Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-08-01
Only One Visible Way Out.

"Your Uncle Joshua lowering"
prohibition nominee, has accepted the
high privilege of running for the pres
idency. In doing so he says, among
other things:
The products of the soil--the n:ainstay of
the nations prosperity and wealth--are so
low in value in many instances as not to pay
the cost of production, leaving nothing for
the labor of the toiler or for the capital
invested. Many persons hold the opinion
that the cause of all this trouble is oyer
production But can such an explanation
be true? Is not the thought an impious
one? Can any one who believes in bene-
ficcnt Creator believe that He bestows bounti-
full harvests to be curse rather than
blessing to mankind?
No, no; perish the thought. The reason
of all the prevalent trouble in our fair land
to-day is not over-production, but under-con-
sumption.
John Stuart Mill never ''knew of
any economic facts that can give rise
to the opinion that general oyer
production of commodities ever pre-
scented itself in actual experince.'
And as the term, "under-consump-
tion," is an exact synonym in effect of
"over-production," we cannot see
wherein Mr.. lowering is able to draw
a line so distinct between them.
The one means the other.
And yet Mr.. Mill can find no record
Of similar state of affairs ever before
existing ''in actual experience"
The problem is one of the profound
est which taxes the acumen of this
generation. The sage, philosopher
and statesman are bending over it
with studlous anxiety, but without
avail.
To the silverite only is it easy. A
little 53-ceat dollar is his solution of
the colossal puzzle.
But seriously-it is the JOURNALS
humble conviction that our tariff
hindrances to trade and our taxes gen.
orally levied upon exchanges with for
eign countries are the chief causes of
current troubles. Certainly in the
case of wheat our intolerance of trade
with other countries, notably our
South American neighbors, has slim
ulated, not to say forced an enormous
competitive development of that
cereal, and their grain is a drug
now where ours was once a necessity.
For instance-take that old chal-
lenge, "cotton is king" and it is to be
doubted whether any other threw ords
can ever again infict as much harm
upon any interest as did that trio upon
this whole country.
Cotton is no longer king.
Yet some foolish people are starting
the cry that "iron is king"
There is, it is true, more force IN
that declaration, because iron, unlike
cotton, is not reproductive com
modify; still, as 'dare" to foreign
resources and enterprise, it is both
bad taste and ruinous policy.
Mr.. Levering's question concerning
the Creators bounty Is, therefore, in
apt. Many farmers are getting just
exactly what they have been voting for
during many years--the reaction of a
national boom and lingo policy.
Curiously enough, Mr.. McKinley's
way out of the situation is to continue
the policy.
Mr.. Bryan's way out is to ,bulldoze
the world into selling US goods and
taking pay for them in 50-cent dollars.
The JOURNALS way out is a mate
rial reversal of the one and total
rejection of the other, meanwhile in
fexibly restricting appropriations to
the income.
For as long as we must get enough
goods from the outside as basis for
the tax which maintains government,
we should trade fairly and pay for
them in money whose value is the
same the world over.
In short, we would do business with
our customers abroad as cleverly as
with those at home-advertis the best
products of the best country in the
world, and stand by the ADVERTISE
ment, especially the last line-"no
trouble to show goods"
II