The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-10-31
ARE THE People sUFFERING:--
H THERE NOT REASON FOR ~
CHANGE?

IF SINCE 1873. THE PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN SUFFERING. THEN.
1T is TIME FOR A CHANGE.
BUT 1T IS NOT SO.'
This Is plainly, briefly and emphat,
cally put. If there has been SUFFERING
since 1873, then MIR. Cochran asserts 1t /
time for q change. But he denies iha
there has been suffering. He says. ar
is NOT So" The Virginian of Thurs
day presented from the Campaign Tex
Book of the National Democratic Par
ty." that political annex" of the Nc
kinney Republican party, the follow
ing graphic sketch OF the suffering, tn
want, the misery. the hard times, tn
labor strikes, and lockouts, the riots
and bloodshed. and financial panics
which have occurred in the period be
tween 1873 and 1894 Ii presents 1
again in reply to Mr.. Bourke Cochran
positive assertion that the people hav,
not been suffering since 1873. Read It
Here 1t Is:
From 1873 to 1852, inclusive. the
number of failures was 74,9IS. with
liabilities aggregating 81 GAS. 3lO.5l7.
From 1883 10 1890 we were constant
~ on the verge of a financial crash.
The Secretary of the Treasury was
constantly forced to purchase bonds
and repay interest to check the
alarm. With all. however. that could
be done. we had the stringency of
1883, the panics of 1854 and 1890.
The number of failures during this
period. including the years OF 1883
and 1890, exceeded S2.0O0-with liabil-
tiles of more than si,250, 900. 900. The
failures which numbered 6,T3S i'm
1852 rose TO 9,1Si and 0.907 in 1890.
with liabilities aggregating SlS9. S56,-
964. During this period the
CONFLICTS BETWEEN EN-
PLOYERS AND EMPLOYEE IN
CREASED UNTIL RIOTS AND
BLOODSHED BECAME so NU-
NERVOUS as to excite little Interest
except in the most extreme cases.
During the years 1883. 1884, 1885. and
1886 We had 2.977 strikes in 1924 es-
Establishments embracing 1,039.Oll
employees. The number of strikes in
creased from AL, affecting 12959l
employees in 1881. to LII affecting
49s,489 employees in 1856 During
the years 1882 to 1856 inclusive. lock-
outs occurred in 2,2l4 establish
ments, affecting 1920 employees.
The estimated wage loss to employ
es by reason of strikes and lockouts
during these six years aggregated
S59,972, 440. In 1890 the failures rose
from l0.s07. with liabilities aggrega-
ting SlS9.S56964, to 1928. with liz
bllities aggregating slss. S6S, 693 in
1891. and the conflict between en-
ployers and employees, which had
heretofore eliminated only in com
bat and riot. BECAME BATTLES
BETWEEN GREAT FORCES.
ARMED WITH RIFLES AND
CANNONS. The number of fail
ures in 1892 were 1920, in 1893, it
reached the maximum height Of
1880 with liabilities aggregating
S4,G20.00o. as against assets amount
ing to S262O,000. In no other coun-
try has there been such a disturb
ed and unsettled condition as we
had. WE REACHED THE
POINT WHEN IDLENESS BE-
CAME SO COMMON THE FLATS
SIDDRED WEIGHTY DEMON
STRATIONS OF. CIVIC UNREST"
Possibly Mr.. Cochran will pronounc
this an untruth. But If so, it is the vi
terance of the Text Book of the so-calle
Sound Money Democrats, supportin
Palmer and Buckner, and based on tn
financial statistics of the years runnin
from 1873 TO 1s93-a period of twent
Years, the most disastrous period III
United States has ever known, save tha
Of the civil war.
But there is another picture. that 1
Illustrates the suffering caused. It
the picture Of real estate mortgage il
debtedness. 1t is the showing of tvs
states, yet, as such, 1t reflects to
great extent the condition Of the othe
States of the country 1t is somethin,
as the st. Louis Post-Dispatch state
for every salaried man. every lawye
doctor and professional men of a
kinds to consider. for their prosperit
depends on that of the communities 4
which they live. The showing relates I
the real estate mortgage indebtedness
of the States Of Illinois and Missouri
Here it is:
THE ILLINOIS DEBT, WITH
THE FARM AND HOMIE MORT
GAGE DEBT OF MISSOURI
AT THE CLOSE OF THEE FISCAL
YEAR 1896, THE TOTAL STOCK
OF GOLD IN THE TREASURY,
IN BANKS, AND IN CIRCULA-
TON IN THE UNITED STATES
ONLY AMOUNTED TO $498, 0O0,-
OO0."
There is an immense amount Of suffe
ing in the above show of indebtedness
Is it any wonder that the people al
grooming under its weight-a weigh
that the continuance of the gold stant
ard will double. Here 1t is seen, that q