Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-01
INDICATIONS IN THE WEST
business Conditions as Seen by Assistant
Secretary Meiklejohn.
New Enterprises Being Innugurn,cd
EHerEwhere-Pny of Railway
Men Being Raised.

sumed his duties at the War Department
after tour of inspection of the military
posts throughout the west
During the last six weeks" he said in
conversation with Star reporter today. II
have Travelled from ocean to ocean and
from British possessions to Mexico, on a
tour of inspection of military posts and
have had an opportunity to feel the pulse
of capital and labor and to judge OF exist
ing conditions. 1t was my good fortune
| to go through the same states and territor-
les three years ago this month. The condi-
ton of business and the general social stat
us then and now have been carefully COM
pared by me with view to note the effect
of the economic policies of our government
then and now in force. The verdict of all is
that there has been an unprecedented i'm
provement and advancement in commercial
agricultural and industrial conditions since
the Inauguration of President McKinley's
administration.
Il made a point of conversing with men
in all walks of life, and sought to get the
views of those who were engaged in va
riety of occupations. 1t was the universal
testimony, and my personal observation
confirms it, that era of prosperity has
dawned for the United States such as has
not blessed our people since the good times
We enjoyed under the Mckinley tariff
Il met a considerable number of lifelong
democrats who said they had voted for
Mckinley because they could not swallow
Bryan and the political heresies for which
he stands as embodied in the Chicago plat
form of populism. These men did not hesi-
tate to say that they preferred these re-
publican times to the four years night
mare of business stagnation and depression
from which the country is just beginning
TO recover.
Better for the Sheepmen.
Among other indications of improved
conditions now prevailing may be noted the
fact that the sheep ranchers of the west
are today realizing 100 per cent more on the
products Of :heir 1ocks under the present
protective system of the republican party
| than they did under the law advocated by
Bryan, which resulted in nearly wipins
that industry out of existence.
Capital is reaching out and new enter
prises are being inaugurated everywhere
Railroad corporations are beginning again
to improve their roadbedS, lay heavier
rails, and build steel bridges to take the
place of wooden structures, and to replace
their reSues with well-conStructed en-
bankments of stone and earth. All these
betterments and repairs are causing
large employment of labor and putting vast
sums OF money into circulation, which
gives an impulse to prosperity wherever it
reaches and swels the current of trade
and commerce One of the largest bust
ness and railroad printing houses in this
country is now working overtime CONSTANT
ly and has more new business than il can
possibly handle, although it has expanded
the capacity of its plant to the utmost
limits.
Wages Raised.
Perhaps no surer indication that pros
perity has come to stay could be found
anywhere than the recent action of the
Missouri Pacific Railway Company in Civ
ing to its employees 10 per cent restoration
of pay all along the line, thus voluntarily
adding nearly million dollars per annum
to its pay account Corporations, If not
soulless. are certainly not sentimental, and
Thanksgiving gift of this kind unques-
tonably has a basis more substantial than
emotion.
While serving in Congress Mr. BRYAN
was colleague of mine and at that time
ne was playing the leading role in the
comedy of free trade. The impotency of
his pet measure-the Wilson bill-and the
restoration of confidence and prosperity
under the Dngley law forced him to ap-
pear before the public in the extravaganza
OF Tree silver In which he is again the
stellar attraction. These two PLAYS now
constitute his entire repertoire but i'm his
ouai capacity as star and impressario of
populiStic democracy he NAV he called
upon to add burlesque to his list of pIavs
IN the near future, particularly since wheat
and silver, which were so largely adyer-
used when playing together, have parted
company and are now no longer doing busi
ness at the old stand
DESERVING Bryan and Silver.
Many of those who last year thought
the panacea was Bryan and free silver are
today eulogizing Mckinley and protection.
After careful and conscientious study of
the situation from impartial and dis
interested standpoint, and in the light of
the observations which l have made on nv
tour, it is my candid Judgment that the
change We have experienced from univer-
sal depression and dissatisfaction to gem
e1al prosperity and contentment in the
short period of eight months under the adj
ministration of Mckinley is phenomenal
Incompatible and without precedent in our
history
REPRESENTATIVE BROMWELL.