The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-26

not Deen doctored by them before Great
| laughter and applausc.) Free trade and
| free silver are the false friends of labor
| (Applause) They lure with promises of
cheap commodities and cheap money. The
| partial trial of free trade has proved that
the cheap commodities promised are dear TO
labor. and at the cost of labor. and cheap
money Will be equally dear to them and
| sacrifice TO their highest best interests.
THE PROMISES OF 1892.
I'VE cannot but remember the promises
that were made to the people in 1892 of the
universal beneficence which to follow
the Inauguration of a tariff for revenue
only policy, and with what prodigal bounty
it was to benefit labor, increase the pur-
chasing power of wages and decrease the
price of everything it bought and increase
the price of everything it made. "a voice:
Ihey did not pan outiD l recall an utter
ance by the Hon. William NJ Springer,
spoken in the House of Representatives
April 4. 1892, when he was advocating free
wool. There NAV be some wool growers
in this audience (Cries of 'Yes,D This ia
what he said Pass this bin and thousands
OF feet, heretofore bare. and thousands OF
limbs heretofore naked or covered with
rags, VIII be clothed i'm suitable garments
and the condition of all the people will be
improved. LaughterD IL viii give ems
ployment 70 nifty thousand mere operatives
N WOODEN mills II will increase the demand
Tor wool and prices will increase and with
increased demand for labor. wages will in
crease. Those who favor its passage may
to promote the general veal something to
scatter eater, plenty Ger a smiling land.
Have any of you realized the promise then
made? (Cries of MOI NOD Wool was
made f b and every cry man in this country
lied with the promises then made. Instead
of adding $4,000 laborers to the pay roll OF
wooden mills, i. has taken off more than
that number. The price of wool has fallen,
and with what effect upon the manufacture
err will show hereafter. For the woods of
PennSViVHni1
gan, New York. New England. Connecticut,
Indiana and Missouri, twenty-four varie-,
price in April, 1890 was 1913 cents per pound;
in April, 1896. ia cents per pound. a de-
woods of Texas. California, Oregon. Monta-
ma, wyoming, Utah., Colorado. Mexico.
ties secured. the price in April, 1890, was
491 cents per pound; in April, 1896, 27.4 cents
per pound, a decline of 44.2 per cent, 9th
er WOODS. ten varieties, secured, in April,
1880, brought 45.S cents per pound; in 1896.
2S.5 per pound, a decline of 3S per
cent So great a decline cannot be found
in any other commodity. Ohio Xxx wool
has dropped from 20 cents in 1892 to is cents
This will give you an idea of what free
wool has done for the wool producers of the
United States; How has it affected the
is but one customer for the wool-growers
of the United States, and that customer
The American wool-grower has no foreign
market to-day. He cannot compete in any
the cheap lands by cheaper labor OF other
countries. This is his market. and when it
it taken from him it entails loss and ruin
100 600, 900 pounds of clothing wool came to
our ports, an increase of 300 per cent az
compared with the largest importations re-
ceived when a duty was imposed, and the
total imports of all classes reached $50. 000.-
goo pounds, while 600 was the largest
importation ever made under dutiable
woods.
ONLY FOREIGNERS BENEFITED.
"Have these free imports of wool bene-
fitted the manufacturer? (Cries of Nor
'No!D The two years in which the man.
ufacturers have enjoyed free wool have
been the most disastrous in the history of
the American wool ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
than the disaster which followed the close
of the war of 1912 or the panics of 1887 and
1857. (Applause) 1t is a well-known fact
that since free wool it has not been pos
sible to make wooden goods in the United
States with any confidence that they would
sell in the market for what it cost to make
them The imports of wooden goods fol-
lowing free wool were simply enormous.
They averaged five millions a month in
value, so that at the end Of the first year
under the law the total value of woolens
eign value. In 1895 it is estimated that
nearly one-half of the woolens which en-
tered into consumption were of foreign
I'VE have in this country enough wooden
but it is not all in demand under present
conditions. We must start, il possible that
machinery in the United States. tApplause)
While they are idle American workingmen
are looking for a job: foreign wool growers
sending their wool to the United States
while American farmers selling their
focks. applause and cries of That's
rightO Bradford, England, alone sent us
in 1895 $27, 745, 900 worth of goods an increase
of 21 per cent over the value of their larg-
est export. So great was the demand for
these foreign goods that the English manu-
fn.l mt fTld 1rh YnF tn
run their looms. While this was going on
American looms were silent and American
machinery of the United States is
ployed. That is the result of free wool in
the United States. (Applause)
MY fellow-citizens, you want to study
that word free when it is applied to goods
or money-it Is delusive. Many of the fac
tories are entirely closed and others run
ming on half or short time, and 1t is esti-
mated that not one half of those who were
employed in 1892 find employment now. Un-
Wages than they had ever before
right.) The manufacturer was looking for
workmen Now the workmen are looking
hunting the employe; now the employee is
hunting work. 1t is said that there is
enough wool machinery in the United
600 men and women. and their wages dow.
to 1898 amounted to sSe,OOO,0O0 annually; $40
900. 600 have been taken away from the la
Dor fund and from the homes of labor.
A FALSE PROPHET.
Contemplating these figures and this
condition, what do you think of Mr..
Springer's prediction? Great laughter)
Every word of his prophecy has proved
false; every promise has been broken. Gap
plause and cries of That's right.) If this
is scattering plenty DER smiling land
we pray God to spare US any more of 1t.
(Great laughter and applause.)
''Those who promised plenty and prosper
ity under free trade are now assuring rs
that they can only be secured through free
silver. GaughterD How will free silver
stop the importation of foreign wool?
(Cries of 1t wont.D How can free silver
check the appalling importations of wooden
goods from the old world? (CrieS of 1t
can't do IT'D How can free silver preserve
the home market TO the wool producer and
the wooden manufacturer? (Renewed cries
of 1T can't do IT'D My fellow-ctizens it is
as delusive free trade. cloud cries OF
That's right.D 1t will only further cripple
every interest ian the United States How
can free silver increase the demand for
American labor and American products?
Answer me that. (Cries of 1t can't do IL. }
Remember my fellow-citizens, that
money does not make business. It never
did and ii never will. Business makes
money. Poor money never helped legiti-
mate business in the history of mankind.
1t has always hurt il. 1t is destructive
to every interest but that of the speculat tor.
Wsa-