Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-01-01

completed its work, although that
hope in many cases was not unmin-
gled with fear that uncertainty regard
ing the tariff might delay the era of
returning prosperity. In this instance
fear proved to be better founded than
hope, and the people of this country
have waited in vain for indications Of
permanent improvement in the con-
dition of manufacturing and trade.
On the contrary the situation seems
to have become more discouraging
with the development of uncertainty
into q certainty that the party in pow
er would carry out it's tariff smashing
programme; and since, jud ring from
precedent it will be well along in the
coming season when the tariff is final
ly disposed of, it will be some time be-
fore there can be any material or per
manent improvement in the situation.
The outlook could not well be more
discouraging for the business and
manufacturing interests of the coun-
try than it is at present. Factories
and mills are starting up here and
there IL Isolated cases in various parts
Of the country, but in most cases bus
mess is being done with a largely re-
duced force on abbreviated time, and
il some places even in favored Yer
mont production mas been reduced
from one-half TO two thirds.
leled prosperity which was being en-
joyed throughout the country lastly
the present situation is painful to con
template. The record Of closing fac
tories, reduced pay rolls, and increas
ed demands on organized charities in
the industrial world has its compile
mont in business circles in the reports
Of increased failures, decreased rail
road earnings, diminished bank clear
ings and small transactions in trade
and speculation. The business de-
preston has struck the industries of
the country now with full force and
is depriVing hundreds Of thousands Of
wage earnars OF the means Of livel-
hood
One Of the saddest features Of the
industrial depression is the immense
amount Of deprivation, hunger and
other forms Of suffering which must
inevitably follow upon the enforced
idleness Of the vast army OF laborars
now out Of employment in the United
States. President Gcmpers OF the
American Federation OF Labor has es-
timated that there are 3,000,0 900 wage
earners idle IN this country, not in
GLIDING those belonging 10 the trades
unions. This IS undoubtedly an ex-
agSerated estimate, but dividing
these figures by three would make the
number Of la5orar5 in the United
States out Of employment in the vi
cinity OF a million.
The Indications are that this mum
Der is as nearly correct as can be
estimates that there over 500, 900 un
employed wage carriers in the Unit
ed States at this time, basing its esti-
mates on the reports Of correspond
ents in over hundred cities, and the
chances are that there are quarter
OF that number in smaller places I'M
accounted for in the reports. When
it is remembered that q large proper
ton OF these are OF the hand to mouth
class, and that there are about 2,000,
600 persons dependent upon them, the
reader can form some idea OF the ex
treme suffering in store for the poor
of this country during the winter
which has begun so severely and so
inauspiciously for the poverty strick
on ones -E,,oo D.oce