Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-22
WANT PROSPERITY.
But Will the New Tariff Rates
Restore It2
Republicans Say Tariff Will Give Long
Looked for Business Revival
While the Silver Democrats Are Very Sure
II Win Not.

washington, March 21.-(SpeciaD.-
will the new tariff law wnen enacted ~
store prosperity to the people of this coun'
typ This is question which we heal
discussed on all sides. The Republicans
have taken their stand upon the theory
that it will, while the silver Democrats are
quite as positive that it will not. Theil
attitude is that nothing can restore pros
perity except striking down of the sin
gle gold standard. Which of the two views
Is the correct one only the future can dc
termine. But it is worth while at this
moment to bear in mind the diagnosis OF
the situation which Chairman Dingley OF
the ways and means committee made
few weeks ago in an interview published
in these dispatches. Mr.. Dinglcy took the
ground that the chief cause Of the indus.
trial depression was economizing among
consumers Economy in all personal and
household expenses was practiced not only
by those who were compelled to do so on
account of lack of income, but by those
whose circumstances did not compel them.
Dingley's Opinion.
Mr.. Dingley believed then and he be
lievcs now, as know from recent con,
vcrsation with him, that all the conditions
in this country point to revival of pros.
perity. twill come slowly and in health
full way, but it will come. He believes
that period of activity inevitably follows
a period of depression and stoppage That
is natural law, and no power on earth
can stay it. His idea therefore as Trainer
of the Republican tariff policy is merely to
81. I:<s4 ! ,os-
ural effects. The means relied upon are
stoppage of importations to some extent,
thus permitting the home manufacturers
and producers to take a little larger pei
cent of the home market. To restore con-
fldence in the future which will gradually
work to put stop to considerable share
of the rigid economizing which the people
have been practicing. To set more men tc
work in this country, every man finding
new employment being an additional push
to the ball, because he not only begins tc
consume more, but encourages his neigh
bors to a feeling of greater hopefulness and
confidence and thus leads them to increase
their consumption.
There can be no doubt that in his dag
nosis of the situation Mr.. Dingley is pretty
nearly correct, whatever we may thinB
about the efficacy of the tariff as an assist
ant to recovery. met here few days age
an old farmer friend of mine from the in
terror Of Ohio, one of those old fellows who
keep up great deal of thinking and OBJ
serving and who have wit and good sense
along with it all. He talked to me in o
most interesting way. II will tell you
what is the matter with the county," saio
he "The farmers have been getting such
low prices for their products for several
years that they have been forced to econ
Omize. know what am talking about,
because I am a farmer myself, and know
what am doing all my neighbors are do
ing too. Some of us have plenty of money
in bank too. We are not crowded to the
wall, but if you know anything about tht
average farmer you will know that he il
going to come out ahead on his years
operations if there is any possible way Of
doing it.
Curtailing Expense.
"Therefore we have been economizing
You have no idea to what extent we have
shut down on our purchases of things in
town. We get along with fewer groceries
than we did before. We buy less coffee,
tea, sugar-everything of that sort. AS to
clothing, we wear our old garments. We
make them last twice as long as we used
to. So with shoes; SO also with farm ma
chinery and tools. We patch up the old
ones. We DOM run in debt any more fol-
every new tangled machine that comes
along. We hire fewer men on our farms,
doing more work in our own families. It
is the same way with wagons and harness
and household furniture and books and
magazines and everything you can think
of. Do you know what this means to the
storekeepers, to the manufacturers, to the
wholesale houses in the big cities? When
the farmer shuts down, they all feel it.
That is what Is the matter with the coun
try now. The farmer is tightening up,
whether he is actually compelled to or not,
because he is not in the business simply fol
his health
"How about the future?" asked my
farmer friend.
cit looks n little brighter. Prices arc
picking up slowly on our farm products.
Even If prices do not get any better, we
have learned the lesson Of economy We
have put ourselves down to IL lower level
and have done it rigidly and severely. We
have not found it SO awful, after all. Nat
urally there must be little reaction. We
can't go on wearing our old clothes and
boots and shoes and using our old nipple.
ments and wagons and harness forever.
We must replenish. We must buy. When
We begin to feel little bctter-and we dc
already-we shall buy little more The
country will feel 1t very soon-is feeling it
now. But give you warming that the
wide open days are over with American
farmers. They have learned their lesson.
No more running head over heels in debt
for machinery and things. They are going
to keep close to the shore hereafter. Per.
haps the depression, has been a good thing
for us, after all. 1t has been discipline fol-
us as well as for the merchants and manu-.
facturers. believe the country, in town
and city as well as out among the farms, is
more solid now than it ever was before.
The Debt Orgy.
Another thing, concluded nv farmer
friend, ''it will be well to bear in mind.
We are going to go up grade very slowly.
AS the farmers begin buying to replenish
their played out garments and articles they
will move cautiously. They will buy a lit
tie at time. If things come easier. then
they will buy more For these reasons /
believe we are going to recover our pros.
perity, or the solid, real part of it, in the
course Of a couple Of years. If crops ore
iairly good and prices reasonable-I dom