Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-09-19

Ased spots ON the free trade suni For more
than . year the unhappy Democrats wrangled.
while the more unhappy people of the coun-
try struggled for bread and butter. When the
measure was presented to the senate, 90
changed and mutilated was its condition that
it, parents declined to recognize It and viewed
Il with horror. The president himself invoked
every influence and prerogative Of his great
Office to force his own notions upon the senate.
and declared that those of his party who
would not bow to his decree were guilty among
other crimes, of party perddy and dishonor.' ~
The peoples interests were lost sight Of in
the angry contentious between the president
ana the opposing faction of his own party for
supremacy. In that contest the victory was
against the president and on the side Of the
spotted bill. Indeed. the earnest and growing
opposition compelled him to lower his colors
while his ajority in the house made a speedy
surrender, firing a few pOpguns by way Of
protest.
The product Of the years work on tariff re-
form has resulted in placing on the statute
books a measure which satisfies neither po-
Ltical party. distinguished Democratic
senator publicly declared before the senate
that he doubted IL II gave satisfaction to a
thousand people in all the land. Twelve
months work for free trade Is ended. Tho
people in patience and actual suffering have
waited for new dispensatiOn, which was to
bring prosperity, happiness. comfort and con-
fentment to all the land. and all of the people
thereof.
ALL HAVE SUFFERED
We read in the history of earlier times that
there long prevailed q common thought cur
rent through many cras that in the business
of acquiring money or property. what one man
gained another lost. No other theory of tho
exchange of wealth was more popular than
this. Among the commercial nations dealings
through barter. rather than manufacture or
material development. appeared to justify the
theory. Such comparison of values extended
in the earlier days to this country. and won
somewhat of general acceptance, but more re-
cent experiences have proved its fallacy.
This controlling thought must have been in
the mind of Mr.. Lincoln when he declared in
his homely way that the simplest explanation
of American protection was embodied in the
suggestion that II an American purchased $50
worth of goods in a foreign country America
had the goods ana the foreign country had
the money. but that if the American purchased
the goods in America. America would have
both the goods and the money.
Since the events of the past eighteen months
have called n halt upon development every
man and woman in the land has become
poorer than before. The mechanic has had 20
trench upon the savings of his previous pros
porous years to enable his family TO live So,
too. has il been in greater or less degree with
the capitalist. the operator. the miner and
the farmer. No calling has been exempt from
of substance. the suffering being largely
measured by the ability to bear it.
II is sadly easy to realize this truth so uni
versal throughout the country. 1t is now seen
and known of all men and women and il
strikes from under il the very foundation of
free trade which looks only TO free exchanges
of goods in the marts of the world. The
United States desires and demands more than
that. 1t is the riches; in resources of all lands
given TO the use of man. 1t has untold stores
only the handiwork of man to make il con-
tribute to the of civilization. These at
tract to them both population and capital !;
hence our great towns and cities distant from
every other avenue of commerce than is af-
forded by great railways and internal water
ways The highway of the sea is not the only
thoroughfare leading to profitable markets
Here we seek within our own borders a mar
kct which shOdld be our own, a market af-
fordcd by ,p.0Oo. 900 of people who when pros
porous are the best buyers and the most ex-
tensive consumers known to trade. With
manufactures and all other lines of industry
closed by adverse legislation. the home labor
market falls TO the level of the cheapest mar
kets. The power of legislation over. nay, the
threat of legislation upon the question will
never again be mistaken by the people. They
see il now as they had never seen it before.
EFFECTS OF AGITATION.
With the belief that the question might be
settled in some form and the agitation al
layed, and with the earnest desire to adjust
all liness of industry 10 the conditions i'm
posed by the new law. it was hoped that bust
ness generally would try to resume; but with
the distinct notice from the official head of the
party in power that the agitation will be re-
sumed when congress convenes in December
next. il is TO be feared that the best we may
expect will be to see poverty not SO intense,
comfort modified by careful economies, pro-
gress upon lines shaded to suit difficult sur
roundings, development modified to lessened
needs and. all too sadly. cheaper men and
women than we were wont to see under q
round generation of Republican legislation.
Painful is this reflection. il ia but the
darker cloud which invites the dawn. The peo-
pie have been awakened as never before. II
the November elections shall restore a RepuS-
lican house of representatives at Washington.
the initial step will have been accomplished.
and If the popular verdict shall be decisive
not only in Pennsylvania. but in every other
section. it will surely pave the way TO re-
newed ascerdency in 96 and the election OF a
Republican president will crown the efforts
made necessary by the vicissitudes Of % and
81.
Congress is ad diourned. Its house members
are returning to face criticism from their con-
etituentS, while the Democratic majority in
the senate is divided into free trade and semi
protective factions The president. after ten
much chasrined and dissusteI that he could
not even dignity the measure attaching
his signature thereto, anl in thS sal:e breath
he gave the country notice that ut the next
session of congress in December The tariff agi-
tation would be renewed and the warfare
again waged until protection is blottcd out as
to all raw materials.
This is the lamentable product of the work
of the past year. The mighty energies of the
country lie dormant after a years waiting for
the outcome of crusade whose results have
disgusted even its creators.
Let the thoughtful men of the state and the
country who have in view the great problems
and perilous periods which were so bravely
met and mastered by the Republican party
during the past thirty years, consider the va
cillatinR and disastrous efforts of the party
now in power TO cope with the public qncs-
tons of the last eighteen months, and answer
whether the Democratic party has proved its
capacity for safe independent action in this or
any other serious period in country re-
cent history. and whether their proper place
In government Is not that of an objecting mi
nority.
Do not all men see that they have shown
themselves incapable of formulating or carry
ing out any consistent policy of constructive
leSislations Is il not true that since the party
was placed in control of the government in
1892 there has been scarcely a question of ad-
ministrative policy. foreign or domestic, in
Judgment of the great body of the American
people?
The people will endeavor to adjust them
selves to the new Iditions. and ii is my
earnest hope that So far possible read
justment will offer industries an oppor-
tunity TO resume business
If the people are satisfied with the years
work at Washington they will vote for con-
tinuation of that kind of governmental policy.
If they are not. as l believe they are not. they
will abide the time until they can make an ef-
fective appeal TO the freemen's tribunal, the
American ballot box.
In its infancy the Republican party was
strong enough, with the aid of the patriotic
citizens OF all other parties to restore the
Union; in its youth it was wise enough to give
our nation and its people unprecedented pros
perity; in its manhood it is great enough to
bring back prosperity lost through misun-
derstandng and Misrepresentation.
THE AMERICAN PURPOSE.
The present conditions invite the profound