San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-04-05
W. B. SLOSSON'S ADDRESS
To the Members of the Republican League
Houston, Texas.

remarkable form Of government.
No one dare deny, with the
changes made during the last four
years in the administration of az
fairs, that the people rule. After
thirty years OF protection, pros
perity and peace the world was
surprised that President Harrison
and the republican party were
"turned down" under the plea that
the "tin bucket was taxed by pro.
tection," and a call chat the
books should be examined and re-
publican rascality exposed"
True, no period in our history
had seen this country so rapidly
advance in agriculture, manufac-
lures and commerce. Wages had
been steadily advanced, while the
cost of living had as steadily de-
clined. No nation in existence can
show such universal prosperity as
disclosed during the thirty years
Of this country under republican
control. The government was not
only self-supporting, but had from
it's only revenues, and without the
sale of bonds, paid off $3.50, 100000
of the national debt during the
four years of President Harrison's
administration alone, or $177, 1925
during each and every day of
his administration. "Reciprocity,"
that grand idea of Blaine and Nc
Kinley, was the law Of the land,
and underits benign influence the
markets Of the world were opened
to American farmers and manu-
facturers. The trade in the South
American states, in which Texas
is especially interested, more than
treble6 In amount. Germany and
the other European nations, under
this fair demand to "give and take"
reluctantly allowed American beef
and American pork to be sold in
their markets. American manu-
facturers were making American
goods for Americans. Progress,
prosperity, protection and recip-
rocity made this country the envy
of the world.
But halt was called under the
false cry of a "taXed tin bucket, and
the books must be opened" The
policy and the administration was
changed in 1898. Harrison and
protection was defeated, and Cleve-
land with free trade ideas placed
in power, 1t was a contest of
brains against bowels, and, alas
for America and the world, the lat
ter won. The results Heported
sound like funeral dirge. Ameri-
can industries were paralyZed. The
silent smoke stacks all over our
land, including Texas, look solemn
and reproachful as they frown
down upon this new order of
things. Once happy workingmen
are now tramps by the hundreds
Of thousands. Mortgages fore
closed as never before. Even in
Houston the foreclosure sales at
the court house on the first Tues
day of each month show the ter
rible effects of a distress never be-
fore realized. The oldest mercan-
tile houses repeat the cry, no trade,
no money, and some who have
withstood the tide for forty years
now succumb.
Nationally what?
The Wilson free trade bill super
cedes reciprocity and protection,
and note the result. Instead of
surplus to pay off the national
debt Of $3.50, 100000 saved under
Harrison's administration, Cieve-
land and Carlisle have sold bonds,
which with the interest required
to pay the same, will increase the
national debt over $507 100000 in
the three years OF their admins
tration, and the end is not yet. No
democrat or republican desired
that reciprocity" which means
equal trade and equal terms with all
nations, should be repealed; but in
the blind rage to do away with the
Mckinley bill of protection, it
went because a provision of the
McKinly law. Under reciprocity"
our trade with foreign countries,
especially the states OF South
America, had more than doubled.
Under the Wilson bill and Cleve-
land it has promptly dropped back
to less than the figure OF 1890.
Foreign shoddy goods made by
cheap labor Of other countries are
taking the place of American made
goods. The imports Of rags aud
shoddy goods increased from a ,l7O,-
94l pounds in 1894 to 20,71S, 10S
pounds in 1896, under the Wilson
law. The testimony Of the Guard
ian of Manchester, Eng, is that
manufacturers of shoddy goods are
overwhelmed with American or
ders, and have been compelled to
refuse more orders for the present.
The i'm portation of So called wooden
goods from England increased from
SIG, 100000 in 1894 to $57 900, 900 in !
1895, and the sheep and wool indus
try in Texas and the United States
died.
Result. Texas has one republi- |