The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-01-21
WEALTH PorsNcIEs AND gLucT-
UATION5.
The world goes up and the world goes dov


-Old song.
Wealth potencies are potent at times,
but the fluctuations of late years show
how they may shrivel and vanish. All
this has been seen in every direction in
business and values. Even within the
last month or so some twenty-five bank
ing institutions have failed in this coun-
try. Do not these collspses show the
shriveling process7 This shrinking of
values is reaching out and out, further
and further.
During the past year business failures
in this country numbered 14,800, the
largest for a number of years. The
losses are placed at s225, 900, 900, being
an increase of nearly one-fifth over the
previous year. The failures last year
we're more numerous than any other
year save that of 1898. But note the
fact in this connection that for many
years the number of failures annually
has ranged from 10000 to $1,000. All
this shows the precariousness and un-
certainty in business affairs, and should
serve to convince any rational mind
that there is something seriously wrong.
With such facts and under such state
of things, the American people should
gather wisdom and take steps accord
ingly.
The facts referred to indicate the
strained condition of things existing now
despite the election Of the "advance
agent of prosperity" One need not
refer to the hard times prevailing the
country over to working men, who can
find nothing to do, to suffering families
in consequence of lack of employment,
and, indeed, to the gloomy prospect all
around. All kinds Of business feel the
pressure, and there is no knowing what
may happen. The leaders of the party
in power only propose to continue the
policy which has brought such results.
They demand more and increased tariff
taxation. They propose to follow the
British gold policy more obsequiously
and fix it upon the country as perma-
nent arrangement. This talk about an
international monetary agreement is all
bosh and they well know it. The real
scheme is to increase the national debt
several hundred millions and to redeem
the greenbacks and treasury notes, and
thus give national banks bigger and
better chance 10 enslave the people.
The monster tyrant of all tyrants is the
money tyrant, and the American peo-
pie should see it.
The recent bank failures emonstrate
that our monetary institutions are in
more or less danger where all values are
constantly declining, save and except
bonds and mortgages, and even mortga-
ges are by no means secure while gov.
ernment and other bonds may be. 1t
should be remembered that government
bonds are not paying usurious rates OF
interest, and this is something that
should be considered all around in these
times. There are plenty of instances
where money. loaning institutions have
foreclosed and taken the property and
held 1t without getting much interest.
We need not go far from home to find
cases in point and owners of renting
property, who can hardly get enough
out of it to pay taxes, insurance, and
keep it in repair.
The unsettling of values has brought
about the havoc referred to. The tinan.
cial and taxation policies have been in
the interest of those desiring contrac.
ton. These agents of ruin instead oi
prosperity propose nothing calculated
to make things better. The gamblersir in
money and ficticious values have been
controlling our public affairs in these
re spects. Observation of the stock
market shows the fluctuations in specula'
tive values and how quickly millions
come and CO. 1t may thus be stated;
Stocks go up and stocks go down,
Stocks are here and there;
Now tits pull with bear and bull
Or strife with bull and bear.
There are many Stocks that have moi
been in the public gambling market al
Wall street. We refer to many manufact
uring establishments that have gone to
the wall of late years, never to revive
Such confidence had people in some Of
these that they would loan some of them
money freely, confident the money was
safe and the interest secure. Even the
orkmen would loan portion of theil
wages and draw their interest thereon
adding to 1t from time to time and
thinking they would have something tc
rely on in their old age But how such
hopes have vanished
The crime Of 1873 has been continuous,
The same vicious financial policy has
brought about the consequences referred
to. Every American citizen should con
slider them and should see the folly oi
looking to the authors and supporters oi
that crime for remedial legislation. The
gold bug monetary conference at Indian
apolis this very week shows these men
intend to continue the rascality. One
can not too often recur to the recent
past and call attention to conditions.
The American people should weigh these
matters and come together and act to-
gether for the public welfare. Long
enough has the public been robbed to
satisfy grasping greed. The knowledge
of facts is all important in order to
arrive at correct conclusions. "What
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