The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-12
BRYAN is A FREE-TRADER.

The voters of the United States will
not let William ]. Bryan evavde the
tariff issue in the pending campaign
The Delegates TO the Popocratic con-
ention at Chicago thought by repudiat-
ing President Cleveland and his admin
istration they could avoid a discussion
of the tariff, but they cannot do it.
Candidate Bryan stands for the ruin
Gus Democratic tariff policy as much as
President Cleveland does. When Mr..
Bryan was a member of the Fifty-sec-
ond congress, on March 6, 1892, he
made a speech in which he said he
was entirely in sympathy with the eff
forts of the Democratic ways and
means committee to destroy the Mckin
ley law. He was then opposed TO all
forms of protection, coming out square
ly for tariff for revenue. The speech
was one of the most notable delivered
on the Democratic side OF the house,
and was used as a campaign docu-
ment by the Democrats in 1892.
If Mr.. Bryan was in sympathy with
the efforts TO destroy protection in 1892
he must be in sympathy now with the
Democratic tariff law enacted by the
Fifty-third congress. of which he was
also a member. He undoubtedly be
lieves that the tariff law which has
brought misery and distress to mil
lions of people in the United States and
has resulted in commercial and indus
trial paralysis in this country is all
right
Mr.. Bryan cannot evade responsible
ty for what the Democrats of the Fiji
ty-third congress. of which he was a
member, did to the United States. The
injurious effects OF that tariff legisla-
ton are still felt by all the people. Hun
dreds of thousands of farmers who
have sustained loss of many millions
because of the free wool clause of the
Wilson-Gorman law, and who have
seen the prices of agricultural staples
fall steadily since 1892, will not fail
to hold Mr.. Bryan responsible for the
part he took in the work of that Demo
cratic congress. Neither will the mil
lions of workingmen employed in the I
great iron and steel and textile indus /
tries hold him guiltless of blame for !
their loss of employment and wages. |
Dun's Trade Review for the past week /
tells Of the injurious effects of the /
Democratic policy. Many iron fur |
races are closed, simply because there /
is no demand for their products. Enor- /
nous stocks on hand cannot be sold. /
and there are but slight prospects of /
in the near future. Some
cotton mills are running with greatly /
reduced forces of operatives while 9th
ers are closed entirely. The sales of
wool for domestic consumption amount
ed during the week 10 only 1880
pounds. as against 10.301.250 pounds
the same week OF the last year. Prices
Of wool are lower and the markets are
weakening. This industrial depres-
sion, together with favorable crop re-
ports, has caused a depression in the
produce markets, and thus the lief
fectS are felt all along the line.
These are the conditions that must
be compared with the prosperous con-
ditions OF 1892. when labor was fully
employed at good wages and there was
and happiness in all parts
of the country. Everybody who knows
\ n ha- ha 18Th xIN
Democratic tariff reform, for which
Mr.. Bryan is in part responsible. could
De lifted, prosperity would return to
he country. The Popocratic eandi-
late for the presidency must meet that
ssue on the stump.