The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-01-11

What is its record?
He and his party found the cOun-
try in most prosperous condition
one year ago.
How is it now?
The year closed with prices of
many products the lowest ever +
known, and has left record of un-
precedented disaster.
The following taken from Dun's
report presents rather gloomy pic
ture:
Starting with the largest trade
ever known. mills crowded with
work, and all business stimulated
by high hopes, the year 1898 has
proved in sudden shrinkage of trade
in commercial disasters aud depres-
sion of industries the worst for fifty
years. The year closes with prices
of many products the lowest ever
known, with millions of workers
seeking in vain for work and with
charity laboring to keep back suf-
fering and starvation in all of our
cities.
What does Bradstreet's report
say? 1t says:
In 36 Years covered by the records
Of this agency, the number of fail
ures has only once risen little
above 1860 in year. In 1898
the number reported has been 10, =
$50. This year the strictly com
merclal liabilities alone have ex-
ceeded 1881 ,422 939, the liabilities
of banking and financial institu-
tons have been $2l0,956, 1854, and
the liabilities Of railroads placed in
the hands Of receivers about $1,212, =
2l7,033. Special kilograms from
ll9 important cities throughout the
country indicates the total mum Der
Of employees in industrial auo other
lines out Of work at this time from
all causes, together with he total
number OF people directly depend
emit for support upon those so ren-
dered idle, is nearly 5000, 900.
There are more than 500, 600 wage
earnerS now III enforced idleness at
only ll9 points, and there are l ;
100000 persons directly dependent
on them for support.
Cleveland S secretary Of the treas
ury estimates a detic ency of tWen-
| ty-eiat million dO5Iays for the year.
lie asks permission to Issue $780,
100000 in three per cent. bonds.
1t is estimated that Cleveland's
commissioner OF pensions suspended
! few~fTottrns,,- ana nae TT not preen
for the Republican press and the
"boys who wore the blue" ten
thousand more would have been
suspended. On this subject a Chi
cago paper says:
The sum now paid to pensioners
Is bagatelle compared to the i'm
mense service gwen to the govern
ment IN the days of its bloody peril.
Is it not easy to reconcile ones self
instantly to the thought and fact
that regiments of men once in uni
form against the republic are now
IN position to modify and even de-
feat the pensions being paid to loyal
citizens who defended the country.
Our unprecedented national gener-
osity has, however, said that these
things shall be, and we do not chal
lenge the decision. At any rate.
those who are now in power should
move slowly when from whatever
motive it is proposed to cut off the
little bit of an income from Union
soldiers and their family beneficiar-
les.
Encouraged by Cleveland's offic-
ials two school trustees in West Vir-
ginia undertook similar work. as
is told by the following paragraph:
W. II. Cook and A. L. Coe, |
school trustees of Sutdistrict 30,
jackson county, W. Va, were re-
lieved from Office Dec. 10, on ac
count of "the ungentlemanly and
unprecedented action in dismissing
a school teacher of that district be.
cause she was the daughter of
Union soldier drawing pension.
Comment is unnecessary.
A glance backward is discourage
ing.
Starving men, women and chill
dren, closed factories, idle work
men, bankrupt merchants, broken
banks and q Democratic Congress
working to close up American in
iustries to encourage foreign capt.
tai and labor.
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