The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-29
FIGHT ONE BATTLE AT A TIME.

Carl Schurz is of the opinion that with
out an active spirit of enterprise there can
be no prosperity" Mr.. Schurz always did
say wise things, when he felt like it, and
his long association with the Democracy
since 1SS4-has not impaired his under
standing nor abated the flow of words of
wisdom, when he will allow them to
flow. Now, if Mr.. Schurz will add to the
wise words quoted above "and without
confidence in the ability and willingness
of those who are directing the affairs of
the Government there can be no active
spirit, no enterprise nor no prosperity"
he will have uttered great truth, but he
will do nothing of the kind.
Will Mr.. Schurz tell US what it is that
creates an active spirit of enterprise and
what it is that makes for prosperity If
pressed for an answer he would say ZAP.
piled Clevelandism." The people of the
United States are noted the world over for
enterprise, but they have not been very
prosperous in recent years, nor will they
be until the iron chains which applied
Clevelandism has wound about them are
removed. The spirit of their enterprise
70 und pretty full play for over thirty
y
earth were so prosperous, and during the
operation of that great and wise industrial
legislation of 1890 their prosperity was phe-
nomenal. This Mr.. Schurz knows very
well. But when that legislation was
forced to give way to applied Cleveland
ism the active spirit of enterprise of the
people was so circumseribed and handi-
capped that not only had they no pros
perity, but they were forced to stand and
see what they had gained in other years
go from them.
The same old spirit of enterprise which
Mr.. Schurz talks about is still alive,
though it cannot be said to be very active,
nevertheless it is watching and praying
for the passing of applied Clevelandism
and the returning of applied common
business sense as it was before the indus
trial props and defenses were removed by
applied Clevelandism. But Mr.. SchuIz
must not be misunderstood. What he
means by 'active spirit of enterprise" is
the adoption of the gold standard of re-
demption money, once for ALL and thus
put the seal of the Nations disapproval
upon any plan or proposition that winks
at or harbors anything that contemp!ates
the restoration of silver to the monetary
system of the country by international or
any other kind of agreement.
Mr.. Schurz, like Mr.. Cleveland and
every other Democrat, be he a silver man
or goldite, believes that the present tariff
is too high and that very many more arti-
cles should be put upon the free list.
There is no division at all in the Demo
cratic party on that question. Therefore,
it matters not how divided the party may
be on other issues, the rank and file and
leaders everywhere are of one mind as to
the tariff question-that there should be
reductions all along the line so as to give
foreign countries stronger footing in our
markets. Now, in the face of the indis-
putable fact that the Democracy is schem-
ing behind all quarrels in its ranks over
the money question to reach an actual free
trade basis foc the country, is it not the
duty of Republicans to drop all other is
sues for the moment and see that the
foundation of the country's industries is
not carried away?
There never was time in the history of
the Republican party when the best inter-
ests of the country demanded more imper-
atively that it close up it's ranks and de-
fend the great American principle of
protection to the peoples farms, shops,
factories and mills. The Democratic party,
by its threat to destroy our industries,
obliges the Republican party to come to
their rescue, and, as Mr.. Schurz would
say, let US engage in the defense of our
matchmaking agencies with ian active
spirit of enterprise" Let US fight one
battle at time.