Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-06-10
The Party Of Prosperity.

1t is amusing to place together the
two leading charges made against the
republican party by the democratic
press. The first is that the business de-
preston OF the last four years was
caused by latent conditions prepared by
the republicans, and handed over in
1873. The second is that full tide of
national prosperity has not appeared
during the second month of the new re-
publican administration. These accusa-
tions are contradictory and damaging
excuses. They not only conflict, but in
volve compliment not intended. AS
for the subtlety Of the republicans in
preparing disguised panic and unload
ing it upon the democrats, that is fan
tastic idea. Up to the last month of the
Harrison administration the treasury re-
ported surplus. Then the democrats
cook hold, having been intrusted with
full control of the government for the
first time in more than thirty years. 1t
was their business to avert dull times
and strengthen the national revenue, and
they should have thanked fortune that
the difficulties were only "latent," not
yet visible or urgent.
But few months of untrammeled
democratic rule elapsed until the people
discovered that the country. had fallen
into incapable hands. Everything went
wrong. The national revenue fell off,
and heavy deficit appeared to tske the
place of the long established surplus.
An insufficient and politically shapeless
tariff bill was passed. 1t had the dou-
BILE fault of violating the pledge of the
party platform and Of failing to meet
current expenses. The industries of the
country languished, business confidence
was lost, and new ventures were in
definitely postponed. From this state of
decentralization end distress sprang a
revolutionary democratic fusion and at
tack on the standard of values, threaten
ing to reduce it one half. Here was
Pandora's box with vengeance, and yet
the democratic explanation is that the
republicans had laid trap years be-
fore. Why the democrats failed to
avoid all traps is not cleared up. 1t is
imperative that party in full control
should at least have that much gump-
ton.
On the 4th of March, a little more
than two months ago, the republican
party took charge in Washington OF a
large assortment of democratic debts,
deficits, complications and tariff alb
surdities, and at the same moment, the
democrats demanded immediate good
times. Mr.. Bryan is reported to have
recently asked crowd, Have you seen
the general?" In reply to the query,
what general?' his reply was. "Why,
General Prosperity" In less than ninety
days the republicans are expected to re-
store the country to buoyant conditions.
They have never failed heretofore to do
it in due time. Whatever Of statesman
ship and courage was necessary they
have supplied. They are now engaged
in framing the sort of tariff they are
pledged to, which is precisely where the
democrats showed one of their varities
of bad faith. The inheritance from the
democrats is not III the form of latent"
evils. They are numerous, positive and
pressing. But the republican party ex-
poets to make short work of them on this
as on former occasions.-St. Louis Globe
Democrat.