River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-03-29
DEMOCRATIC IDENTIFICATION.
Ex-speaker Reeds Opinion of the Effects
OF the Wilson IifII.

Ex-speaker Reeds Opinion of the Effects
of the Wilson BiII.
In the opinion of ex-Speaker Reed
the passage Of the Wilson bill in its
present form by the senate will lead to
the destruction of the democratic party
in the north. and with its destruction
will come great damage to the repub-
lie" 81 should like" ne adds, ITO see
the party wreck itself, but feel that
patriotism should take the place of
party now"
The purblind democratic leaders and
their organs will ridicule these views of
Mr.. Reed, and attribute them TO what
they will characterize as his Intense
partisanship;" but before the year is
! out his prediction may prove to be an
accomplished fact The democratic
party has been one year in control of
the government, and a more destructive
year to every substantial interest this
generation has not witnessed. In the
campaign of 1892 democracy promised
the country that its advent TO power
would be followed by a great wave of
prosperity. Tie people believed il,
and gave it the opportunity to redeem
its pledges. They see now that the
hopes they entertained of better times
have proved to be decisions, that the
'cElnge" they voted for has been a
change for the worse, and that there is
no prospect whatever OF improvement
until the old industrial conditions are
restored. Capital foresees that it will
have to face the keenest foreign COM
nafifiOn II avat. 10
awaits IN fear the inevitable reduction
in wages that must follow the coming
adjustment of economic conditions
The wage question is the cloud that
hangs over the country. Mr.. Reeds
views on this point are full of interest
There is no way" he says, "to put
money in circula ion except through
wages paid. Issuing government bonds
doesn't make circulation. The labor
ers must earn it and spend it, and that
viii made IL flush. The statisticians
say the 10000, 600 iaboring people in
this country earn, when they are at
work, from $50, 600, 600 10 $40, 900. 900
day. The Wilson tariff bill will cut
these wages from 10 to % per cent
The 10 per cent. cut on $40, 00U 600 will
be loss of 81. 600, 900 P day to la boring
men, or 81, 200. 200, 900 ia year. A rs
per cent. cut in wages will take SO, OOO,-
900, 600 out of circulation. One-third of
our labor is idle now. This idleness i.
costing us probably SIC, 600, 900 day. /
do not wonder that the times are hard
and that money is tight There is
money enough in the banks. They
are gluttcd; but labor is not getting it.
1t will stay there till labor gets it out"
This is the rock on which Mr.. Reed
believes the democratic party of the
north will go to pieces, while the wage
loss will be the great damage to the
republic" Is he not right? Has not.
in fact, the obstruction" of the party
already begun? In this city, few
weeks ago, democratic candidate for
congress was beaten in one of the
great strongholds of the party, and in
another the democratic nominee was
saved from defeat solely because of his
popularity The town elections all
over the state show enormous re-
publican gains. while the avalanche in
Pennsylvania is one of the most re-
markable revolutions in our entire
political history. The tariff question
and the wage question will have been
decided long before the congressional
elections of next November take place.
What workingman will vote for the
candidate of the party whose policy
has reduced his weekly earningsf
There are as many democratic capital.
lists as there are repu blican ones. Is ii
likely that they will support party
which has impaired the value of their
holdings and property interests?
The southern free traders, as Mr..
Reed points out, are in power In
1860 the democratic party of the north
was nearly destroyed on the question
of secession and free trade Secession
is dead; but free trade still lives, and
its advocates are in the saddle.-N. Y.
Recorder