The Yellowstone journal., 1894-05-04
THE STORY OF A YEAR
HOW A MIGHTY NATION HAS SUNF
FROM PLENTY TO WANT.

Industries Crippled and Euined and Pros
perity Fleeing Before the Free Trade
specter-An Open Letter to the Hon. W.
L Wilson.
One year ago the largest trade ever
known in this country gave promise of
prosperity and national wealth beyond
all precedent. Mills were crowded wit.
work and all kinds of business stimulat-
ed, giving promises of the best results.
New enterprises started up to swell the
vast volume of commercial trade, and
every sign Of enterprise was hung out
over every door in the land. Yet in one
year the hopes have all been blasted, tie
sun of prosperity has gone down, and
gloomy clouds have covere' the sky.
During the presidential campaign the
pledge was made that IF you will only
elect Cleveland your wheat will bring a
dollar bushel, corn will 90 up TO the
highest figure, nd the nation will enjoy
the greatest blessings ever known" K
@. Dun. in his weekly report, shows
how this promise has bt en- fulfilled on
Dec. 29
starting with the la ,est trade ever
known, mills crowded With work and
all business stim alated with high hopes,
the year 1898 has owed in sudden
shrinkage of trade. in commercial disas-
tiers and depression # industries the
worst for SO Years. ne year closes with
prices Of many PROD cts the lowest ever
known, with milliC Of workers seek
ing in vain for wor and with charity la
boring to keep bacl suffering and starva-
ton IN all our citi
The report of Bradsrreet's gives but
little more encouragement and confirms
the sad testimony not only of r. q.
Dun q CO.. but Of every hopeless citizen
of the United States.
The history Of TINS nation, which is in
large measure taken from the words
and sentiments of leading statesmen,
such as Washington. Adams. J Jefferson.
Madison, jackson, Clay. Webster. Lin
coin, Garfield. Harrison and IA host Of
Others. shows rHaJ Ia the periods OF free
trade, low tariff or tariff for revenue
financial disasters have always come
upon the land 1t i also true THAI the
national distress brought on by >uch uu
wise and uu-A-0acau legislation has
neyy- been r-ms,I until the people
came 80 tE..r -.. a-i compelled the
poa. as pass "a A-h protective tar
l.F IL.
would aa- 10 you ia the -auguage of
..-e H.. .a.... lit j., condition, not
l. rg. t.. r.uiTJutS Us. and would
remind yuG l..ar the condition is sad
one. ana ,H.r .t is the legitimate result
Of the free ,rtaa policy of your execu.
usr and Of o.. principle set forth in rhs
Wilson tariff bill. Of which you are th~
srthor. Reports from $50 correspond
ents of the American Protective Tarin
league. from II states Of the UGio.
show that the present depression Is -,
to the feeling created by threats of tarl-
reform. IL Is reported that "A delegation
from West Virginia has waited on you,
protesting gaiu-t the passage Of the
bill
Ii you persist in this great reform Of
which the party make their boast. you
will only intensity the feeling Of dissat.
isfaction and Will increase the fnancia!
distress
An able writer on protection, ID. III.
Mason, says: All the prosperity enjoyed
by the American prople-ap,Oiutely all
the prosperity, without any reservation
whAtever-lrDm the foundation of the
United states government down to the
present time has been under the reign of
protective principles, and all the hard
times suffered by the American people IN
the same period have been preceded
either by II heavy reduction Of duties oE
imports or by insufficient protection,
thus refutins all free trade theories on
the subject"
This, you will find by consulting MIS-
tory, is true in every instance, one of
which you probably remember-the dis
astrous period ending in 1861. You
know that IN 32 years of Republican
control the nation has surpassed every
other nation Of the earth and has en-
3oyed more financial and commercial
prosperity than we have had till that
time since the discovery by Columbus.
Are you not aware that the report Of
your bill and the threats of reform have
ruined the sheep industry already and
have severely injured the coal. lumber.
lead and silver interests of the country7
Do you not know that manufacturers
have closed their works and thrown mil
hons of hands out of work 5ecause of
the threats of tariff legislation!
Let the Democratic party abandon
their fatal policy, sad the wheels of in
dustry will again move on, and distress
viii disappear. Il. A. BARCLAY.
ArfCkarsp Colo