The Republican journal., 1896-08-13
Some of the Causes of the Present
Unrest.
BY REV. W. G. pUDDFFOOI.

One of the causes of the present dull
ness of trade is lack OF confidence. This
has caused every one TO be more careful
in expenditures. An average OF fifty cents
a week saved by cautious people means
many millions of dollars a week drawn
from trade. The man who was going to
shingle his house now patches it, he who
would paint under ordinary circumstances
lets it 90 another year, men wear their
clothes longer and the boots are repaired
that were formerly given to the tramp.
Carry out this economy in all departments
of life and we have difference in the
business of seventy millions of people
that amounts to hundreds of millions of
dollars, so that the result of hard times
makes times harder.
We are living in a most anomalous con-
dition. Israel cried out tor lack OF corn
and goes to Egypt, but here is a people
cIylngtout because OF tullnesS OF bread.
What would Nautilus say if he were alive?
Here we nave nation getting rich at the
rate OF seven million dollars day, Ship
ping on an average eight hundred million
dollars worth OF products year and hav
Ing over million bushels Of wheat on
hand OF last year S crop that it cannot
consume, and making a cry OF hard times
before the whole world. Good old times
are myths. Our newspapers allude to
them Tor political effect, but read the
tile of papers for years back you will find
the same cry, the same unrest, the same
epidemic OF crime, suicide, etc. In fact,
certain things have become 50 stereotyped
that the type might be kept standing. |
do not deny that times are hard, but |
have seen them much worse and | know
hat Nov
much worse as one could imagine. Before
the advent of steam whole communities
literally starved when others had more
than they could use, but had no means for
saving what they had and no way Of dis
tribution. The railway, the steamship
and the. telegraph have stopped those
troubles but, alas they have brought
new train of ills.
In fact, it is the constant and rapid
change OF economic conditions that has
brought the present crisis upon us. The
farmer especially cries out to-day at the
low prices he gets for his produce. The
consumer cries because OF the high prices.
Both consumer and producer are amazed,
Tor never was there greater contrast be-
tween the first cost and the last price-tne
low price of wheat and the high price of
bread. In other lands the bread is weigh
ed, and II not up to the four pounds
piece is cut from another loaf until it is
made good. But the loaf handed out for
ten cents to-day is no larger than when
wheat was two dollars a bushel. The
farmer signs as he sees his fat steers
driven OF tor few cents a pound, the
consumer wonders when the butcher asks
MN twenty-five cents a pound, knowing
that the cost of carriage has been reduced
10 mininum. The consumer is still
more surprised if he goes to England and
nnds prime beet from Kansas cattle from
hive to ten cents less per pound than he can
buy 1t in Boston, and flour made in Min
neapOlls cheaper in Liverpool than New
! Ork
Now, III order TO understand the present
conditions, les us review a few OF the
causes that produced them. Take the
farmer at the beginning OF the century;
has tools are plows. hoes, .'akes, sickles
and Halls. The whole season is full from
spllng plowlng to the winter threshing.
No" mark the changes: first the sickle
gives way To the cradle; the cradle has
haldly become common when a moving
ah0 leaplng machine appears: then the
cum0lned machine: then Il machine that
ulnde. But great Stlife is gendered be-
~ NO. N
loads IS ''i1' sii'a
makes irs own bands ,51t ~ rI,.,
it IS cutting. The uld NOW oiyes ,,.,,- ~
a sulky blow. The oano ,,In,7, s1II..rs,.,{e-
.- The tAleshiuo machine fini,f,A, i'm :,
few hours " hat once took tI,e winter
In the Inanutacturinu world n,a,.hinas
lave been made one Ut which will do the
work OF 1, 600 men. Evidently. 1893 men
must 90 elsewhere. y ION Of mercl,an-
disc is carried a mile Tor less than 3, c,nt
Triple compound engines are made to,. The
great steamships. SO thar rh4 a,,lino ~
halt page OF TINS paner 10 the turn.,.n
tire viii carry a ton OF goods a mile On
the ocean From the ploWman. therefore
up to the thresher on the farm and from
the carrier in his cumbrous WAGON ia rho
Transatlantic steamer. revolutions have
been made that have completely unser an
previous conditions. In shnr we bs,o
TO- day in the steam power which ipclndas
all others up to dafe. a nroducer n,nIit;e
enough to supply TWO worlds Tbe s1,,,,ll,,
is TOO great tor the demand do 49, i,s-
that the supply is too great fo,. 10 ,a o'S
Ii some GREAT mind co7,ld Shaw H., 49, ~.
millions of needy in tb4 wnrId oa,,Id 'lat
in an honest way same lf tI.. crroa+ " 80
plus if would hasten rha n,iIIt,,rS;,',
One thino however l. .,ra NJ.
is not that advocated today h,- -, ,,, wy