The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-24
Al aoIa.Tlno Dsmeeral, " Error.

a prominent place IN the columns OF our
Market street Reighbor with an article
on the Signs of the Times We say
the signature Is appropriate. because the
article fully proves that the writer is
really and truly an old-timer-in fact, he
stamps himselfa IS being away behind the
present time, and has moss or something
equally binding still growing yer his
eyes.
The purpose Of this old timers article,
which is extremely pesslmistlc, is TO
show that all the predictions made by
the Republicans a year ago have utterly
failed, and that misery still prevails
throughout the land; that times have not
improved, and that matters are abso-
lutely in a state OF panic and depression
as they were during the four years OF a
Democratic administration. In view Of
the fact that even the Bryan organs, in
the face OF the overwhelming evidences
OF recovery from the hard times that pre-
vailed up to a few months ago. have
ceased to indulge In the calamity howl,
"old Time Democrat" is out OF order.
But the object in making reference to-
this old timers remarkably ill-timed eff
fusion is o call attention to a sample of
the -recklessness of assertion that is so
common In the writings o. this class of
political p%essimists, as witness the fol-
lowing:
Never in the history of this country has
there been such a glorious opportunity, OF
pure n unadulterated Jetersonian
Democracy exhibited.
The grandest exhibition OF the truth OF
our statement Is shown by the fact that
Henry Watters0n, of the Louisville Cour-
ier-Journal, the Charleston News, and ev-
cry prominent Democratic paper that
strayed away after the flesh pots Of Egypt
and w%orshiped at the shrine OF Grover
Cleveland and the gold bugs, have re-
pented OF their folly and returned penitent
10 the old Jeffersonian Democratic fold.
The fact is that II the Democratic party
adheres faithfully and honestly TO the
principles OF the Chicago platform she will
sweep the country in 1900.
"Old Time Democrat" may believe all
that he says in the above paragraphs
from his letter; nevertheless he errs. The
distinguished Democratic lights to whom
he refers are no more devoted to the Chi
cago platform to-day than they were a
year ago. They are just as ardently for
honest money as they were then. There
is no evidence that they have changed
their views. which they claimed, with
reason. represented genuine Jeffersonian
Democracy, for the views of young Mr..
Bryan. the Nebraska theorist, and the
heresies of AItgeld and Tillman.
They do not agree with Il "oid time"
friend that there has been no recovery,
no restoration OF confidence, no revival
of former business conditions. For in
stance, this Democrat who has been
asleep these many days refers to Mr.,
WatterSon, OF the Louisville Courier
Journal. in this connection, Let US see
what Mr.. watterson thinks of the busi-
ness situation nine months after the in
~auguration of President Mckinley, and
under the new tariff bill, n~otwithstand-
ing he Is a free trader. From the lead
ing editorial in Mondays issue OF the
Louisville Courier Journal. Mr.. Waiter
cons paper, we extract the following for
the benefit of "old Time Democrat" and
others who are as far from being up to
date as he Is:
The week has been characterized by the
approach OF the holiday stimulation OF
trade, higher values in the speculative
markets and a GRADUAL SuBS1DENCE
OF THE IMAGINARY FEARS which
have been potent in financial and business
circles for the past few weeks The gain
in bank clearings over the same weeks last
year is small. but the volume Is very
heavy. Besides, one year ago speculation
was extraordinarily active, while this
week there has been comparatively little;
Actual business Is much larger, and
though there Is a very slight depression
apparent In the Iron and steel trade,
THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF
WAGE ADVANCES. mills and mRnufae-
tories are all busy and the confidence in
the prosperity OF 1895 will bring Is grow
ing. THE PRODUCTION OF IRON AND
STEEL is LARGE, BUT CONSUME
TION is STILL GREATER. The raising
OF the remaining southern guarantees and
the dying out OF yellow fever arc also
most encouraging features. RAILROAD
EARNINGS CONTINUE TO SHOW RE-
MARKABLE INCREASES, n with the
exception OF the continued low price OF
cotton and the dulluess OF cotton manu-,
factures the commercial and financial
situation is gratifying. The east, where
are located the great manufactures.
whose interests have been STIMULATED
ny THE DINGLEY TARIFF, and the
west and northwest, whose splendid crops
and high PRICES have brought AN ABuN-
DANCE OF MONEY. are most feeling
the Improvement, but 1t is more or less
general.
This is no time for p~esslmism. The
signs of the times, about which "old
Time Democrat" writes, arc filed with
promise. Our foreign trade is largely in
favor OF the United States; there is an
abundance of gold; there is no want for
money at low interest. AS the Courier
Journal says, the mills and factories are
running and are not Idle as they were a
year ago: the farmers of the great asri-
cultural west are prosperous. The havoc
wrought in four years OF depression,
panic and misery is being gradually and
surely brought to rights. II Is not o
boom. thank heaven; It is q steadily In
creasIng substantial prosperity.