Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-09
STILL rRrING ro lLISLEAD.


STILL TRYING TO aiISLEAD.
Because the country has not realized
In the few weeks since the presidential
election n full restoration of the pros
pcrity of which it was deprived through
the operation of democratic policy and
the agitation for a debased currency,
the defeated advocates of free silver
eXuliingly proclaim that the republican
promise has failed. The fact that a
number Of national banks have re-
Gently suspended, due in nearly every
case to reckless management and the
rascality of officials, and that business
failures have been numerous, is pointed
to as showing that no good results have
followed republican success and as evil
dence that prosperity cannot be eX-
pectcd under the gold standard. This
was done by the free silver leader in his
address at Chicago Thursday night and
it is to be expected that what he said
will be echoed in the free silver organs
and by his adherents throughout the
country.
These people are not candid and while
they will mislead some, they cannot de-
ceive any who take an intelligent
practical and unprejudiced view of the
situation. These know that although
business depression has not been en-
trely removed the conditions are bet
ter than before the election. What
are the facts that Justify this statement?
The most important of them is that
financial apprehension has disappeared
and there is confidence in monetary
There is greater industrial activity
and more labor employed, thus in
creasing the purchasing power of
the people. The balance of foreign
trade in our favor is being steadily en-
larged by the excess of exports over
imports, so that instead of borrowing
money abroad we have money to lend
there. Gold is accommodating in the
national treasury, the banks at the
money centers are amply supplied with
money, capital is beginning to seek
out safe Investments. There is reason
to believe that as whole the banking
institutions of the country are on Il
sound basis and while there Will con-
tinue to be business failures-for these
occur in times of prosperity as well as
in times of depression-they Will proba-
bly, become less numerous. The fact is,
that when one fairly considers the Sc
we're strain and stress to which the busi-
ness of the country has been subjected
for the past year it is surprising that
failures have not been more numerous
and disaster more general.
The republican party is not yet in
power The democratic policy which is
responsible for depression is still in oper-
alton. The republican promise was to
restore financial confidence and to give
the country legislation that would pro
vide the government with sufficient reve-
nue. and afford reasonable protection to
American industries. Confidence, so far
as concerns monetary stability, is re-
stored There is every assurance that
the republicans will propose legislation
that will infuse new life into our in
dustries and make an active market for
labor A part of its promise has, there
fore. been fulfilled; the other part will be
if not prevented by the men who are
falsely declaring that there has been no
change for the better and who don't want
prosperity because it would be destruc-
tive of their theories. When republican
policy is fully inaugurated if it does not
produce the results promised then the
free silver advocates will be justified in
inveighlng against the gold standard,
but all fair-minded people will be dis
posed to wait until the party called to
power has had an opportunity to put
its policy into effect before declaring the
promise of tina! party failure.