The times., 1897-09-08
Let u BE Honest.

Let Us BE Honest.
A good many persons want to know
why this paper disputes so Iersistendy," 3"
as they describe il, The oft-repeated re-
ports and declarations of ''better times
or, 10 use much hackneyed phrase, the
'.return of prosperity" Some good friends
go 20 far as to express 4 belief that The
Times doesn't wish 60 see any improve
nent, because, forsooth, continued or in
creased financial strin gen cy VIII con
tribute TO the advantage of the Democratic
party. while anything like improved CON
ditons Wit benefit the party In power
Such unjust accusations, though often
repeated, carnot be denounced daily, so
once for ali let US say that the horizon
doesn't shut down on a human being in
this fair land Of ours who yeanls more de
voudy for national and individual pros
perlty to all classes and conditions OF its
inhabitants than the writer of this ar
ucle-Jhe editor Of this paper
If, by any action Of ours, by any vote
that could be cast, or by the acceptance OF
advocacy OF any rational OF sensible the
cry, we could bring hack the good times"
Of fformer years, we should gladly advocate
either oneor all OF the named opportunities.
The Democratic party, or its success,
would weigh with Us no more than the
dust In TIE balance, if it stood In the way
OF such a oonsummation.
But why fool ourselves, OF attempt to fool
Others. by pretending that the times are
better, when In cur secret souls We, and
our critics, know that they are not?
'Is not money easier than it was year
ago?' asks one OF the most hopeful
Yes. But who has it? Certainly not the
ial,orer, the mechanic, the man Of small
enterprises; not the masses of This or any
other city.
A famine In three Of the grain producing
countries Of the old world has increased,
nearly doubled, thepriceofAmercan wheat.
The producer OF this staple, whether he
has ra' sed much or little, is benefited by
the rise = il he has not previously parted
with it and for him we are sincerely glad
II, asIs estimated by an official liz the Fed
eral Agricultural Department. the net
gain by the increase OF grain values has
been $500, ,OOO, 600 to the people of this
country. and the farmers are lucky enough
70 Obtain one half Of it, il grsufies US ex-
ceedingly 10 believe it.
And Jet. as much as the Western farmer
needsd fhe unexpected help brought 20 him
through the distress Of others, it cannot be
said 10 be an unmixed good. Such an in
crease makesi it just so much harder for the
laboring man and the mechanic, the opera
tive and the small zvage7eamers OF the
towns and cities to live.
IT is true, too, that there has been q
large Increase in the market value of
stocks. a gain, probably in quotations, OF
$500, 600 900 In the last six months, oc
casioned, there can be no doubt, by the
bringing out OF panic-frightened money
from It's hiding places, and which, swelling
the volume OF unemployed capital, has
borne stocks OF all descriptions, the good
and the bad, TO a higher level ofvalue. But
beFoDd the very narrow circle engaged In
stOnk speculation, whom has this pros
perity helpedg A very little Of this estI-
mated increase VIII probably dash over its
barriers and moisten and fTnctify others
but OF what especial advantage is 1t 10
the masses ofthe people that George Gould
can sell HE stocks for few millions more
than he could six months ago. or that ex-
Gov. Flower can contemplate q profit OF
twice that mgch2 Where does the humble
toner CT either sex come in? How much OF
this Yaunted prosperity shines on him, or
rattles In his pockets?
There s more money to speculate with,
that is true. and more money to borrow if
ole has the security 10 offer, but how
often in the past has it not been seen that
mortgage is practically a deed, and that
under the grinding conditions imposed by
a Steadily contracting gold currency, the
margin by which the nortgagee holds his
lana or lot is steadily wiped out
Prosperity never perneates cominunity
or a nation from the top. MI. Rookie
feller may accuu4ulsteone hundred millions
IN his he time, and the village, the county
or the State in which he resides get no
heDefit from IT. The man who builds a
moderate lssuse in Washington, and en-
phys tweaty men uTee months in its con-
s-ruolioa. thus giving to labor 500 days