The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-09-04


death knell of Poulistic hopes.
Nh. Bryan and the silver orators are
constantly asserting that the Republican
offer no specific fon the present hard times
AS Ex-Governor Flower in his address
to the indianapolis convention it Ia a
characteristic of quack doctor that he
always prom Uses a cure. The learned
physician is eau tious and chary of prom
ising. He understands that the condi-
lions upon which recovery depends are
oftentimes entirely beyond his control, and
that even when the disease does not ap-
pear to>be grave complications may arise
which he cannot deal with successfully.
1t Is just the same with the political
doctor. When man goes round the
country shouting that be has a panacea
for depression in business, poor crops
and low prices it is perfectly safe to set
him down as a quack whose remedies
are not worth serious attention. No
mans mind is big enough to grasp all
the causes and conditions that bring bad
times nor to supply specific warranted
som etiInes by legislation to surround
business and industry with favora BILE
conditions, but not very much. Our
Legislation can affect only slightly
conditions beyond our own borders, and
| 1t is the latter oftentimes that must be
changed before of our business and
| industry to prosper. Our wheat raisers
today are suffering from the competition
of South America and the East and legls.
lation on our part is poweriess to help
| them. Our farming business in common
with our mercantile business is suffering
from sharp competition and free silver
will have no tendency whatever to lessen
that competition. If every ounce Of silver
| bullion were turned into dollars and put
In circulation, the production of wheat
would not be diminished or it's consump-
ton increased. The rise of silver does
not menn the rise of wheat or other ia rm
products. There is no connection be-
tween them by which one drags down or
lifts up the other. The great law OF
| supply and demand fixes the price of
everything that Is raised on the farm and
will continue to fix it's no matter how
abundant or how scarce are silver dollars
When crops are bountiful prices are like
~ to rule now, and when there is a
scarcity an advance may be expected.
Free silver won t affect the productive
ness of the soil, 1T will not Increase OF
diminish the raj n fall, it will not retard
or accelerate the frosts of autumn and il
will not drive out of the farming ,bussi
ness an y body now engaged in it. 1t viii
neither promote scarcity nor abundancs
it will not lessen competition, 1T viii
not alter single one of the conditions
fupon which price depends. 1t ii
quite true that the Republicans do no
claim that they have specific that will
cure all the ills that aff1iot the country
They do not allege that they can oontro
all the conditions on which the success
of every industry and business in tn
country depends. They do not pretend t.
be able to Danish poverty from the land
and make every body prosperous and hap
Ply. If they did make any such pretenc
or profession it would be the BEST reason
in the world for rejecting their ticket
for the man or the party that woul,
make such profession would be guilty o
dishonesty and false pretence, and woul,
not deserve the confidence of anybody.