legitimate fruits of Demo
cratic policy had been reached.