The record-union., 1896-08-06
SOUND REASONS.

1t is constantly asserted that there
has been steady increase of the nom
employed numbers, that wages have de-
clined and that for our products there is
insufficient demand, and hence a par
alyzing fall in their prices.
Conoeding that all these things are
true, what have we to look to for the
causes? We think that there are three
things among others that have tended
most materially to bring about the
conditions complained of. One of these
is the exceeding displacement of male
home builders and home maintainers
by the employment of women in busi-
nes, invariably at lower rate Of wages
than the displaced man received. An
Their is found in the fact that in three
or more foreign sections of the globe ag-
ricultural production has been pro-
NOTED recently successfully on low
wage basis, and with so narrow a mar
gin of profit that our producers have
found the competition unequal and the
foreign markets cut from beneath their
feet
Thirdly, the in-put of foreigners
through the gates Of immigration has
been SO large that American workers
have been greatly displaced by a class
that does not rise to the level of the
American idea of home living, privileges
and comfort With these things is to
be included the abandonment Of the
protective principle whereby the incom-
ing of the goods of cheap foreign labor
has crippled and paralyzed home man
ufacturing.
What, then, does the country need
more than anything else? First, COM
mitment of administration to the party
of courage, progress and capacity; pro-
motion of diversified farming; the re-
establishment of the protective policy;
greater restriction Of foreign immigra-
ton; the Encouragement of the entry
of women into business employments
to the displacement of the natural
breadwinner. The Republican party
stands for reform that will meet the
greater of these evils promptly namely,
the establishment of the Industrial
protective policy. That is the most
vital issue before the people to-day. 1t
rises far and away above the financial
question, which In the very nature of
things cannot, no matter how settled,
protect the American wage-earner
against the unequal competition with
which he is now confronted, or exclude
in degree the foreign in-put of cheap la
Dor products and laborers.
With American manufacturing Grip
pied the skilled man is thrown out of
employment. With American manufact-
uring resumed under protection, the ar
tisan is new equipped with means for
home building and maintenance, and
the independence which we demand of
the American citizen.
That we will have a true bimetallism
and settle this silver question upon
fair basis we believe, for the American
people have met no such issue as yet
that they have not proved equal to it.
We want as large a volume Of silver
currency as Is possible to be secured
with safety to business and wage-earn-
ing conditions. That both gold and sill
yer are to remain the metallic currency
Of the country we have not the slightest
doubt Neither should be crippled, and
a parity between the two coin metals
is to be attained and maintained.
The enemy Of silver coinage is not the
friend of prosperity, nor is he who
would exclude gold from the currency
for the sole benefit of silver production.
The safe middle ground between ex-
tremists will be found. It has already
been suggested, and we have perfect
confidence in its ultimate attainment.
But, we repeat, it matters little what
is done IL there is not return to the pro-
tective policy under which the coun-
try was prosperous. We must recover
lost ground; the makeshifts and vain