The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1897-05-15
"THE DOCTRINE OF DESPAIR.

In his speech at the jefferson banquet.
saws the National Bimetallisi. among
many other excellent thugs senator
james X. Jones gave utteranea to we,e
the words which follow:
The logic OF events since November
last has convicted our opponents of de-
criving and misleading the people. They
offer no hope. they have no hope. except
1 that higher taxes may make US rich aud
prosperous. Or failing Ia that. that the
calamity OF foreign war may make
market for our surplus products. How
dismal must be the creed Oi a political
party which relies upon calamity alone
for rs hope " prosperity. VIII great
and free people recognise rs correct such
theories Of government Thisls certainly
The doctrine " despair aud not Of hope.
Senator Jonrs was ofcourse. speaking
As DEMOCRAT, and yet no fair minded,
Intelligent person can fail 10 appreciate
the remarkable force as well AS the ac-
curacy Of the statement The doctrine
Of the party in power Is the mointcn-
ance Of the gold standard, for the talk
OF AN international agreement Is mere
dust throwing. Ia orier to divert the
public mind from the wrong, the OPP
preston. and the destructive effects Of
tint standard. it has rcsortcd TO a revis-
ion Of the tariff on the lines Of higher
projection Under existing condition
this is SIMPLY taxing one portion OF the
people for the benefit Of another, and UNI
fortunately, those who are taxed are
already the poorest while those who are
directly benefited are already sullcring
the least or not suffering at all. We do
not wish to be- Understood AS Attacking u
protective tariff generally. With that
question the National Bimetalist has
naught to say, save as an incident to the
monetary problem. II by imposing
higher tariff duties, the manufacturers
Of the country could be 50 developed as
10 create market for substantially all
our agricultural products The question
would present itself in an entirely differ
cnt light. High tariff or low tariff for
a hundred years TO come we shall have
An enormous surplus OF agricultural pro-
ducts which must find market abroad.
There they will be sold m direct compe-
tition with like products from other
countries. and they must be- sold at the
same prices. Every body ought to know
that the prices of the surplus will govern
The prices In the home market. Hence,
while higher tariff duties may. for a
time. RAISE THE PRICES or MANUFAC-
TUNES, they cannot materially lifi up
agricultural products. The result will
bee direct and positive injury 10 the
agricultural classes NEARLY half the
population-by compelling them 10 pay
more for what they buy without giving
them any more for what they have Ia
sell. Under the stimulus thus afforded.
the factories will increase their output
aud load up with goods which cannot be-
sold, Then will come the reaction. and
? we shall find ourselves in worse con.
: dition than before.
a general foreign war would. as sug
gested by Senator Jones. Increase the d..
. mand for our products abroad. aud thus
+ Tor time Improve conditions here Tn,
sNgcncies OF great European wal
might lead to largc.issues ot paper money
and thus raise prices still more. But
these things would argue nothing il
favor OF the gold standard. They wouio
simply prove that extraordinary aud dis
. tressful conditions might arise m otnei
2 countries which. to some extent woulC
temporarily offset the baleful effects o.
ihe gold standard
$ so long as We have a vast surplus %
products to be- sold in the Foreign market
aud so long ms We have an immense fore
Ign debt, the interest upon which mus
either be paid iugold. orn products sol,
- AS cheapls AS other countries will sci
{ them, just so long the trend of price
! will be downward and the hard time
4 viii prevail. save ms We may experience
F, temporary and sIasmodic relief from
. the mlsiortuncs of other countries
An the tariffs ever devised will no
bring prospersty under such circumstan
!, ces
Silver must be restored. the effect O
h which Will be To raise prices abroad a
y we'll as at home.
With great political party attempt
ing Ia maintain the gold standard IL
this country, We do indeed. AS Senate
Jones well saws. stand face to face wit
the doctrine OF despair.
5 We notice bN some of the Cassi
N county papers that "piamonheld Jack
D. the cowardly brute who Is now unde
= sentence of death at Albion for the mul
n der Of two shecpmen year or more az