The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-09-28

thirty years before. The wealth per
capita mi re than doub ed in that thlr-
ty years, and the increase from 1850 TO
1880 was 1850 per capita, or about ~
per cent, while in the same time the
population increased 70 per cent. The
greatest increase of wealth in the ag-
gregate and in percentage is found in
the States where agriculture Is the
largest interest In the last census
decade the va ne of farm lands in
creased 1923 per cent, and that OF
farm implements nearly % per cent,
and though the price of farm impe-
ments had decreased one half in that
interval. OF the agricultural prod
ucts, 30 per cent. has found market
at home.
Our manufactures have grown from
a production of five billions in 1880 to
nine tillions in 1890. Our internal
commerce has grown almost beyond
computation. We nearly doubled our
railway mileage, carrying by rail eight
times as many pass as the total
population, and moving GAO million
tons Of freight in 1890. Our external
commerce has increased year by year,
reaching its N lXimum OF two billion
dollars in 1892 under the Mckinley
law. Our laborers have received better
wages by one-half than have any other
laborers on the face Of the globe and
twice as much as most of them in Eu
rope. These wages steadily advanced,
measured in money or power to pur-
chase the com 'orts of lie, until and
during 1891 and 1892 all were employed
at those wages who desired employ
mont.
Farmers received fair prices for
IL. 10 mi
that corn and wheat were low in 1888
and 1889. The 1000 coo Of the people
who were ca able of doing work were
al employed at fair wages or produc-
ing things that found a ready and re-
munerative market, as in proportion to
work ard wages Is the consuming
power of the people. The farmer, the
mechanic, the day laborer, the do
nestle, the merchant, and tie men en-
gagged in transportation, all were occu-
pied and all consuming the products
thus created and all cont ibuting TO the
aggregate of pros Gritty.
This was the situation when Grover
Cleveland again became President and
q Dem cratic Congress convened. 1t
was not expected and certainly was
not known until February, 1893, that
the Senate would be Democratic.
From that NOM Mt a deadly blight APP.
peared, and it increased in intensity as
the days and months passed away.
There was a just fear that q Demo-
cratic Congress and President would
carry out their proclaimed policy re-
specting the tariff: that the $500
millions invested in manufactures
would be imperiled if not destroyed:
that the four million laborers would be
thrown out OF employment or forced to
work at reduced wages; that there
would be a sudden and large influx of
foreign goods brown on the market at
greatly reduced prices; that the nine
billion dollars Of annual value of manu-
featured products would dwindle
because of the influx OF foreign
fabrics and the destruction of the
earning power of the people;
that tho earnings of railways
would diminish, new enterprises
cease or be greatly cartailed, thus
throwing out of employment those en-
gagged in the building trades; that the
accumulated earnings of wage earners
which they had deposited in the saw
inps banks would be partially with
drawn, and that in consequence the
bu siness OF the country would be rapid
lv curtailed. With it came distrust OF
credit. Manufacturers were asked to
nav money loaned them, the savings
banks preparing for a crisis which
they saw t. be approaching. Then
there was fear that our gold would
90 out to pay for the probable large
Increase in imported goods, and that
the continue purchases OF silver, with
the issue of treasury notes for such
purchases, would impair our power to
maintain the parity in value OF all our
money. the paper part of which was
Increasing at the rate OF three or four
million dollars per month, while the
treasury balance was beginning to run
down because of diminishing revenues.
Universal distress was the result.
The President called Congress to-
oothar and after q long debate, due