Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-03-13
Open the Mills.

There is brighter outlook before the
country to-day, says the American
Economist, than any single day has wit
messed since March 4, 1898. Then the
glamour OF free-trade was held before
the people as their salvation. Then
they had been overburdened with work,
but the free traders had made them be.
lieve they were overburdeued with "the
tariff tax" Of protection. Their taxes
have not been lightenei during the four
years of democratic madadministration !;
but their pockets have been ligntened
Of the wages Trey used to earn, wages
that have, since 1898, been earned by
Europeans instead of by Americans.
The tariff tax" of free-trade has cost
many wage Garner a hundred dollars
year through inability to sell his labor
in his home market, and has thus pro.
ven to be far more costly than any pro
tectiye tariff that he never knew he was
paying and which enabled him to be
busy every day in the year if he want
ed TO.
The fllacies and falsehoods Of the
free.traders haye been thoroughly ex-
posed since 1898. 1t hardly seems posi-.
bic that one solitary person can now be
found in the United States TO put
faith or credit in them. Yet there are
theorists, impractical men who never
work, students who have never en-
gagged in business, fools who preach
what they never practice, malcontents
who live but to stir up discord, news
papers that bid for circulation by
creating class distinction, pro-
fessional agitators who never did
an honest days toll, yet who decry
capital as the oppressor of labor
these and others of their ilk exist and
always will exist, and while they exist
there will ever be antagonism to hon
est government, to truth in politics, to
earnest and upright administration in
our national affairs, and TO protection
and prosperity to Our people.
President Mckinley assumes the high
trust that has been given him by the
American people at an hour Of darkness.
But We feel assured that the dawn of
light will follow to be succeeded by
brighter days for us all. We are SUR
rounded by wars and rEmors of wars
among foreign countries. But these
are none Of our concern SO long as we
are not oppressed Our duty is ut home
in our own country, among our own
people. 1t is not for US to war with
strangers while our workers are idle
| starving may be, and without the oppor.
| tunity to earn their daily bread. War
/ has beeh forced upon us, but it was not
tho war Of bloodshed and slaughter up
on the field of battle, it was the war o.
industry forced upon us by Grover
Cleveland and his band Of Free Traders
Il war that attacked the homes of oul
people, that shed their blood by suicides
that has stricken them down by star
yation, that has ruined homes, turne,
| honest workers upon the streets to beg
starve, or steal-this has been the wa
of brigandaGe that the United States
has been engaged in during the fou
years Of our first step toward Free Trade
underline leadership Of Grover Cleve
| land.
The President is right. Stop all thi
destitution among our people. Stop i
at once. Restore the demand for hon
est American labor Let the American
wage earners have the opportunity t,
sell their product-the labor that create
wealth. Bring back comfort and happi
ness 10 our homes. Light the fires il
our furnaces. Give back to American
labor its honor and its independence
Then deal with subordinate affairs o
State. But first, first of all, Open Tn
| Mills