St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-07-17
DESPAIR OF REPUBLICANS.
Disappoin tment and Lack OF Courage
Showing.

DksappOfntmenta and Lack OF Courage
Showing.
At some risk Of being accused Of
party lukewarmness the Republic de-
precates the disposition on the part of
many republicans to take gloomy
view of the business situation and to
make bitter complaint of the failure OF
the republican administration to real
ize the glowing ante-election predic-
tions of prosperity indulged in by adj
vance agents and press agents of the
Hanna syndicate.
It's true that the existing situation is
not encouraging. The general bank
clearances, in sharp contrast with a
large gain in st. Louis, indicated fall
ing off in business last week. Reports
from the industrial centers, particular
ly in Pennsylvania and Ohio, the states
most favored by protection, show tenn
porarily, at least, an intensifcation of
business depression resulting in the re-
duction of wages and production, and in
an increase of business failures.
But these results are in great measure
caused by special rather than general
business conditions. Much of it can be
traced to the wholesale tariff tinker
ing of the republicans in congress. The
conditions favorable to business reac-
ton, which the Republic has pointed
out, still exist. We have sold an enor-
nous quantity of stuff abroad, and have
an easy treasury and a great balance of
trade in our favor. Exceptionally fine
crops of garden products have been
marketed, and the prospect OF thegrain
and cotton crops, except in few locall-
ties, was never better. If the repub-
licans had refrained from business-dis-
turbing legislation these favorable con-
ditions, despite the opposing influence
of bad monetary system, would have
resulted in measure of business re-
lief. The republicans deliberately and
in the face of solemn warning took the
one step sure to prevent return to
prosperity by yielding to the pressure
in favor of tariff legislation for the
benefit of the bounty grabbers.
There are truth and justice, there
fore, in Mr.. Wanamaker's arraignment
of the republican party for promis-
ing immediate prosperity and then do
ing nothing to help it along. While the
gloomy bitterness expressed by him
and echoed by masses of republicans
are not fully justified and indicate an
unmanly and foolish attitude, yet there
is extenuation for the weakness. They
are the victims of Misrepresentation
and deception. They We're led to trust
in the bIossoming rod and the stimu-
Iating fetch. To the disappointment
following false prophecy is added irri-
tation over continued misrepresenta-
ton to cover political deception.
No bitter resentfulness affects the
Republic and the rational people who
placed no confidence in bombastic cam
paign predictions and do not believe in
fiat prosperity. We suffer neither the
disappointment of misplaced faith in
the McKinley's rabbit foot nor the hui
initiation of The false prophet. We are
still able to discern the conditions that
make for better times and to believe
that they will work out a measure OF
saEation despite the follies and the
blunders of the fetch worshipers and
the fat prosperity agents. We believe
the American people have enough
streng O., energy and resources to with
stand the blight of McKinleyism. We
advise our discouraged republican
friends to swallow their party disap-
rointment and keep up courage and
nhanr 81 r T,ouis Ran11b1ia S