The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-06-05
The Party Of Prosperity

II is amusing to place together the
two leading charges made against
the Republican party by the Demo-
cratic press. The first is that the
business depression of the last four
years was caused by latent conditions
prepared by the Republicans. and
handed over in 1893. The second is
that a full tide of national pros
perity has not appeared during the
second month of the new Republican
administration. These accusations
are contradictory end damaging eX-
cHses. They not only conflict, but
involve compliment not intended.
As for the subtlety of the Republi
cans in preparing disguised panic
and unloading it upon the Democrats.
that is a fantastic idea Up to the last
month of the Harrison administration
the treasury reported Il surplus. Then
the Democrats took hold, having been
intrusted with full control of the gov
III lil' IliltC III lliOt' Jllsih
thirty years. 1t WAS their business
to avert dull times and strengthen the
national revenue, and they should
have thanked fortune that the difficult
ties were only latent = not yet visi-
bic or urgent.
But few months of untramele&
Democratic rule elapsed until the peo-
pie discovered that the country haze
fallen into incapable hands. Every
thing went wrong. TIE national rev
emile fell Off, and heavy deficit APP
peared to take the place of the long
established surplus. IN insufficient
and politically shapeless tariff bin
was passed. 1t had the double fault
of violating the pledge of the party
platform and of failing to meet cur
rent expenses. The industries of the
country langnished. business conf
dence was lost, and new ventures were
indetinitessy ~ postponed. From this
state of. decentralization and distress
spran@ revolutionary Democratic
fusion and attack upon the standard
OF values. threatening to reduce it one
half. Here was PanGora's box with
a vengeance, and yet the Democratic
explanation is that the Republicans
had laid trap years before. Why
the Democrats failed to avoid all traps
is not cleared up. It is imperative
that party in full control should at
least have that much gumption.
On the 4.h of March little more
than tive months age, the Republican
party took charge in Washington of
q large assortment of Democratic
debts. deficits. complications and
tariff absurdities. and. at the same
moment. the Democrats demanded i'm
mediate good times. Mr.. Bryan is
reported to have recently asked a
crowd. Have you seen the General:"
In reply to the query. ''What Gener
all" his reply was, why general
Prosperity. In less than ninety
days the Republicans are expected to
restore the country to boyant condi-
tions.. They have never failed here
tofore to do it in due time. Whatever
of craftsmanship and courage was
they have supplied. They
are now ingaged in framing the sort
of tariff they are pledged to, which is
precisely where the Democrats showed |
one of their varieties of bad faith. /
The inheritance from the Democrats !
is not in the form of latent evils. !
They are numerous, positive and press /,
ing.GBut the Republican party expects
to make short work of them on this
as on fermer occasions.-Globe- |
Democrat.