The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-01-12
THE PICTURE OF OUR CIVILIZATION.
The Masses Hew the Wood The Few
Warm by the Fires.

Warm BY the Fires.
Sometime ago the Banner, speaking
Of the conditions that surround us on
all sides, and confront us in all direc-
tons. said:
1t is a sad commentary upon the
civilization that we have built up, but
it is nevertheless fact, that the war
did more for the prosperity Of the
north than has been accomplished by
whole hundred years of peace.
When the tofsin of war sounded, the
busy wheels of Industry became active
and willing hands everywhere found
active and remunerative employment.
There were quick and profitable sales
for every article of manufa cture and
for every product of the farm. 1t was
an era in which there were no tramps
and no paupers. Evey species of prop
erty increased in value and the four
years of war gave basis for more
wealth and turned out more million
aires than all the previous years of
peace had done,
In reply to which the esteemed edi-
tor of the Pensacola News says;
We reply that for thirty years W.
lived on the future. We mortgac ed
that future for funds to supply the ex-
travagance of day. This is the re-.
publican policy which seems wise To
Tire school of Call and appears brill
liant aud statesmanlike TO his latest
disciple.
Why should that future have been
mortgaged? What was the necessity
for it? And is it true that it was
mortgaged? There need not have
been bond issued; but the same A.
nancial fallacy prevailed then that
prevails now; and bonds were issued
not for the protection and preserva-
ton of the government, but for TIE
benefit of few millionaire, who tom
trolled then, as they do still, its finan-
cial policy. Had greenhaeH, alon,.
been issued they would have been =,
blessing and not curse.
But had financial fallacies and ax-
travagancies ceased with the war the
eXtravagancles of those times would
have long since been paid Off and for
gotten; and, indeed, it is the democrat
ic boast that Mr.. Cleveland's first adj
mlnlstration was so economical that
be left the treasury full to bursting
an" the one thing above all others
that was worrying the sfate,.men of
that period was, ''What shall we
do with the surplus?" Indeed thia
surplus was accunIulat ing i'm a
measure that seemed appalIinp.
and its rapid depJ elton was
charged to the loose and reck-
less administration of BENJAMIN
Harrison the distin guished name
sake o. the esCeeme d editor of the
News. There have haan mora wild
an" iechieSs ana II llacious financial
iSi''ion since I lie war than there
was Turing thaG period, all OF which,
IN -, 'iie war Use If, go to make up the
'l ., iii]"'ioh tha is our boast, and
" hlch' hot"lJ standing the great
oi our schools and churches,
'i.'' are hlau tanned at great cost,
'iliies iaf aloT n isery than happines-
70 the human race.
Is the civil lizati,n nerfact has the
'cine OF iegD lation been reached, that
produce the go thiugso
again thH Banner said:
r,eacer nder our present financial
'n't VIZ, o1heE conditions, is fiat and pal
,aple Ii lure. That word, which
y . synonym for prosperity
'lehtyS . )ntentment and splendor, il
10" oia| another name for pinching
lIuSgiI ~, biting poverty, and almost
'niFes a restitution. Why, in times
IA ''H hiding peace, should there be Sc
nHciA distress all over ouEland? Why
iasN Iing and fruit growing in every
ecIH of the country unremunera.
iNaf Why is real estate, in town ano
pug try, north and south, declining
~ y do men Ia active employment
~ CHI and economist as they may
~ Il it almost impossible to feed and
y othe those dependent upon their eff.
,rts? And why is the army of tramps
annually swelling in number?
And again the News answered:
A mortgaged nation has come to its
senses. Democracy has called a hall
on the era of extravaganza. Blooms
have been remOrselessly pricked We
are coming down to business on bust
ness principles. We refuse to borrow
although nearly one hundred million
hes idle in New York. We re fuse the
bats of the charnIer, charm he ever
so sweetly.
And this, too, six months after Mr.
Cleveland's converting the extra SEES
sion of Congress to repeal the pur
| chasing clause of the Sherman law
which he and others claimed produced
this great distress, and in the very face
of Mr.. Carlisle's proposition to issu,
| bonds in the sum of 100000. 900.
The issuing of these bonds and tn,
repeal of the purchasing clause of til,
| Sherman law, is in the direction of al
past legislation. And as they will the
more and more enrich the rich, they
will the more surely place the masses
between the upper and neither mill
stones of grinding poverty and greater
want.
1t is the downtrodden of the eartl
that demands helpful legislation anC
not men who have money to invest il
government bonds.
And because we have so written tn,
News pretends that we favor war a
the true solution of our difficulties
that huge military establishment il
necessary to prosperity and a grea
pension list is a benefit to the country
and it says that this is fit expression
of Callism.
The Banner said nothing of the sOr
and favors nothing of the sort, but j
said that the evils that now afflict u
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