The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-06-27

1879, every dollar or our money-paper,
silver and gold has been OF equal pur-
chasing power the world over. The pol
lev OF the party has been to make and
keep our currency equal to the best IN
the world.
.Under the operation OF these honest
tariff and honest money republican laws
the country grew in wealth and power
beyond precedent. We easily out
stripped all other powers in the CONNER
cial race. on November s. 1892. there
was work for every hand and bread for
every mouth. We had reached the high
water mark. Labor received higher
wages than ever, and capital was prof
ltably and securely employed. The ma
tional revenues were sufficient TO meet
our obligations and leave surplus in
the treasury. Foreign and domestic
trade were greater in volume and value
than they had ever been. Foreign bal
ances were largely in our favor. Euro
pean gold was flowing toward us. But
all of this is changed. The cause is not
hard TO seek. A reaction began when il
was known that the legislative and ex-
ecutive branches of the government
we're to be democratic. The democratic
party had at Chicago changed the pro-
tective tariff principle as unconstitution'
al, and solemnly pledged Itself to the
overthrow and destruction of the Mckin-
ley law and the adoption of free trade
as the policy Of the United States. This
bold, aggressive attack upon the long
settled policy of the republican party
bore it's natural fruit in unsettled bus
mess, and we were soon drifting against
the rock of destruction. Before the work
of demolition had actually begun run
was started upon the treasury reserve,
which the republican party had wisely
accumulated for the protection of the
government credit. The drain upon the
reserve for the redemption of Sreen-
backs and treasury notes greatly sur
passed all prior experience and empha-
sized the dscredit into which the demo-
cratic administration had fallen. An ut
ter want Of confidence in the admins
tration possessed the people.
Destroyed the Mckinley Law.
THE democratic party was harmonious
upon one subject, and that was the lie
struction of the Mckinley law. But when
i they came to the exercise OF the creative
| faculty, the enactment of a great rev.
| enue measure in it's stead, there was
dlscord. The imperied interests of the
country watched and waited through
| long and anxious months for some set
Element of the important question. They
wanted an end to the uncertainty. AT
length the Wilson bill was adopted, and
It was characterized by a democratic
president as the child of 'pertidy and dis
honor 1t was so bad that he would not
contaminate his hand by signing it. a
bill that was too base for Mr.. Cleveland
to approve is too rotten for the approval
of the American people.
This important law was wanting in
the primary purpose of revenue meas
ure, for it failed to provide adequate
revenue to meet the requirements of the
| government. The deficiency thus far
amounts to some $3.50, 0D00OO The end is
not yet, for the deficiency grows day by
day. This leaves the public credit in
constant peril. Our foreign credit is i'm
paired, and domestic capital feels inse-
cure.
1.-The sectional favoritism OF the wills IN
law was one of it's marked features. Its
blow at the sheep industry was an un-
pardonable offense. 1t was a fragrant
wrong to the farmers of the United
States. This great Industry had devel-
oped and grown under republican pro-
tective laws until it was one of ouI
greatest. We are nov sending abroad
millions of dollars for wool which were
paid to our farmers under the Mckinley
law.
THE bill struck down reciprocity, ono
of the highest achievements in Americ M
| craftsmanship. No measure was ever an
acted which more directly advanced the
interest of the American farmer auC
manufacturer than reciprocity. With it:
destruction fell advantageous commercial
agreements under which our product'
were surely finding larger and more pros
table foreign markets and without the
surrender of their own The substitu
ton Of ad valorem for specific duties ha:
opened the way for systematic anc
wholesale frauds upon the treasury ans
producers and employers of the country
Fly means of under-valuations. foreign
goods pass through the custom houses
without paying their just tribute TO th'
treasury of the United States. Thus W.
Lost mil Of
and the foreign producer has been en-
abled 10 fairly possess our home mar
kets.
Neither time nor place will permi
further reference to the unfortunate leg
satiOn of the democratic party. nor Z
the hurtful, demoralizing effects of it
Suffice it to say that it has been tn
great and original factor in breaking
down confidence. checking progress
| emDtying the treasury, causing contin
ued deficits and enforced idleness amOnl
millions of willing workers. TO meet TIN
monthly eficit and protect our credi
and save the government from protest
the president has been forced to sci
bonds: in other words, he has beel
obliged to mort gage the future in a tim
of peace to meet the current obligation
of the government
This is in sharp contrast with the re
! publican record. Our tariff laws nc
only raised revenue. but they protected
our domestic industries; they impartial.
protected the farmer and the manufac
turer, both north and south. Not Onl
that, but they raised sufficient revenu
to gradually reduce the public debt, an
without imposing a grievous burden upO
the people During the administration o
: Harrison $236, OOO zoo of obligations wer
paid while Cleveland, during the las
three years has added to our interes.
1 l,,ori,or aeht COCO 0O0 C00 AGAINST eur