The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-16

era of SAFE prosperity Sdihc " on ~""'
q VIA "DOom period succeeded uuiins
which, in our own State OF virginia, iots
were svid arOunu sinaii country "opoNS
wnlcn, II built on, would nave ho@iiS ~
commodated the population Oh New I'm
The inevitable result folio"ed' 'he i""
ura of barring D.others punctured the
hubble. then came collapse, az" ~
consequent period OF stagnauon' lniS
49,, ,ror,d.sviae. not pecunar 10 America
nor caused by American polucs' Inc
nyu storm originated in Australia, lie"
across the Atlantic to Argentina recoiieu
on London. ana thehee
ends OF the Saith. - tao
H., u,non % resultant period OF stag
ra,,on was at IS worst, he Democrats
came into power. pledged IN tnS me-
nlace. TO ,he reform OF the -aElh III '''
direction Of Tree trade. ,,.,
Now. the writer IS y de'l1ei AuNoD-'e0
o. free trade. or its more moolhsu io' 49,
tariff for revenue only; he IS Douno ~
admit that when the ind istri's Oh i"
zion have been run on certain lines, anu
are thus changed to others iiametilcaiy
opposite though the change "oulu
ultimately greatly to the advances ~
the whole immunity, IL "aS
meantime detrimental TO the uai .,,,,
turing classes, taking from uhuet - -
when already under very severe SUI H.
a prop TO which they had lohs pee" @c-
customcd.
are didused over all and take some
Time to make themselves sensiDiy tet.
The temporary bad effects of the hange
are for the time being more Keen ~ ielt
nv one class. but that class AMI tnelr
depondents-a very influential one IL
II may be admitted then by tie most
ardent free trader that II was uHloilu'
nate that the time FOR NAL anS the new
experiment presented itself Just when II
did. and that the tempor .r5 tendency
was TO augment to some extent the
prevailing depression.
But this influence was bull slsht ana
had II been the only differ' noe between
America and other nations, would have
be.l discounted long iso' farm
changes were not so radical as 70 cause
prolonged depression, ana ere lnelo io
other retardine cause peculia TO America
che would some time ago have taken her
natural place. and been the FIRST TO teei
the influence OF the advanc ing tide OF
renewed prosperity.
A Young and comparatively undevelcped
country should be more elastic ana
take the rebound more quickly than one
which is older and fully developed.
Rut what are the facts of the CASE
Statistics Of British trade show mat IN
England the revival commenced upwards
~ n wear ago. and was so decided that
bv March the budget showed a sur prlus
Of revenue over the estimates OF upwards
of SO 600. ge-an almost unprecedente'
surnlus for England where caicuNllioh7
can no made so close that surplus OF
Favorable kfff. got
Cusi oms and excise both showed that TINS
incre ased surplus showed increased spend
ing mower. and therefore increased pros
peritv dinused over the whole body OF
the people.
America. on the contrary, has been
like a fallen horse, which has made sev-
eral att empts TO regain its feet only 70
fall back helplessly on the ground. why
does a young vigorous country, with
vast. undeveloped resources, snow less
elasticity than one much older and fully
developed? II IS not natural. ana points
to some great incubus resting on the
Younger nation. peculiar 70 herself. para
living all her efforts 70 get on her feet.
Whas is this incubus. this "Old Man Or
the Sea" we have got on our backs
/ reply unhesitatinSly-IT Is THE FEAR
OF FREE SILVER LEGISLATION
tiANGlNI LIN T. - ALL ~ '~NN $3.50
INDUSTRIAL COMMUNITY.
The cry is for more money, when money
was never so plentiful as now, If there
was the confidence 10 employ il. But
caDitalfsts are not fools. Who can look
for such confidence or for money 10 be
invested as long as about one-half the
people Of the country plainly say. IN
vest your money with us. and for every
dollar worth So 0grains Of silver you
place with us. We shall DO cur utmost o
have you paid hack in dollars worth AZ
grains? What would be thought OF
firm who. wishing TO develop their bust
ness. approached capitalists with such
proposition? Would they not be con-
sldered ht subjects for a lunatic asylum?
But there seems 20 be an idea In the
minds OF many that there IS something Of
omnipOtence about a nation, which makes
il exempt from the laws which control
individuals This Is a delUson. The
CAPITALIST dslkes being swindled by
nation as much as by an Individual.
The nation Is but the individual on a
larger scale. and Is equally amenabie %
the laws Of business and of nature.
True it may not be possible 70 compel
q ration ~ meet its obligations. All
the greater is the moral obligation and
the financial necessity that It's good name
should be- above reproach.
IL IT, then, of the utmost importance
that this cloud which overshadows our
prosperity should be removed. Ques-
lions OF tariff. or Of any other current
political issues pale into insignincance
before this. Let Us inhict on the hosts
Of free silver not only "A defeat, but a
a rout-a rout so decisive as % admit Of
no rally. A mere defeat. which would
leave hopes OF future victory and en-
courage 10 renewed effort would not re-
move this disastrous uncertainty. and is
not sufficient Let II be q Waterloo
They spea OF theirs as the American
policy. and call on patriots 70 Join them
Great Scott! what a prostitution OF the
name, Patriotism. forsoothl To brand
this country, the richest on the globe,
as they are fond OF telling US. as fraud
ulent bankrupt compelling its creditors
TO accept a dividend Of fifty or sixty
cents on the doilor'
Away with such patriotism,
WALTER J ERODE.
Naruna, Va, October -. 1896
FREE SILvIR HETHVDS.