The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-07-23
M.kINLEv PROSPERITY.



the People.
We are told as an evidence OF the pros
perity which il is claimed has come
upon the country that there is money
and TO spare in the vaults OF the nation
al exchequer. Such money as is there
is taken from the pockets of the people,
who need il far more than the govern
ment needs il, but there Is certain
class of people who assume that the
government is rich beneficence total
ly apart from the people, and they fan
CIV that because in their eagerness to
prevent the harsher burdens of taxa
ton proposed by the Dingley bill citi-
gems Of the United States have FASTENED
to withdraw imported goods from ware
houses and TO fill their stores with such
as they need, and thereby accumulated
duties in the treasury, the fact is evil
dence of prosperity. These are persons
who look to the gold reserve as a sort OF
fetch and to large treasury balance
as not only temporal but also eternal
salvation.
What prosperity is there in the very
significant fact that many good banks
in Chicago passed their dividend in July
| and that others reduced the amount SO
paid? The management by these bank
ers is prudent, but it is not nantes
taton of prosperity. Prosperity does
not show itself in that way. Prosperity
does not shorten sail.
Nor is prosperity seen In the fact
that great number Of coal miners
throughout the United States have con-
cluded to walk out rather than be sub
jected to the further reductions and
hardships by mine owners who enjoy
n protective tariff on bituminous coal.
There is no prosperity in the fact that
7; 10000 workingmen have quit, while
unnumbered thousands have no oppor-
tunity for work.
One may speculate II he choose upon
the time when prosperity will present
itself, but whose asserts that II Is here
now is stupid. When prosperity comes
the people who need it greatly will
know that it is here. There need como
no ghost from the grave of the treasury
department to tell us that prosperity
has arrived. Prosperity is not a thing
that can be made by governments any
more than by individuals. though both
may unmake ii by foolish Intervention,
by rapine, by idleness. by living on the
fruits of other peoples toll as governs
ments do and do properly when they
confinc themselves strictly to the dis
charge OF an ascertained function OF
government. and improperly, disas-
trously, when they assume that govern
ment is some great necromancy which.
by exacting tribute from the people for
the benefit of protected class, may
make prosperity. They make prosper
ity for the protected class. but what OF
the infinite number ofthe unprotected?
Republican leaders are very anxious
to impress upon the people that pros
perity has arrived. The people will
believe it when they see it. They have
had the same ole assurance from these
same old party leaders SO often and so
untruthful that they are through with
them. Prosperity by the election Of
Mckinley; prosperity by the Inaugural
tion Of Mckinley; prosperity by the APP
pointment of Reid as envoy to the
queen; prosperity as the result of Nc
Kinley's visit to the exposition at Nash
Vile: prosperity because the secretary
. of the treasury is certain thatit is here;
lo here Is prosperity and there pros
perity. but the only visible evidence
Of prosperity consists in passing divi-
dends and in locking out labor.-Chica'
go Chronicle.