Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-08-09
They Dare Not.


fervent cry OF business. Tina same
prayer comes from the West and the
East, from the homes or millions Of
wage. earners ard from the offices OF
half a million manufacturers and as
many merchants. The Itch and the
poor join 10 one prayer, Let tariff war
esd aud let us have peace" Then may
the wheels start again. and idle hands
lind work, and plenty come in place of
want TO millions of homes. Surely
Congressman cannot lie aware how
much their weary strife over this ques-
ton has cost the people. In this one
month of July the difference between
this year and last in payments for pro
ducts and for labor will be about 81
900, 000,000 But this is the fourteenth
month OF continued and sore depression
In these fourteen months the actual
payments through all clearing houses
have been S53. 500, 900. coo. and in the
proceeding fourteen months the aggre-
gate was $4,000, 900, 00O-a decrease
of Si9. 400, 600. 600 The business done
includes profits for traders and man.
ufacturers, for trausporters. farmers,
miners and lumbermen, and wages for
all the hands they employ. The enor-
nous loss represents decrease in wages
aud work and profits for all concerned
more than &c per cent of the entire
business for the fourteen months.
The wage-earners. or rather those
who would earn wages if the Demo-
cratic party would let US have peace.
being SIS per cent of the people, num-
Der "a. 100000 The wages at the rate
of 1890, reckoning about third at the
farming and the rest at the average
rate for all manufacturing hands ac-
cordipg to The census, were $500 year
ly for each. But instead of SO, GOO, 000,-
900, these people are probably earning
at the rate OF 3, 400, 900, Geo less. part
being unempioy ed and part working at
lower rates. The great iron industry,
which should employ in all its branches
600, 600 men, as it did in 1890. with
yearly production of 81, 200. 000,0 900, in
stead OF full consumption of 9, 100000
tons of pig actually consumed in the
last twelve uonths about 300, GOO
less than So per cent-which would i'm
ply a decrease of 10000 hands, and
$40. 100000 in value OF yearly product
provided prices had been unchanged.
But prices of iron products have been
reduced at least 30 per cent. or nearly
5000, 10000 on the reduced output.
The textile manufactures. employing
half q million persons, have reduced
hands and output somewhat less, and
yet very largely. la many other in
dustries the mere loss in value of pro-
ducts must be Ieckoned by hundreds Of
millions.
DO Democrats mean TO say that the
frightful losses result from the present
tariff, and not from their attempt to
change it? Very well, give us peace
and test it. Let the country have
chance 10 find out whether the claim is
false or not. Stop agitation until next
January, and see what indusi ries win
not revive and business improve under
the tariff as it stands. Instant and full
recovery could not he expected. of
course. Complete recovery with the
threat of change still hanging oyer in
dustrles could not be reasonably expect
ed. Yet the Democrats dare not face
the test. They dare not lot the work
ing people and the business men of this
country see how sudden and great re-
lief would come if Democratic agita-
ton would but take itself out of the
way. even for few months only.
They do not dare, or they would
have tried it long ago. 1t is almost
year since this Congress met 10 extra
session. Before that its chosen leaders
and Treasury and other experts bad
been at work for some months trying
To frame a tariff bill After more than
a year OF incessant labor and agitation
and shameful humiliation the party is
disguised to find that it cannot agree
upon or pass anything that looks like a
Democratic tariff Its wrangles. its
amazing corruption and shameless
bartefing. it's contemptuous disregard
of pubic opinion. of decency, of pied
geS aud of principles, made its respect
able leaders long for an adjournment
months ago-only they did not dare To
let the people see what the mahgned
Mckinley bill would do for their iH-
duslrieS IL they let it alone But think
oncemore, Democratic friends. Would
it not pay better 20 let the people aaye
a little taste of prosperity before the
next Presidential election?