The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-20
REPUBLICAN PROSPERITY co

Three Republican aspirants for the
presidency have been telling the coun-
try that it was in an abject, poverty
stricken condition, and it is unueces-
sary to add that they all agree in as
cribing the condition to the Democratic
administration. OF course, this is just
on the eve of an election. Immediately
after the overwhelming defeat of Mr..
Harrison. less than two years ago. these
same gentlemen were fond of ascribing
the event as due to hard times. low
values, and the dissatisfaction which
such a condition is sure to create, and
to a large extent they told the truth
then, because at no time previous to
1892 had the values of wheat. cotton,
pork. corn or iron fallen so low.
1t is needless TO say that the labored
efforts of these three presidential can
didates are directed solely to the crea-
ton of commercial distrust and by the
preaching of calamity to stampede the
masses into voting the Republican
ticket. While they are profuse in their
promises of renewed prosperity, they
offer no better policy than, the expert
ments of the past thirty years. whose
elimination was the commercial panic
of last summer, and whose sole result
has been the nursing of industries far
beyond the needs of our population,
and of its capacity to support them.
What is the matter with the pet and
much lauded tin industry after its four
years of absolute control of the Ameri-
a. H.
three times as many tin factories as the
country can employ, and three times
more capacity than the population can
absorb. We have the spectacle of Mr..
Mckinley pointing with pride to the
owner of the large tin plant at ST.
Louis. at his mass meeting there a
couple of weeks ago, as glitterfng ex-
ponent of his tin policy. We have the
reverse view. when three days later
this same exponent informed his work
men that they must accept IN wagtr re-
duction of 80 per cent. or that the FAC
tory" must close down Three of the
dozen tin plants are ample to supply
the American market. But the dozen
must drag along miserable financial
existence, or must form a trust to limit
the output, to cut down the wages, to
freeze out weaker operators, and to ex-
list out of the plumber of taxation.
The same is true of the iron bust
ness. 1t long since has ceased to be a
productive industry. Under the tariff,
iron manufactures sprung into exist
ence far in excess of any reasonable
American want, and now are built
ahead of prospective wants for twenty
years, and smokeless chimneys. idle
workmen, and bankrupt managers at
test the result of over-stimulation.
Twelve years ago the country had
just sufficient plate glass factories tie
supply a healthy demand and to afford
a comfortable existence to the factor
les. Now we have four times the num-
Der and ten times the capacity, and
trust that the owners have been
compelled to make in order to limit
supply, cut down wages, up
hold prices and maintain profits, not
out of public demand. but through the
plumber of taxation.
This is the sort of prosperity prom
ised by Harrison. Mckinley and Reed.
They have provided industries, but
they could not provide customers, and
they fail to tell how their teeming fac
tories may survive without consumers,
except that they subsist upon bounty
and taxation wrung from the masses
who have seen the system wax great
during its thirty years of trial; have
seen operators turn to millionaires and
themselves reduced to the EXTREMIST
poverty. And be it noted, also, that
these three presidential aspirants have
been silent as the tomb on the question
of money reform. 1t is rich mans
war, and a poor mans fight.