Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-01-11
W. E. winton Discusses Good Times

Mn. EDITOR Since the election OF 1874
has come and gone, with lis unprecedented
sweeping republican victory, the question
has been repeatedly asked: "Nlll we now
have good flush tmes?" Whether such ques-
tions are IN irony or otherwise, it matters
not. Our answer l., no; not such as were en-
joyed by all classes PRIOR and down 10 the
democratic cyclone of 1892 Prior and up TO
the election two years ago all business enter
prises were in a healthy state of active pros
perity. But the result of that democratic
tornado proved to have most direfu effect
on all classes of business
TIE fact is that il was an over dose OF de-
mocracy, and no sooner taken than It pro-
duced vehement nausea. q sickness even to
the temporary death of all the great INDUS
trial enterprises of this, so recently, the most
favored, prosperous and enterprlsingspeople
on the face of the globe The decline of all
Masses of business was sudden az 10 alarm
the democratic doctors and stimulated them
to administer what they claimed to be the
most powerful restorative then known TO
democratic medical science for dying pros
perity, namely, the repeal of the Sherman
silver bill This drug was dosed out under
the direction of a counsel Of their most emf
nent physicians on a special occasion, an
extra effort 10 raise the sinking patient, ana
establish confidence IL sach unskiful quacks
or tariff reform and free trade But the silver
repeal bill proved inefficient to resuscitate
the expiring industries. or 10 restore conf
dence in such medical men so long ont of
practice, and under their practice the patient
sank into a comatose state of suspended ami
nation The silver bill repeal quackery fail
ing, these doctors of tariff reform resort 10
other expedients for other expedients more
deadly the Sherman bill. And IN utter disre'
gard of the earnest entreaties of the friends
of the PROSTATE patient, they persist in their
malpractice. prescribing dose on dose of this
. deadly drug, and insist on their old school
democratic treatment by imposing a tariff
for revenue only" on sugar, tea, coffee. and
other articles not produced in the United
States, and place on the free list hay, wool.
and other commodities produced by orr peo-
pie, to defeat, as far a. possible the doctrine
of protection, provided for all classes of cur
people by the reciprocity treaties and the
Lhrlu INV VI lCsVs anu Chll IL ldIlH
And now these same doctors are meeting
with ill-snccess in their treatment of the
finances. Instead of paying off two or three
hundred millions of the public debt. as
was done during Harrison's administration,
these political NJ. DIS have used up the
$780, 900 left in the treasury lover and
above the gold reserve) by Harrison' also,
a. los ;n for ha
months that they have held supreme control
of the executive and Legislative branches Of
the government. beside raining the nation
in debt one hundred million.
Such being the condition of things on the
10th of Nov. 1894, it could hardly be expected
that good flush times" would spring up
like mushrooms on the very heels of the late
election. 1t must be remembered that Pres
ident Cleveland will exercise his imperial
prerogatves as president until the 4th of
March 1897. both houses of democratic con-
gress will remain unchanged until the 4th of
March 1895, and the newly elected congress
men will not take their seats until Dec 1st,
1895. unless convened in extra session be-
tween March and December following. Civ
ing these medical reformers ample opportu-
nifty to perform the full measure of their
professional haggle.
We all remember the public declarations
at the time and soon after the adjournment
of the last session of congress, that tariff re-
form was not done with; that II was the pur-
pose of the present administration to put the
indus ries of this country through another
g ant nd 80 bar tf
sible, to conform with the doctrine of tariff
for revenue only" and approximate the
theory of free trade
Our recent election had the effect to restore
confidence in the money centers and our
bonds held in Europe rose on the market; so
also, the recent sale of SJ0,O00.O00 of bonds
by the United States treasurer found ready
purchasers in our own market at high pre-
mum. But while this is true. we mast bear
in mind tn at the restoration of confidence j.
not the restoration of national prosperity
but il shadows that way.
The present adm inistration has paid moth
ing on the publJ debt; on the contrary il
has used up all the revenues rec eived. $3.50,
100000 surplus left by Har rison, and added
10 the bonded debt 800, 900, 600, which bond,
bear interest annually at 3 per cent, payable
at the end of two years in gold. This was IN
condition of our finances on the first OF Sep
tember last, although the last is4ne of bonds
will bear date on the first of Noveub Der. In
brief. in Is months under emocratlc tariff
policy the administrator has used $3.50, GEO.
600 over and above the revenues. The reve
nues from all sources fall short of paying tn,
current expenses about 100000 a month
and still the president recommends furthe
additions to the free list by way of reform.
To those anxious for good times. we would
say, much depends on individual exertion
$50 LET the plowman pillow good and pillow
deep, IL he would have corn TO sell and corn
TO keep" W. Z. WIsToS.