New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-01
THE CROAKERS.

II Is stated with truth by "Ine New-1orh
Times" that 1.-THE croakers have made aHalrs
seem worse than really the facts have war
.ranted Depressing talk Is almost as bad as
"depressng realities" 1t Is only fair to say
that large share Of the depressing talk has
sprung from partisanship. Democrats ana Pop-
ulists have been so anxious that no substantial
oain in the condition of business or Of labor
should result from Republican success thai
they have refused to admit even the most pal
pab,e facts. and. in the spirit shown by Mr.
Bryan himself. have perSistently denied that
there has been any improvement or can De an!
until their cheap-money theories nave oeeh
adopted The same disposition has been SHOWN
by some opponents Of Protection who are no'
for free silver. As if the people were foolish
enough to believe that the bare election OF
protective President before any change OF laws
had been made. ought TO produce all the results
which change of duties could cause they nave
continually insisted that the prosperity prom
lsed has not yet arrived.
On both sides this has been the most blum
dering policy thai could have been devised.
For. first. it is invariably discreditng and dam
aging TO a party or TO the advocates OF any
opinion to exhibit anxiety for public disaster
and dread of returning prosperity. and an Cd
stnate unwD yneSs 10 see or TO understand
cheering facts. Americans never fall in love
with party which shows that its success de-
pends upon National misfortune. The longer
the silver men continue prophets of evil the more
profoundly will they come TO be diSllked by Inc
great majority Of Americans. who realize tnat
depressing talk does much AT times TO cause de-
pressing realities. An honest record OF events.
even when they are disheartening. cannot be
refused But the spirit which magnies every
gloomy sign and ignores the actual changes for
the better persistlng that no such changes have
come or can come. is precisely that which Will
not make silver men or Free Traders dear to
the people.
II is a gross blunder. also. because any settle
ment of questions pending at Washington Is
Ikely 10 cause some recovery in business, even
though il should not be such as to bring about
full recovery Because the Wilson bill was
settlement. az least for the time, and was much
less bad than many had expected 1t would be-
there was distinct and considerable gain in
business after its passage. and it was not until
several months had elapsed that the extent OF
the harm done by that measure could be real
lied When Congress has acted this year. a
measure of Improvement will in all probability
follow. whether the act fully answers the OK
pectatlons of Republicans or not, and 1t will
place the Democrats and POpulists in hunll-
ating attitude. TO be obliged TO deny II, belitlie
IT and predict speedy disaster through the weeks
or months of Improvement.
But the enactment Of such q measure as Re
pnbllcans expect cannot fail TO give strong
,mpetus to important industries. to set many
establishments at work and to give employ
men. to many additional hands. These results
every practical man anticipates. whether he APP
proves the protective theory or moi. 1t viii be
particularly disastrous for the free silver theo-
rsts then that they have so persisten'ly prophe-
sled evil and only evil and that continually. ana
insisted that the Republican tariff could do no
good whatever. II would have been far more
shrpwd in them TO have recognized fully and
frankly the certainty that considerable meas
ure OF Improvement must follow the return to a
Republican National policy. even while arguing
that II nevertheless could not bring permanent
" all the benefits they seek. That course would
not have served so well for the cheap appeals
which mer like Bryan make to the ignorant:
but il would have saved them from some part
of the contemp, they will now receive. even
from many Of the ignorant. when every man <
weekly experience and wages convince him that
better times have indeed arrived.