davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12
FREE TRADE FAILING.
1t Does Not Do What it Once Did for
England.

A serious question confronting British
rulers is this: How Is il that the annual
value of British exporrs-OmittinG me-
chinery and cOal-has shown a decline
while the imports of manufactures have
greatly increased: As long as England
was the workshop of the world The mere
raw material she imported the more
manufactures she could export. When
other countries picked up her secrets and
set up factories of their own. she an
ticipated no serious trouble from the
competition. But she Is now feeling the
pinch severely. and understands hut too
clearly the difference between selliag the
goods she used 10 make. and selling the
machinery and coal 10 enable others %
make them. Take. for instance. Ian
caShire and its cotton trade. During last
wear IL found its foreign customers buy
ing more yarn and less cloth. Thirty
three million yards of plain cotton S,ulTs
was the decrease in October alone. To
weave the yarn. extra machinery was
needed. and the total export of machines
and mill supplies for the first ten months
Of 1896 was S12.000.0O0. as against SCI3.
100000 IN the same period the previous
wear. Most of this went 10 India. China
and Japan where mills are multiplying
rapjdlv- These totals look very nice IN
the swelling statistics of gross exports.
and so might the selling price of the dead
goose. as compared with the value g the
single golden egg she laid every morning
while she was aliTe.-The American
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12
BETTER TO RUN AND LOSE"
Than Never to Have Been a Presidential
Candidate.

th3nS3S lily Journal
In free silver convention held at Lin
coin. Neb 4 day or two ago. William j.
Bryan was present and made Il short
speech. the tenor of which was that il
was better 10 have run for office and lost
than never To have run at all.
There i no doubt but this correctly
eXpres Sed Mr.. BTyan'S real views of the
last presidential campaign. 1t was nor
SO much the welfare of the country. or
sympathy for the ''tOiling masses" or
the laudable desire TO bring about the
greatest good for the greatest number
that Dcrved him TO make 200 speeches
in the canvass. but the hope Of Office and
personal glory. The sentiments aScribed
10 Mr.. Bryan might do for Il crossroads
conSta bic to utter. or even 4 justice of
the peace. but emanatiug from the lips
Of man who has been pictured along
side Lincoln. Washington and jefferson.
a the equal of those great statesmen.
they sound ridiculous. although doubtless
characteristic.
Possibly Mr. Bryan took the occasion
10 thus give his views as 10 office-Seek-
ing. If il was better 10 have run in
1896 and lost than never 10 have run
Al all. the same idea viii hold good for
1900. when he hopes for better luck
and if he fails again the same source Of
comfort l. still open 10 him. Mr.. Bryan.
however. X declining 80 rapidly in pub
lie estimation that the chances Of his
ever having an opportunity 10 run again
for Office are exceedingly remote.
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12

No building in the United States will
attract as much attention during the
coming few months as its capitol. Upon
the steps of that grand structure the
newly-elected President will take the
oath of office. Within its halls and COM
mittee rooms the tariff bill which is ex-
pected TO bring relief ami vigor To the
industries Of the country will be- framed.
In other committee rooms has already
been formulated a bill which is to au-
thOriZe the President of the United
States To call together if necessary and
At least appoint delegates To an interna-
tional bimetallic conference which it is
hoped may result in great increase in
the use of silver us one of the moneys of
the world. In House and Senate cham
hers these bills will De discussed and en-
acted into laws. providing the Repub-
Hcan party controls both branches of
Congress. Whether it is to control the
Senate Is not yet certain. but if it does
the country may rest assured that not
only Will a measure looking TO interna-
tional bimetallism hut also u bin thor
Oughly protecting the agricultural and
manufacturing interests of the country
be made law.
In view of the great interest attaching
to the events which are 10 take place mt
the national capitol Il brief description of
the building may be found of interest
Those who have examined it intelligently
and had opportunity 10 compare il with
the legislative buildings of other parts of
the world have no hesitation in pronounc-
ing It the grandeSt and most perfect
structure Of its kind now existing.
Sixteen million dollars and century of
time and attention would perhaps tell the
cost and outline the history of this noble
building. If there were then added the
cost of many Of the interior decorations.
the beautiful paintings. the noble Statu-
AIRY. the polished marble columns. the
modern fixtures and convenienceS. and
elegant furnishings and hangings which
have from time Ia time added To the
comfort and attractivcneSS and grandeur
the cost would he much larger than the
figures named. More than l03 years ago
the cornerstone of this building was laid
10y President George Washington Sep
TENDER Is. lT93. Is the date of the inn
preSSive ceremonies attending the laying
of the cornerstone of the capitol of the
United States represented by the accom-
panyinC illustration. In the year 1900
the north wing of the original building
was completed and in 1911 the south
wing was completed. In August. 1914.
the British army marched into Washing
ton. took possession of the capitol build
ing. held mock session of Congress in
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12
ABSOLUTE SURRENDER"
Is the Terms Which Mr.. Bryan Offers
the Gold Democrats.

Since the election some of the gold
Democrats who bolted the Chicago plat
form and ticket have been actively wav-
ing olive branches 1T the silver Demo
Gratis. Speakers 1T public dinners have
given eloquent expression 10 their long
ing for the speedy arrival of the day
that shall see all sorts of Democrats
united once more against the common
enemy" Editors Of Democratic Jour
nails hereab0uts have written on the
same theme One Of thcm-a Connecticut
one-suggested the other day that the
way TO unite was just To agree TO let
bygoneS be bygoRes. forget all about the
campaign Of 1896 bury the diviSive sill
yer issue. hoist the old JeffersOnian ban
ner and attack the Republicans.
We do not observe as vet any very
general or very gracious response on the
part of the silver Democrats 10 these
overtures. And il takes two, proverbial-
". 10 make a bargain.
The defeated candidate. Mr.. Bryan. has
taken pains 10 announce that there isn't
going 10 be any reunion on the forgive
and-fOrget basis if he can prevent it.
He insists that the silver issue i a live
issue. and that talk about burying it is
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12
FOUR SAD YEARS.

Enormous Increase in Failures Under
Free Trade and Threats of POpuIism.
The Florida Times Union. 4 Demo
cratic paper, calls attention editorially 10
the tremendous increase in the business
disasters in the past four years. and la
ments over the fact that not only have
there been failures and disasters hut that
these business troubles have bred a new
national plague, populism. Its utter
ances on the subject are interesting
even though it fails to absolutely admit
that the downward course Of business
began with the election of a free trade
President and Congress. Its remarks are
as follows:
The list of commercial failures Of the
year just passed. as compiled 10y Dun $.
Is interesting. From the report it ap-
pears that the number of failures was
larger than that Of any other year in
the history Of the country. save IN 1899.
During the latter year the number Of
failures aggregated 1850. and in 1886
the number was 1J.112. The following l.
the tabulated list with percentages. In
this table the liabilities are expressed
in millions of dollars. and the per cent.
fallInS represents the percentage vi
failures To the number of firms and cor
porauons in actual business:
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12

way connected ,hcm On the oath of
August. 1911. the interior of both wings
was destroyed by ire. set by the British.
The damage To the building was immedi-
ately repaired. In 1918 the central por-
ton Of the building was commenced.
under the architectural superintendent
of Charles Bulfinch The original build
ing was finally completed in 1927. Its
cost. including the grading of the
grounds. alterations. and repairs, up TO
1927. was s.. ~. 81 IL.
The cornerstone of the extensions was
laid oil the 18th of July. 1871. 10y Presi-
dent Fillmore. Daniel Webster officiating
as orator. This work was prosecuted
under the architectural direction of
Thomas L. Walter. till 1855. when he
resigned 1t was completed under the
supervision of Edward Clark. the pres
ent architec. of the capitol. The mate-
rial used i'm the walls i white marble
from the quarrieS at Lee. Mass. and that
in the columns from the qUarrlcS at
Cockeysville. Md These extensions
were first occupied for legislative pur-
poses January !. 1889.
The entire length of the building from
north to south i IJ1 feet / inches. and
it's greatest dimension from east To west
$50 feet. The area covered by the build
ing is 153. l. square feet.
The dome of the original central build
ing was constructed of wood. covered
with copper This was replaced in 1876
10y the present structure of caSt-iron. II
was completed in 1865. The entire
weight of iron used i S.g9.2OD pounds.
The dome i crowned by bronze
statue of Freedom. which Is nineteen
feet six inches high. and weighs 1889
pounds. 1t was modelled by Crawford.
The height of the dome above the base
line of the east front is 2SI feet > inches.
The height from the top of the balus-
trade Of the building i pa feet IL
inches. The greatest diameter At the
base is 10 feet > inches.
The rotunda is - feet q inches in dia-
meter and its height from the floor 10
the top of the canopy is $50 feet 3
inches.
The Senate chamber is 113 feet 3
inches in length 10y ~ feet ; inches in
width and 81 feet in height. The gal
lcries will accommodate 1000 persons.
The Representatives hall is 139 feet
in length by 93 feet in width and SO
feet in height.
The room now occupied by tie Su-
premp court was. until 1859. occupied as
the Senate chamber Previous to that
time the court occupied the room imme-
diately beneath. now used as law
library.
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12

selected as the material from ,hich
these should be built. The original
building had been of brown sandstone
and in order To give the whole an ap-
pearance of completeness and harmony
the central portion was now tainted
white. The cornerstone of the extern
SionS were laid July I. 1850. by PreSi-
as orator. The wing at the north CGd
of the building was To be occupied by
the Senate. the one ut the south end. by
the House of Representatives. These
were sufficiently complete To be- occupied
for legislative purposes. January !. 1919.
although the interior decorations and
furnishings were not completed until long
after that date. The legislative halls
occupied by the House and SenIte in
their respective wings are regarded as
the most attractive and perfect >.ruct-
ureS for their purposes. to- be seen per
hapS in any part of the world.
When the handsome and elaborate
wings had been completed and the cen
trail portion been made to conform in
color with them. it became apparent that
the length of the building was such as
TO require some additional height to the
central portion and grand dome was
devised to replace the one of wood and
copper which had covered the section
'bnhfNllh- lut uIlElldl W luES VI the
building
This dome. egg-Shapcd. is entirely of
iron. weighing in round numbers o.
OOO. 900 pounds and was nearly ten years
in course of construction. Beneath it
is the grand rotunda through which
thousands of people pass daily and
whose walls are lined with paintings by
the great artists of America. represent
ing important and thrilling events of the
history of the nation.
The following brief description of the
building is taken from the official Con-
greSSiOnal directory:
The capitol is situated in latitude 80
degrees ~ minutes 20 seconds 4 north
and longitude "a degrees % minutes -
seconds = west from Greenwich 1t
fronts east, and stands on plateau
lightweight feet above the level of the
Potomac.
The southeast cornerstone Of the orig
inal building was laid on the 18th of Sep
tember. 1893. 10y President Washington.
with Masonic ceremonies. 1t is con-
structcd Of sandstone from quarreS in
Aqua creek. Virginia The work was
done under the direction of Stephen II
Hallett. James HOban. George Hatfield
and 4. II. LatrObe. architects The
north wing was finished in 1900. and the
south wing in 1911. \ wooden passage
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12
TAKE CARE OF THE REVENUES.
And the Currency of the Country will
Take Care of Itself.

And the Currency of the Country will
Take Care of Itself.
During the last three months govern
meut notes TO the amount of only S19,-
100000 We're redeemed in gold. an aver
age of S5I. 100000 per annum. The
amount redeemed during the fiscal year
of 1896 was Sl59.ONOO0. and in 1895 il
was S111.0000O0. This shows how lit
tie ground there is for the chatter about
the government going out of the bank
ing business. The silver purchasing act
was not 4 stroke of wise craftsmanship
hut II * evident that the treasury notes
issued in payment for purchases of silver
have played little part in depicting the
gold reserve. This act was passed on
July II. 1890. but not 4 dollar of the
notes in question was presented for re-
demption until the fiscal year of 1892,
and then the amount was only $500.
600. In the succeeding year S4I.WOO.OO0
was thus presented. Much the same is
true of the greenbackS. Only S11 .0O0.-
600 in these notes was redeemed during
1891 and 1892 combined. In 1893 over
S:cl.000.0O0 in greenbacks was presented
for redemption. 1t was during that rs
cal year that government receipts ex-
ceeded expenditures by only S2,300.O00.
In 1894, when the treasury deficit
reached SI0000.Om. the amount of
greenbackS and treasury notes presented
for redemption was SS5.OOO.OO0.
The talk about currency reform"
being imperatively essential To a cevival
Of business confidence i largely rubbish.
Perhaps the currency system could be
improved No country has perfect cur
rency. and probably never will lave.
But the United States managed 40 pros
per under the present system. and il viii
do 81 again when industries are sutfi
GENTLY protected and the government :
enabled 10 meet It's obligations without
periodically passing the hat.
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12

the hall of the House Of REPRESENTATIVES
voted that il must be destroyed. carried
books. pictures and other inhamaahe ar
ticles from the library and surrounding
rooms and hcaping them in the hall of
the House of REPRESENTATIVES. set fire
Ia the building BY the following morn
ing only hlackened walls were left TO
mark what the people of the young re-
public had in twenty years time been
constructing and completing as their
capitol building. Happily the fire did not
destroy the patriotism of the people and
il i also a pleasing thought that IT did
not even destroy the walls of the build
ing whose cornerstone President Wash
inCton himself had laid. The stones
which now compose the walls of the cen
trail portion of the building are those
which successfully resisted the fire
kindled 10y British hands and if they
could speak they would tell the story of
that event.
If the reader will examine carefully
the representation of the capitol building
herewith given. he will observe that the
structure is composed first of a central
section covered with high dome. then
on either side. and near Il comparatively
small wing and stretching beyond each
of these wings. still other much larger
wings or structures. The original bald
in. was the two small wings standing
either end of the present structure.
These buildings. which were the original
wings. stood when originally constructed
a considerable distance apart. one being
used as the House of Representatives
hall and the other as the Senate cham
Der. and they were connected by wood
en- pasSageway. This was the condition
of the building when the torch was Ip-
piled by the British in 1914 The dam-
age to the building was repaired as
promptly as possible rnd in 1918 Con-
SreSS authorized the construction of a
central building To connect the two
wings. This central structure was Gov
cred by 4 dome constructed of wood and
covered with copper. When finished the
structure. composed of the two wings
and the central dome. presented COM
plete and perfectly proportional appear
ance and was looked upon as a hand
some and complete capitol structure. II
cost up To that time. 1927, in round EUm-
berS. S2.5O0.0OO.
A half century of national life and
growth showed to Congress that the
handsome structure which was complete
in 1897 was not sufficient for the needs
of the Congress of a great nation such
as the United States was growing to he.
1t was determined therefore TO extend
the building by the construction Of idrge
wings. one at either end. Marble was
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12
A TRIBUTE TO M'KINLEY.
And 1t Comes from a Democratic
Source.


Il * evident that the revival of bust
ness, the signs of which appeared as soon
as the election was over. will 20 on gath
ering force. with the prospect that the
people of this republic Will reach the end
of this century in a higher condition of
prosperity than they or any other people
have ever experienced. \ few >narling
critics are trying To resist this increasing
tide of prosperity. but they are impotent
in their malignity. Mr.. Mckinley will
enter upon his administration with the
good will of men of all parties 10 Il de-
gree never enjoyed by any President in
the memory Of this generation. The
hearty support which every conservative
interest gives to him. and Ia the Repub-
lican party as the only political Organiza-
ton now standing between us and politi-
cal chaos. strengthens the assurance with
which the people may look forward TO
that Astounding prosperity.
The period Of gloom l. over. Hereafter
we shall see steady progress and increas-
ing confidence and cheerfulness.-NeW
York Sun.
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12
FALSE FIGURING.
The Free Traders Would Make You Be
Iieve that White is Black.
Boston JOurnal.J

In IN article upon The Demands Of
the Wool Growers. the Herald gives
an amusing illustration of confused and
confusing arithmetic. The article is
based on the statement credited To the
representative of the Ohio wool growers
that what the wool growers want is 10
raise the price of their wool from its
present level of nine cents a pound to
twenty cents.
The Herald mathematician then pro-
ceedS:
obviously. by this cumulative process,
the buyer of the suit of clothes which
formerly cost So would suddenly find
himself confronted with the necessity Of
paving $3.50 for precisely the same
kind of goods even f nobody but the
wool growers became any richer by the
change. each of the Intermediates be
tween the grower of the wool and the
wearer Of the clothes merely charging
the customary rate of profit on the value
Of the material passing through his
hands.
The absurdity of this calculation is
apparent on a moments reflection. The
change proposed by the wool growers
fleets only the cost of the unwashed
wool. which does 10 the making Of
the suit of clothes. but the Herald com
mits the egregriOuS error of figuring a
prOpOrtiOnate increase III every item Of
the cost OF prouucrlOn- Because the
wool. under the circumstances imagined,
costs approximately double what il did.
i the manufacturer. for that reason. 90
ing TO double the wages Of his Oper-
ativeS: And is the manufacturing cloth
Ter going 10 nay his tailOrs $50 a day
instead of 81: Yet that Is precisely
what the Herald's arithmetic requires
The true basis Of calculation i as fol-
lows: Ii takes about fifteen pounds of
unwaShed wool 10 make a good suit of
winter clothes To make "a summer suit
IL takes perhaps twelve. Raising the
cost Of wool eleven cents n pound would
add 81 90 To the cost OF a winter suit,
and S132 TO the cost of a summer suit.
Suppose we add ive cents As represent
ing the interest ON the Increased cost OF
wool. though that is a large allowance.
the suit which formerly cost SD would
then cost $3.50. instead Of $3.50. a
the Herald computes
The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-02-12
THE INCREASE OF GOLD.
1t Grows Much Faster than the PopuIa-
ton or Public Needs.
Macon ,Ga1 Telegraph. penn


The director of the United States
mint. the best authority in the country.
puts the production of gold in the world
for the year 1896 AT <21J.OO.001. an in
crease of nearly d per cent. over the
production of the world for 1875.
The Engineering and Mining Journal
Of New York. a high authority. esti-
mates the production OF gold in the
. ! nited States last year at so .O00. eco.
an increase over 1875 of something over
10 per cent. The production os 1890 was
Si6.6lO.GuO. For 1894. So. .IJl. jaO. For
1883 S:;-I.5JJ.000. For 1St2 50. O0O-
Wn. Here il an increase since 1872 of
S24Wo.o00. or - per cent.
This enormous increase can be better
appreciated when II i called 10 mind
that our increase of population * about
I per cent 4 year. Therefore while
orr population has Increased about >
por cent. during the last five years our
gold crop has increased - per cent.
1t l. estimated that about S9.000.000
- this gold goes into the arts. leaving
SiS.Wu.oo0 available for gold coin. aver
aging S4.OO0.0O0 a month
We have heard a great deal during the
last few years about the danger
OF the gold standard. the single argu-
ment being advanced that there was
not enough gold in the country To meet
demands for redemption money" PeO-
lie who could not tell what redemption
money Is have proclaimed it with loud
voices. and succeeded in frightening a
great MANY good and well meaning per-
-OaS.
When these facts are taken into con-
SideratiOn along with the other fact that
our silver coinage has much more than
kept pace also with the increase of popu-
lation and business. it becomes manifest
that there * not y particle of ground for
the free silver agitat0rS to stand on.
When II becomes known. aS il should
he known. by the MASSES. that the VOL
ume of our gold currency. aad the vol
ume of our silver currency iEcre4se
every year at a greater ratio than the
increase of our population and our busi-
ness. the occupa ton of the professional
FIAT money agitatOr Will he gone.
The country needs To have done with
agitatiOnS on the lines of the last few
years. Ii needs wise men and not rcck-
less advanturers for leaders. 1t needs
wise legislation, and business manage
ment of its business affairs. All econO-
mic questions are business questions. and
they should be handled by wise and hon
est business men. When little dema-
gOgues and political dervisheS swarm
about the capital and aSSail the vital
function of the government the people
are in danger.