The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1894-09-28

Shan American or F6rsIRn ideas Regnrdine
FINANCE and Trade Prevail In the United
states7
(The Empire Of Finance and Trade New
York;
with silence neighbor. and attention wait
For It's = business Of high enaie.-virgn-
There can be little doubt but that n
the bottom Of our present difficulties
lies the great question whether we
shall pursue an American or foreign
policy Of finance and trade. The mere
statement that we would or should
pursue any other than an american
policy ought 70 be enough 70 awaken
the public and set them thinking as to
what should be done.
That m American policy is not being
pursued Is evident from the fact that
NO American policy could bring upon
whole nation such turmoil and depres-
sion as is now or has been witnessed
ever since the present administration
has been in power.
That nature has been kind TO the
people Is certain. The harvests have
been plentiful and pestflence almost
unknown. The fault, then, cannot
be natures, but must be in the laws
and regulations of the people them
selves
The question, then, comes home.
whether II be the fault of Individuals
or Of those they put in Office to con-
duct their. public affairs. That Il is
not the fault of mere individuals is
established from the fact that no indi-
vidual not in public Office could per-
form any act that would have so wide
spread and disastrous an effect upon
a whole population OF some seventy
millions of people.
This, then, brings us TO the consider
alton of the question whether any act
or acts of public officials, or any policy
or policies instituted by them could
have such an effect Anancient proverb
has tritely said that when the wicked
beareth rule the people mourn" Now
this word wicked does not in the
proverbmean iniquity, so much as being
wrong, or the following of wrong or
injurious plan of policy.
With this understanding OF the pro-
verb we can see in q moment that It
must have arisen out OF the experience
of humanity, and is just as true to-day
as when first uttered.
Truly the people are now mourning
their fate under a wrongor foreign
policy of finance and trade. We have
frequently shown how necessary 1t is
for the American people to NO longer
follow any foreign policy. no matter
by whom recommended or adopted. Our
bankers, merchants and business men
well know that we could trade and
have more comfort and prosperity than
we enjoy to-day II an American policy
were pursued. While we may not de-
sire to be thus Isolated 1t is a fact OF no
small moment that we can do what no
other nation Of our population can
produce that which will feed. clothe.
and keep up the present Civilization of
our people without having any depend
ence on Europe whatever.
We can produce the cattle on more
than a Thousand hills. The waving
wheat and corn the plenteous harvest
assures, whenever we turn the fruitful
soil. The hum Of the factory. the ring
Of the miners pick all go to show that
we are absolutely independent Of all
other nations.
The American people have E'niJ to
realize this fact, and to make those
they place in authority conform to II
incur currency and in our commences
and all will be well.
To neglect this essential and allow
the executive or Legislative branches of
the government to adopt a policy es-
sentially foreign is to invite national
destruction and death. For more than
year this has been done.
Line after line of railway has passed
into bankruptcy, and the property Of
the investor is now likely to shrink TO
still smaller proportions Bank after
bank, merchant after merchant, insti-
tuition after institution has shrunken,
until 1t Is almost impossible 10 meet
with any policy which will assist, to
any great extent, those at the sources
of production. Nevertheless, officials
pursue the even tenor Of their way.
The people are dumbfounded to know
the cause and the right or wrong of
the question. and the debates still 90
on with varying success The people
seem resigned to their fate.
The cure, however, is simple and the
remedy near at hand. 1t is embraced
In three words: Reverse the policy.
Let us abandon the foreign for the
American policy. Let us use both
gold and silver as money. or adopt a
policy still more peculiarly our own.
When all this is effected, then, and
not till then, will it h. time to cast
away this device or quit the shield OF
our rights and our liberties policy
truly American.
"A.