The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-23
NIL WANT PROSPERITY
But Will New Tariff Rates Re-
store It?
TWO OPINIONS OF THE SUBJECT.
me Republicans Say New Tariff Law
VIII Give Us the Long Delayed Revival
OF Business, and the Silver Demoorats
Are Sure 1t Will Not.

WASHINGTON, March 22.-[Special. l.
VIII the new tariff law when enacted re-
store prosperity to the people of this coun-
'ryF This Is question which we hear
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. Their
attitude is that nothing can restore pros
perity except striking down of the sim
gle gold standard. Which of the two views
Is the correct one only the future can de-
termine. But it is worth while at this
moment to bear in mind the diagnosis of
che situation which Chairman Dingley of
the ways and means committee made
few weeks ago in an interview published
in these dispatches Mr. Dingley 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.
lieyes now, as know from recent con-
| versat!on with him, that all the conditions
In this country point to revival of pros
perity. twill come slowly and in health
| full way, but 1t will come. He believes
that a period of activity inevitably follows
! period of depression and stoppage. That
| Is u natural law, and no power on earth
can stay it, His idea therefore as Trainer
Of the Republican tariff policy Is merely to
| assist these natural conditions to their nat
ural effects. The means relied upon are a
stoppage of importations to some extent,
thus permitting the home manufacturers
and producers to take little larger per
cent Of the home market. TO restore con-
! CIcnce 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 to
work in this country, every man finding
new employment being an additional push
| to the ball, because he not only begins to
consume more, but encourages his neigh
bors to 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 think
about the efficacy of the tariff as an assist
ant to recovery. / met here few days ago
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 a
most interesting way. 81 will tell you
what is tho matter with the county," said
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 ain talking about,
because am farmer myself and l 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 tho
average farmer you will know that he Ii
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 II
| town. We get along with fewer grocerie:
than we did before We buy less coffee
tea, sugar-everything of that sort. AS t.
|
make them last twice as long rs we uset
TO. So with shoes; so also with farm ma
cbinery and tools. We patch up the OLE
ones. We don't run in debt any more TO
every new tangled machine that comes
along. We hire fewer men on our farms
doing more work in our own families. /
is the same way with wagons and harnes
and household furniture and books ant
| | Ia inn nn
of Do YOU know what this means to tn
: storekeepers, to the manufacturers, 10 III
wholesale houses in the big citiesf Whel
tbe farmer shuts down, they all feel 1t
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 notin the business simply 10
his health.
"Uow about the futurc?" / asked m
farmer friend.
: "It looks little brighter. Prices ar
picking up slowly on our farm products
Even if prices do not get any peCter' w
have learned the lesson OF economy. W
have put ourselves down to u lower ievs
! and have done it rigidly and severely. ="
have not found it so awful, after all Ma.
nrollv there must be a little reaction. w
can { 60 on wearing oui oiu Nio'
, boots and shoes and using our old impl'
ments and wagons and harness forever
We must replcnish. We must buy. Wne
we begin TO feel a little better-and we q
already-we shall buy little more. I'D
country will feel 1t very soon-is feenng
now. But / give you warning that III
wide open days are over with America
, farmers They have learned their lesso,
No more running head over heels In det
for machinery and things. They are goin
, to keen close to the shore hereafter. Pel
, hans the depression has been good thin
for MS. after all. 1t has been discipline io
ms rs we'll as for the merchants ana manu-
focturers. believe the country, In TOW
and city as well as out among the farms'
more solid now than II ever was before
4 The Debt Orgy.
, "Another thing" concluded my farme
friend. cit will be well to bear In mine
We are going to go up grade very slowly
AZ the farmers begin buying to replenis
I their played out garments and articles the
will move cautiously. They will buy III
tle Mt a time. II things come easier, the
they will buy more. For these reasons
believe we are going to recover our pros
| neritv. or the solid, real part OF 1t, In tn
.o,,ola ~ vears III CrOpS al