Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-04-07
MIR. JOHN b. SUTTON
COMPREHENSIVE Reviews the
Political Situation.
DEMOCRATIC THEORY EXPLODED
Wants Prof. Wilson Retired and
Booms d. w. Atkinson.

10 the Editor OF the Herald.
Being reader Of your paper and
recently citizen of your city, feel
an interest in the prosperity Of the
citizens, and in the Herald which is
always newsy, welcome visitor at
our home.
/ presume you have not escaped the
business depression, but are enjoying
the results that change of policy has
produced We were told that change
would lessen the burdens of taxation
and bring greater prosperity to the
country. Two years or more ago,
amidst solid business prosperity, the
business men of Martinsburg were ,
holding public meetings and subscrib-
ing literally Of their means to induce
various enterprises to locate in the
city, and what is most surprising to
one now, see that part of those same
men have recently held meeting
and Endorsed a policy that will, if car
ried out, most assuredly and effectual-
ly kill and drive out those same en-
terprises that they themselves invited
to the city, and with their means
helped to build up The Wilson bill
proposes to so reduce the duty on
hosiery that its manufacture in this
country will not be paying invest
ment. as Germany. notwithstanding
the present protective duty, exports
largely to the United States and with
the present duty removed labor must
be reduced or its manufacture in this
country cease | often wonder if the
bright and intelligent looking boys
and girls used to see working in the
/ hosiery factories and wooden mills are
/ yet employed, or has the blighting
hand OF depression and inactivity
turned them on the street without la
Dor and without pay. l was told by
the superintendent that they used
some foreign wool. Now, if the Aus
tralian can pay eleven cents tariff and
lay his wool down at Martinsburg at
the prices then ruling doesn it stand
to reason that if the duty is removed
he can sell it eleven cents cheaper, and
the West Virginia farmer will have to
take that much less for his product?
But that is not the worst feature about
it as view it. The West Virginian
and the wool growers in general would
cease to grow wool and the manufac-
/ turers would locate on the seaboard,
for the reason that water transporta-
ton, being SO much cheaper than by
rail, the manu- featuring would be done
there and the inland WOODEN mills
would either cease or become local.
Think of the citizens of the West pay
ing from x to 3 cents per pound
transportation and competing with
foreign wool that only costs half a
cent to bring it to Boston or NewYork
with the additional advantage of hav-
ing free coal by water transportation.
But when the American flock masters
would destroy their flocks as they
have done III the past and as they are
doing now, wouldn't the shrewd for
eigner, having control of the markets,
and being masters of the situation,
put up the price of the 'poor man S
blanket. +" These might usher in the
good times promised by our friends,
that wool, under Free Trade, would
bring higher prices than under Pro-
none to SELL West Virginia is natur-
ally adapted to sheep husbandry; her
rolling uplands and rich mountain
sides, with her numerous springs Of
sweet soft water gushing from every
hill, and her luxuriant grasses pro-
duces mutton and wool unsurpassed
in quality by any other country under
the sun. But the flocks of our State
are being rapidly reduced and driven
to market at ruinously low prices,
the hilltops that were once covered
with fine fiocks are now bare, the
bleating of the southdown is not
! heard because it is declared that his
fleece shall be protected no more. We
were told first that the people were
being taxed and oppressed when there
was no oppression, and when the
Democratic party was placed in posi-
ton to destroy the policy under which
we had prospered as a Nation, the peo-
pie, realizing the disaster that would
ensue if the industries of the country
were crippled by unfavorable tariff
legislation, became unsettled and de-
preston in business was the result |
Mr.. Cleveland in calling Congress to
convene, said that the situation was
due to unfavorable financial legisla-
ton and recommended the repeal of
the Sherman law, but month after
month has elapsed since the law COM
planned of was changed, and the |
country is still in idleness and want. /
1t was then promised that when Spring
opened business would revive and go /
on as usual. Spring has been usher
ed in, the promise made to Noah has
been fulfilled; seedtime and harvest,
winter and summer, have succeeded (
in their regular order, the light and
warmth of the sun has caused tire
buds to burst and the flowers to bloom !
the spring birds have warbled their
sweet notes of music, but the wheels
of business and enterprise are still
clogged. The Democratic party has
destroyed the industries of the coun-
try by its pretense of reform. Let
them repadiate the two Objectionable
and destructive planks of their plat
form relating to Tariff and State banks
and confidence in business will be in
cta,.f1x, racforaJ The ts,e;.,.-.. ......