Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-03-22
BLAINE'S PROPHECY.

The financial and industrial cond-
lions that have prevailed ever since
the accession of the democratic party
to complete power, says the Mime
apolis Tribune, has recalled a pro-
phecy uttered by James G. Blaine
while the republican party was still
in power, but not too early for that
clear headed statesman to fOresee the
triumph of the democratic party at
some future national election and to
foretell exactly what would follow.
The words of Mr.. Blaine's remarkable
prophecy are as follows:
Il love my country and my country
men. [ am an American, and [ re-
joice every day of my life that I am.
[ enjoy the general prosperity of my
country, and l know that the work
ingmen of this land are the best paid,
the best fed, and the best clothed of
Many of them have homes of their
own. They are surrounded by all the
comforts and many Of the luxuries of
life [ shudder, however, at the
thought that the time must come when
all this will be changed when the
general prosperity of the country will
be destroyed, when the great body of
wOrkingmen in this land, who are
now so prosperous. will hear their
wives and children cry for bread;
that the day must come when the
great factories and manufactures of
this land will shut down, and where
there is now life and activity there
will be the silence of the tomb. And
the reasno why this must be is this:
The great southern wing of the demo
cratic party are determined to estab-
liSh the doctrine of free trade in this
land. They will be assisted by their
northern allies. There is a great body
of visionary but educated men who
are employed day by day in writing
free trade essays and arguments in
favor of the doctrine which find their
way to every newspaper in this land.
The great body of our people have
never experienced themselves the suf-,
ferings which always result when the
protective principles are laid aside.
Poisoned and excited by the wild
demagogic appeals of the democratic
speakers the result will be that III the
very near future these forces which
are now working will be strong
enough to defeat at the polls the party
advocating the doctrine Of protection.
1t must inevitably follow that uncer-
tainty and doubt will ensue. The
business men Of the country, fearing
the destruction of the principles of
protection, will decline to engage in
business, consequently mills will shut
down and the worlingmen will be
thrown out Of employment. The peo-
pie will then see as they have never
seen before that they can not be pos
porous and have work while this prin-
ciple is threatened. In the midst Of
their sufferings they will learn that
the only way they can be prosperous
and happy is to vote for the party
that has built up the industries by
which they have gained a livelihood;
because they will then see clearly
that when the mandatory is shut
down there is no demand for the only
thing which they have to sell, and
that is their labor
The day of democratic victory came
the results could not have been better
described if Mr. Blaine'S words had
been written yesterday. The lesson
conveyed in the latter part of the
prophecy has been well learned and
net fall and in November, 1896. the
people will rectify the mistake of 1892
to the best of their ability by Danish
| ing the democratic party from Wash
ington for another quarter of a cen
tury at least.