River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-08-30
A ao11En RECORD.
The Disastrous Results Of Democratic
Encouragement.


T "Let us have peacel' is now the fer
vent cry of business. The same prayer
comes from the west and east, from
the homes of millions of wage-earners
and from the Offices of half million
ma luiacturers and as many r1erchants.
The rich and the poor join in ore
prayer: Let tariff war end and let US
have peace" Then may the wheels
start again, and idle hands find work,
and plenty come IA place of want to
millions of homes. surely congress
men cannot be aware how much their
weary strife over this question has
cost the people. In the one month of
july the difference between this year
and last in payments for products and
for labor will be about $1,000, 600, 600.
But this is the fourteenth month OF
continued and sore depression. In
these fourteen months the actual pay
ments through all clearing houses
have been S5s. 800. 600. 900. and in the
preceding fourteen months the aggre-
gate was ST2. SOC, 600. 000-a decrease of
$40, 400, 900, 600. The business done in
cludes profits for traders and manu-
facturers, for transporters farmers,
miners and lumbermen, ard wages for
all the hands they employ. The enor-
nous loss represents decrease in wages
and work and profits for all concerned
more than 20 per cent. OF the entire
business for the fourteen months.
The wage-earners, or rather those
who would earn wagce IL the demo-
cratic party would let us have peace.
being So per cent. OF the people, num-
Der "a o00, 600 The wages at the rate
of 1890, reckoning about a third at the
farming and the rest at the average
rate for all manufacturing hands ac-
cording to the census, were $500 year
ly for each. But instead of SO, 600. 000.-
900, these people are probably earning
at the rate of So 400, 900, 600 less, part
being unemployed and part working
at lower rates. The great iron indus
try, which should employ in all its
branches 600, 900 men, as il did in 1890,
with yearly production of 81, 200, 000,-
900, instead of full consumption of
9, 800, 900 tons of pig actually consumed
in the last twelve months about 5, l00,-
OO0--less than IS per cent-which
would imply a decrease OF 100000
hands, and $40, 100000 in value of
yearly product provided prices had
| been unchanged. But prices of iron
products have been reduced at least 80
per cent, or nearly S200.000,0 600 on the
reduced output. The textile manufac-
lures, employing half million per-
sons, have reduced hands and output
somewhat less, and yet very largely.
In many other industries the mere loss
In value of products must be reckoned
by hundreds of millions.
DO democrats mean to say that the
frightful losses result from the pres
ent tariff, and not from their attempt
to change it? Very well, give us peace
and let us test it, Let the country
have a chance to find out whether the
claim is false or not. Stop agitation
until next January, and see whether
| industries will not revive and business
| improve under the tariff as it stands.
Instant and full recovery could not
| be expected, of course. Complete re-
| covery with the threat of change still
| hanging over industries could not be
reasonably expected. Yet the demo
Gratis dare not face the test. They
dare not let the working people and
| the business men of this country see
how sudden and great a relief would
come if democratic agitation 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 in extra ses-
sion. Before that its chosen leaders
! and treasurer and other experts had
been at work for some months trying
to frame tariff bill After more
than a year of incessant labor and agi-
tation and shameful humiliation the
party is Disguised to find that it can
not agree upon or pass anything that
looks like a democratic tariff. Its
wrangles, its amazing corruption and
shameless bartering, its contemptuous
disregard of public opinion, of deeen-
cy, of pledges and of principles, made
its respectable leaders long for an adj
iournment months ago-only they did
not dare to let the people see what the
maligned Mckinley bill would do for
then industries if they let it alone.
But think once more, democratic
| friends. Would it not pay better To
let the people have little taste OF
prosperity before the next presiden-
| ,;a1 aIactiono-N v Tribune