The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-11-19
DOES THE ELECTION SOLVE THE
QUESTIONS THAT TROUBLE
1852

disturb the people OF tnlS country, Dul
the man who looks under the surface
and to the root of the matter, lays no
such flattering JUNCTION to his soul. The
recent election has settled but one thing,
and we fear that lacks good deal of
touching much more important consider
ations. 1t has settled the fact that sill
yer must be taken and circulated at its
commercial value and it has given a
auietus to that other correllative, that
irredeemabe money shall not get into
the circulation of this country, but that
is all that it has settled.
The natural adverse elements in the
economical questions yet to settle will
be in the shape of the producer against
the consumer or the consumer against
the producer. The complaint comes from
the producer that his products are not
receiving compensating prices or that the
consumer is not unfolding the equity of
a common prosperity. That the condi-
ton of the producer can be attributed to
improved methods that cheaper produc-
ton can not be doubted. To this is
superaddcd the fact that the producer of
the absolute necesSaries of life has
grown beyond the content of merely the
compensation of food drink, clothing and
shelter. and is demanding the Injuries of
life. Men are not willing to dig and
plow for six days in the week and sleep
and eat and have complete rest only one
day. They demand more than the sup
port the slave got prior to the civil war
and emancipation. They are asking for
the luxuries of life, for time and oppor-
tunity for culture and the facilities nee
essary for educated and intelligent men
and women.
Then. broadly speaking, it may be
stated that the issue is between the pro-
Queer and the consumer. A large ma
jority of the people of the United States
have declared that this has not been
brought about by the appreciation of gold
and we agree with them that there are
other causes at the bottom of this just
complaint. We do not know that we
fully understand all the causes that have
brought about this condition of affairs,
nor have we a panacea for all these evils.
But we believe that there is but one
way to go about their correction, and,
although it may be but step in the
right direction, we think it will open up
way to the final solution of the ques-
ton at issue between the producer and
the consumer. We know that these evils
have grown more rapidly since we, as
people, have been permitting the idea to
obtain among us, that in some way or
another the national government is re-
sponsible for our material welfare. That
is considerable factor that has added
to the natural causes arising from i'm
proved machinery and improved methods
of production. The single one, that the
natural cause Of cheap production is
enough for us to contend with, but it
is obvious that the other, the reliance
on the government, has made the discOn-
tent much more pronounced. Now it
would seem that while we are unable to
obviate the improvements in machinery
and the educated demand for Il higher
existence in the producer, that we can
remedy the other, to wit: Our DEEPEN
dence in material affairs on the national
Government is undoubtedly
responsible for this false theory, for one
of the evils that we experience and
which has troubled us so much lately is
from the fact that the government in
various ways has encouraged that de-
pendence. One of the ways is by going
into the banking business.
The agitation of the financial economic
question is largely attributable to the
government assuming Il function that
was never contemplated in the organic
construction of the government, to wit,
that of opening a banking business for
this and foreign countries with which
we have such intimate and extensive
foreign relations. That should be the
first step taken, for two purposes; first,
in RELOCATING government to it's original
functions, and secondly, in dsabusing the
minds of the people from a dependence
on the government for our material pros
perity. If we are not able as people
to manage our banking transactions and
our material prosperity without the di-
rect intervention of the federal govern
ment, then we are unable to manage the
affairs of government and maintain our
ability of self government. There are
other things upon which we have had too
much legislation or interference of gov
eminent by an assumption of unusual
functions that touch the solution of this
question, but this is the living present
one that demands the immediate atten-
ton of congress. When congress divorces
the national government from the bank
ing business we will be in better con-
dition to handle other economic questions
that threaten our peace and prosperity
pR0D0SITInN To CJRrIFT ATE