Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-10-23

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secured Il sound protective tariff again,
and the whole country at once re-
bounded to progress ana prosperity, as
told by Carey. the historian, as follows:
.sAf,er four years of real prosperity
under The tariff of 1Si2, how great was
the change. Labor was everywhere in
demand. Planters had large crops,
aud the domestic market was growing
with Il rapidity that promised better
prices. The produce of the farm was
in demand and prices had arisen. The
consumption of coal, iron, wool and
cotton and wooden cloth, was immense
and rapidly increasing. while prices
were falling because of the rapidly i'm
proving character of the machinery of
production. Production of every kind
was immense, and commerce, internal
and external. was growing with uneX-
ampled rapidity."
President Polk. q radical democrat
and free trader, could not avoid mem
tioning the wonderful prosperity of
this period in his annual message in
1Sl6:
"Labor in all its branches is receiv-
ing an ample reward. while education.
science and the arts are rapidly en-
larging the means of social happiness.
The progress of our country in her Ca
reer of greatness. not only in the vast
extension of her territorial limits and
in the rapid increase OF our population,
but III resources and wealth. aud in the
happy condition of our people. is with
out an example in the history of ma
tions."
That was protection, but then the
free traders captured things again and
held full sway until 1860, though the
effects of a part of that period we're
not SO great as previous, for various
causes tended to maintain business at
rather a high tension against the great
est odds. Among these causes we're the
Mexican war, the famine in Ireland,
discovery of gold in California, and the
Crimean war These created a great
demand for farm produce and manu-
factured goods, and thereby main
tanned fairly good prices and conse-
qucnt easy times. But with the end of
those events came the natural conse-
quences of free trade and everything
at once went TO pieces, as is So wildly
| described by that rank free trader.
President Buchanan the last demo-
cratic president before the war lie
said in his last message:
"With unsurpassed plenty in al ne
productions &ul. all the elements Of
nat'rai wealth oar manufacturers huye
suspeno our public works ;.te re
/ t;Itleo' 1'.l' l1ri@ai" eiiierpri> rs ul 1if-
I iele}i. -l,p.a 5t -Dan 'Uac.i, au ,Hot-
4 sano~ af uaeful laaorefs arr thrown
opi oi employment ana relucca To
I "G'lt. W. tfive posscsseA AL tie e.e-
inentS OF A.asel.ai wealth i'll rich
abundance. aad yet. notwithstanding
| ali these advantages. our country, iii
! aole condition..
Ths was before the "criino Of 1872
gou must remember When we. had The
free ai&! unlimited coinage OF silver
Then tine republican party came into
power i'll 1861. euteringupon the policy
of protection, and for b years held
complete sway, during which time
partly during the free and unlimited
coinage period and for 20 years there
after-this country enjoyed growth
i'll prosperity aud power, as we'll as in
population and wealth, unequaled by
any other country in the world The
history of these wonderful strides made
in industrial and commercial affairs
during those 32years is known to every
intelligent, reading person in the coun-
try.
But history repeats itself, and in
1892 the people wanted ''change''
again, and it isuseless for us to OCCUPY
space here in contending that the
change came. Suffice it to say that
Grover Cleveland and his "tarif re-
form" have now been in vogue for Il
few years, and no words can more
graphically describe the condition of
the country at this time than those
quoted above from the last annual mes.
sage of President Buchanan during the
free coinage and free trade era. Read
them over again.
With this array of facts from history
which have been greatly condensed,
covering periods when this country
had the free and unlimited coinage of
silver and the later period under the
present financial system, can any
thoughtful person who is honestly
seeking that which will bringthe quick.
est return to prosperity contend thai
the tariff is not an issue?
Haven't we shown that these times
of depression and oppression come
upon the country during the free coin
age OF silver as we'll as later, and that
the only way prosperity was restored
was through protection to American
Industries?
Does any one want better proof o
this than the history of our own coun
try?