St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-08-24
THE Boom or BUSINESS.
An Independent Newspapers Review oi
SE tho Situation.

THE BOOM OF BUSINESS.
An INDEPENDENT Newspapers Review or
tho Situation.
To estimate the extent and meaning
of the present revival we must take a
glance backward. When the McKin-
ley tariff became law, in October, 1890,
disastrous results soon followed, es-
pecialty in Pennsylvania, Ohio and ILL
nois. In December, 1890, at Bethle-
hem, Pa, 1000 iron workers were
thrown out OF employment. In jan
uary, 1891, wages were reduced o per
cent. at the large steel works at Home
stead, Pa, and In the following Feb
ruary 1000 men were thrown out of
work-reverses followed in April by q
second reduction Of wages t5 per cent. J,
and in July, 1892, by the great and
bloody strike Of $500 men against
wage reductions. On January ~, 1891,
at Youngstown, O., 10000 men were
thrown out of work and the wages OF
8, 900 were reduced at Jehnstown, Pa.
In less than year after the Mckinley
law took effect q, 900 mill hands were
thrown out of work or their wages cut
down. In March. 1892, one western
steel company had 2, 500 men idle, and
in July Of that year ordered reduc-
ton Of IS per cent. in wages. Strikes,
shutdowns, working on short time, re-
duction of wages were quite IN order
these times from 1890 to 1899 Of .shum-
ming activity and booming Mckinley
prosperity of American industries.
Nothing succeeds like success, !" and
the success of protectionism'' and
tariff taxation for the alleged benefit
Of American wage earners was SO tre-
mendous under the republican high
tariff that the labor element OF the
country lin November, 1902 wisely
concluded that they had had quite
enough Of the american system" (so-
ca1led), and hence they voted for tariff
reform and Mr.. Cleveland.
The present improvement has come
to stay, and the new Tide Of prosperity
can be heightened and broadened Il
the American export trade In manu-
factured products is vigorously pressed
Relieved oy the Wilson law Of a con
siderable portion of the vast burden OF
protective" taxation imposed for the
benefit OF monopoly q taxation
amounting TO many hundreds Of mill
lions of dollars every year-the people
are beginning to taste the sweets OF
liberty and to profit by freer trade.
The enormous benefit derived from the
new tariff is, however, as yet only IN
the bud.
Even the manufacturers have begun
to scent prosperity in the free trade
tariff, and to see that 1t is for them q
blessing in disguise. Every day makes
1t clearer that it is not to their interest
to revive McKinleyism. With free raw
materia1s-the very lifeblood Of manu-
factures--and with reduction in the
expenses of manufacturing both Oh
which inestimable booms the Wilson
law gave the mill owners, they cannot
fail to see that the brightest era OF In
dustry ever known in America has
dawned uponthem.
The Gettysburg of the great war
against the slave power Of protected"
monopoly was won when the Wilson
law triumphed. That victory, it Ii
true, was not exactly Waterloo. Bnt
like the union victory at Cemetery
Ridge. 1t was decisive. Many repub,
lican journals are now crying out re.
enactment OF the Mckinley or some
other high tariff, and are bent on max.
ing this the foremost issue OF the day,
But the country will not brook any
more republican tariff tinkering, and
public opinion demands that the splen
did results which the Wilson law is ac
complishing shall not be frustrated By
adverse legislation 7. Herald.