The San Francisco call., 1896-10-15
AMERICAN PROSPERITY.

Mr.. Mulhall, one of the most accurate
statisticians in the world, writing in 1882
said: History affords no parallel to the
progress of the United States in the last
decade" The American people are aware
OF the truth OF these words. At the
time they were written every farmer was
prosperous, every mill was running, every
workingman was employed, and pros
perity existed in every home. In one
brief year all that prosperity was blighted.
Disaster fell upon the country, affecting
the National revenues, the wages OF the
people, the profits of capital and the well
fare of every industry. We know the
moment this disaster occurred and We
know also the cause of it.
Mr.. Cleveland entered Office finding the
country prosperous, but he entered 1t with
a threat to break down the barriers which
protected American industry from the
competition of European LABOR. In the
face of that threat, backed by Congress
with a Democratic majority powerful
enough to enable Mr.. Cleveland to carry
it out, the prosperity of the country van
ished and from that day to this we have
been living under the shadow of hard
times. Since evil legislation caused the
ruin, it is certain that good legisl alton
can repair it. The sole issue before the
people therefore at this time is to elect to
office men who will restore the Repub-
lican policy of protection, and to sweep
from every branch of the Government the
fasco statesmen who brought about the
destitution and disasters of the past three
years.
In 1892 every man and woman who
wanted work was able to obtain it at
wages 60 per cent higher estimated in
gold, than in 1860, and % per cent higher
than in 1870. We had the gold standard
then as now. 1t worked no evil under the
protective system. The cause of our troubles
is the extent to which we have adopted free
trade. II requires no great intelligence,
therefore, to see that the remedy needed
for the existing depression is not change
of the monetary system of the country,
but change in the tariff system.
When in Congress Mr.. Bryan avowed
himself an advocate of even lower tariff
duties than those of the Wilson bill. He
opposed by every means in his power the
adoption of the Senate amendments to the
Wilson bill, which gave to American in
Gustry such scanty protection as it enjoys
to-day. There is no reason to believe ne
has changed his opinions on these sub
jects. If elected to the Presidency he
would certainly use the whole influence of
that great office to carry the folly of free
trade further yet, and the ruin which has
been occasioned by the German tariff
would be as nothing to the ruin which
would follow the tariff legislation of a
Bryanite Congress, urged on by the ex-
citable boy orator himself.
In the light of this past experience it
should require no campaign of education
to instruct the American people which
way prosperity lies. We have the lamp
OF experience to cast a light along the
pathway of the future. By its rays we can
see in which way is danger and in which
way is safety. Let us walk by that light,
and we will walk securely. With BRYAN
there would surely be disaster; with Nc
Kinley we can count on an assurance of
prosperity in the Nation and peace, COM
fort and plenty in every home.