The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-04-30
THE ADVANCE AGENT. ,

The chief point which the Democrats are
now making against the victorious Repub-
icans is an assertion that they have not
produced the promised prosperity. Mem
bers of Congress are receiving ntimationp
from their districts and states indicating
that this seed which the Democrats are
sewing among certain class of people is
producing some dissatisfaction and crit-
cism.
1t is absurd that people should assume that
business activity in manufacturing lines
could revive pending action upon tariff rates.
On the other hand, the knowledge that
tariff change is in immediate prospect proves
depressing upon the manufacturer and
makes it almost impossible for him to close
contracts Immediately. Manufacturers are
unwilling to make contracts during the
pendency of the tariff BILL because they do
not know what they will have to compete
with in foreign goods, nor do they know
what they will have to pay for the raw
material which they bring in from abroad
for use in manufacturing.
Moreover importers are rushing goods into
the country at the greatest possible speed,
and nearly a years supply Of foreign
goods will be in the warehouses Of the coun-
try by the time the new law goes into effect,
in spite of everything that Congress can do
to prevent it, This means that the manu-
facturers will not be able to resume activity
to any great extent for several months yet.
The people ought to understand this.
There is no doubt that the new law will
bring increased activity in manufacturing,
and thus produce prosperity in every branch
of industry. But it is unreasonable to oexpect
that this can happen either before the new
law goes into effect or Immediately after it,
since the stock Of foreign goods will be SO
great that the demand for home manufactures
cannot begin until this enormous accumula-
tion Of foreign goods is absorbed by the
people Of the country The advance agent
Of prosperity" is on the way, and is due here
within two or three months, on schedule
time, unless delayed by Democratic wash
outs" in the Senate.
The Republican members of the Finance
Committee have finished their consideration
of the bill and are anxious to get it into the
Senate as soon as possible. The Democratic
policy Of delay, however is beginning to
make itsolf apparent at the Senate end and
the Democratic members of the committee
are inclined to hold the bill back in com
mittee as long as practicable. They
know that the longer the bill is kept Off the
statute books the longer prosperity will be
delayed, and their policy is evidently going
to be to hold the bill back as much as possible
in the Senate in the hope that the people Of
the country may become dissatisfied with the
delay Of promised prosperity under Repub-
lican administration
While it is Of course absurd 10 assume that
the prosperity expected from Republican
legislation can come before the legislation is
enacted, il Is "a fact that by constant reiter-
tion Of this unfounded complaint Democratic
editors and orators are influencing to some
extent the public mind, and the longer they
can hold back prosperity by holding back the
bill and piling up foreign goods in the ware
houses the greater will be their chances for
success in the coming fall elections, Hence
their delay in action upon the bill in com
miltee and their willingness to hold IL back
as long as possible in the Senate, whore they
have unlimited power of delay because of
the fact that the Republicans do not control
that body