The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-01
MICH BRIGHTER PROSPECTS.

Ine country enters the year 1890 Win
much brighter prospects than it began
the year 1894. Then no ray of hope
pierced the pail Of gloom. Doubt and
distrust paralyzed business. Silent fac
tories had. turned hundreds of thou
sands of deserving people to idleness
and TO that poverty which means
Indebtedness Through the humanity
of employers who gave half work, the
liberality of the well-to-do ami the 81
lent elf-sacrifice OF the less unfortu-
nate widespread suffering was averted.
What is better. we have escaped with
out increasing largely the army of
pauperism. The better times which
would have come if Congress had been
animated by a spark of patriotic in
telligence were postponed and eventual
Iy lose by. it's perversity and shilly-shal-
lying. 1t was late in the season before
that body passed its tariff law with a
threat to make it the entering wedge
to a policy which would open our mar
kets to competition from which every
vestige of protection should be stricken.
1t was not until the election Nov that
the country knew upon what 1T could
| 0SpCHu LII al ONeTluTH WHICH Is Nlln-
out parallel in political history the party
whose policy had paralyzed with fear
and threat the industry of the country
was hurled from power or the possi-
bility OF regaining it for years. The
fetish of free-tradeism was SO over
whelmed that it's devotees cannot make
it power in this country again until
a new generation which has not she re-
membrance of the experiences of the
first year and half of Clevelandism
shall have inherited the land
Assured by the election that the Cor
man-Wilson tariff law stood for the ex-
IRENE that would be reached in the de-
struction of the barriers which preserved
the home market for the home pro-
Queer, business and industry began to
adjust themselves to the new conditions
confident that when any change in the
national policy should come it would
be in the interest of the American peo-
pie. Business has been slowly picking
up the opportunity for employment has
increased and trade has improved. BY
the time that spring opens there is rea-
son to expect a wider activity in the
varied industries of the country and
consequently much more satisfactory
trade. Some Industries will be cramped
by the provisions of the tariff law, and
the present lower rate of wages com
pared with 1892 must prevail. but more
constant employment will go far. to re-
lieve the hard conditions Of 1898 and
the larger part of 1894.
Not Onlv have the AYnaricap noon1a
learned valuable lessons in the harsh
school OF experience the past year, but
they have had their attention called in
marked manner to political debauch-
cry and misrule in various localities.
particularly in New York What mas
been laid bare there in the way of ex>
travagance, inefficiency and political
crime has awakened the people all over
the country to the Importance of in
telligent and clean management of pub
lie affairs. At last ballot-box stuffins
and gerrymanders have come to be UNI
derstood as the parents of low-grade
and mercenary legislatures. of purchas-
able city councils and other officials
who sacrifice public interests to private
gains. The people, having made this dis
covery, are to-day demanding honesty
and efficiency in public affairs. Indeed,
it is safe to say that never has there
| been more general demand that gov
eminent shall be ''for the people" than
| at the beginning of this new year. This
| awakening of the people and their de-
mand for better government in con-
nection with the grounds for confidence
! in the industrial and business outlook.
conspire to make this. indeed, a happy
New Year.