New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-08
THE PHILOSOPHY or 1T.

-Four years ago mills began TO close the week
of President Clevelands election. ana others
stopped taking orders and prepared to close us
soon as existing engagements were colnpie'eu
This year many mills start up the week OF Me-
Kiulpy's election and multitudes which have
been running as close possible. so rs to'sfop
without delay in case Of Bryan's success. begin
Immediately to run full force. Four years ago
the reduction Of wages began as soon as the re-
suit of the election was known. This year
many concerns have already advanced wages
voluntarily, even before the result Is precisely
asccrtained Men do not yet know how large
the majority Of electoral! votes or the popular
mn iority NAV be. nor how the Senate will stand
But they know enough to be certain that the
supremacy of law will be maintained that the
courts will not be prosituted, and that no NOR"
Democratic experiments with the currency or
the tariff will be possible for four years at least
1t IS not necessary to add comments naked
recital of the facts must educate multiudes Of
men. The really surprising thing is that mill
ions of fellow-citiZens have been voting to take
tn" bread from their own mouths. TO deprive
their own families Of subsistence, and to pros
trate the industries and business of their coul-
try. This would be less strange If I'LL Of them
were as base and dishonest as those who have
composed rotous mObs in many cities. or rs
leEsply ignorant as Il considerable part or the
voters in the sums of cities or in the back
woods. But it is not so. a great majority or
those who voted to destroy their own prosperity
and that of the country were unquestlonably
honest and sincere Besides the base and
vicious and the stupidity ignorant. there was Il
great number of citizens who possess average
intelligence and are honest in purpose and yet
voted as stupidity as The least worthy of all
voters.
1t is easy to cay that false money theories
blinded many OF Them and false notions about
the tariff blinded many others. The explana-
ton does not explain. until it is realized that
these false theories have faculty of binding
men to their own real interests ana to their
duties as citizens and that because they appeal
TO low and selfish rather than patriotic motives.
1t Is the very essence Of the cheap-m0ney theory
that IL persuades a man that his individual
share OF the general property can bc Increased
by taking away part Of the property which
others enjoy. II is the very essence OF the Free
Trade theory thar it offers to sclfishness cheaper
goods withon: regard 10 tie welfare Of tie
millions who cannot produce cheap goods ana
yet live wholesome and happy lives
1t is opening the eyes Of millions this swift
transition from gloom TO sunlight. If the Dem
ocratic vote Is necessarily a vote for disaster
and disturbance, why cast another: If Repub-
lican success means instant improvement and
general prosperity. why not make 1t sure every
time? If the general welfare inevitably brings
the best results for all individuals. what sense
Is there in voting for changes which a narrow
and blind sefshness may prompt. but which
surely involve sacrifice Of the general welfare:
If support Of cheap-money and Free-Trade theo-
ries unavOidably makes a man the companion
and helper Of the ignorant and the baser cle-
ments of society. Is it not tine to push patriot
ism forward through all the years that are
coming!