The Monticellonian., 1895-08-09
THE BUSINESS REVIVAL.
An Independent Newspapers Review .
 the Situation.

the Situation.
 To estimate the extent and nearing of the present revival we must take glance backward. When the McKin- ley tariff became law, in October, 1890. disastrous results soon followed, es- pecially in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illi- nois. In December, 1890, at Bethle- hem, Pa, 1000 iron workers were thrown out of employment. In Jam uary, 1891, wages were reduced per cent. at the large steel works at Home stead, Pa, and in the following Feb ruary 4,000 men were thrown out of work-reverses followed in April by a second reduction of wages 6 per cent.) and in July, 1892, by the great and bloody strike of $500 men against wage reductions. On January 22, 1891, at Youngstown, O., 10000 men were thrown out of work and the wages of 5000 were reduced at Johnstown, Pa In less than a year after the Nc Kinley law took effect 2i, 900 mill hands were thrown out of work or their wages cut down. In March, 1892, one western steel company had 2,50O men idle, and in July of that year ordered a reduc- tion of 45 per cent. in wages. Strikes, shutdowns, working on short time, re- duction of wages were quite in order these times (from 1890 to 1893 of 'hum- 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 tin November, 1S92) wisely concluded that they had had quite enough of the American system" (so- called), and hence they voted for tariff reform and Mir Cleveland.
 The present improvement has come to stay, and the new tide of prosperity can be heightened and broadened if tho American export trade in manu- factured products is vigorously pressed. Relieved by the Wilson law of con siderable portion of the vast burden of "protectiveh taxation imposed for the benefit of monopoly "a taxation amounting to many hundreds of mil 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 it is for them a blessing in disguise. Every day makes it clearer that it is not to their interest to revive McKinleyism. With free raw materials-the very hfeblood of manu- factures-and with a reduction in the expenses of manufacturing, both of which inestima ble 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, 1t is true, was not exactly Waterloo. But, like the union victory at Cemetery Ridge, it was decisive. Many repub- Hcan journals are now crying out re- enactment of the Mckinley or some other high tariff, and are bent on mak 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- complaining shall not be frustrated by adverse legislation.-N. Y. Herald.