davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08
Can't BE Fooled Every Time.

Some people can be fooled once or
twice, but very few more than that. Mr..
Bryan in his speeches last fall asserted
that the forty-two million dollars neces-
sary to keep pace with the growth of pop
ulation in the United States could not be
produced since the suspension of free
coinage of silver, and quoted Senator
Sherman in support of his theory that this
amount was necessary to be added to the
currency of the country each year. He
was undoubtedly right in his quotation Of
Senator Sherman, but both inaccurate and
misleading in assuming that this amount
of currency cannot be and is not added
TO the circulating medium of the country
by means Of its present facilities. The
coinage of the minis of the country in the
year which ends with the present month
will be, in round numbers. one hundred
million dollars. three-fourths Of il gold,
while that of the calendar year 1896 was
ninety-nine million dollars. Add to this
the fact that the money in circulation
to-day is $13S, 100000 more than il was
n year ago and 1t will be seen that Mr..
Bryan's statements in this, as well as
in many other things, were, to say the
least, misleading.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08

act, signed two days before his retirement,
was the morrill," tariff act, thoroughly
protective measure, whose passage was
made possible at that time because of the
fact that large number of the Southern
Democratic members of the Thirty sixth
Congress had withdrawn, leaving Con-
gress In the control of the Republican
party, which thus placed a tariff act upon
the statute books two days before the in
auguration of Lincoln.
President Lincoln. who was inaugural
ed March 4, 1861, signed his first general
tariff act on Aug. Of that year, and this
was followed by the passage in July, 1862,
and June 3, 1864. of other tariff measures,
to which his signature was attached.
Grant, who became President March 4,
1869, signed on July IA, 1870, his first
general act relating to revenues, by which
the internal revenue taxes were reduced,
this being followed by another reduction
on June @, 1872.
President Hayes, who was inaugurated
March 4, 1877. signed no general tariff
legislation, the House being Democratic
in the first Congress under his administra-
ton and both branches Democratic in
the latter half of his term.
The Garfield-Arthur administration,
which began March A. 1881, did not wit
ness the enactment Of any general tariff
legislation until March 3, 1888. two full
years after the Inauguration
Cleveland's first term was not marked
by the completion of any general tariff
legislation, the Mills bill, which passed
the Democratic House in 1885, failing in
the Senate, which was so closely divided
politically that Il was found impossible
to pass through it measure satisfactory
to the administration, the substitute
which was adopted by the Senate being
rejected by the House, where the Demo
cratic divisions on the tariff question, now
so strongly marked was then beginning
TO make itself apparent.
benjamin Harrison's term began March
4. 1889, and the first general tariff act
passed under his administration was sign
ed Oct. i, 1890. eighteen months after his
Inauguration.
Cleveland's second term, which began
March 4. 1888. with his own party in con-
troll in both branches of Congress. did not
witness the completion of its tariff meas
ure until Aug. %. 1894, nearly eighteen
months after he took the oath of office
A study of the above history of the tar
i'll from the beginning of the Government
down to the present time will indicate to
those who have been inclined to criticise
what they assume to be the slow action of
Congress that instead of its action being
unusually tardy. il has been unusually
prompt, and especially so in view of the
fact that the party in control of the adj
ninistration controls only one branch Of
Congress, a condition under which it has
seldom been possible to pass a tariff meas
ure, even in a much greater length of time
than has been or is likely to be occupied
in the present instance.
GEORGE MELVILLE.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08
Tariff Prospects Are Helping.

The progress made by the Senate with
the tariff bill has given some impetus
to general business and has created
more hopeful feeling in all departments
of trade The matter is not entirely sen
timental or at all partisan. The doubt
and instability which have plainly sur
rounded every commercial avenue and
which always exist while tariff uncer-
tainty lasts will in all probability soon
be removed. For the first time since
1887 the business of the country will be
in free and untrammeled position and
the favorable effect on credit and individ-
ual action canot be too highly estimated.
The manufa cturer and the distributor
will be able to see clearly into the future
and the money lender and the money Dor
rover will be able to act Understandings.
The prospect has already caused some
activity in the iron and steel trades. and
has given definite assurance in other di-
rections. The great majority of the
American people hope for and have con-
fidence in substantial results. The gen
eral situation is ripe for the change.
Money is abundant at low rates. Price
is on a level which practically guaran-
tees judicious operations.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08


Among those who have spoken in this
vein is Russell Sage, a veteran fnancier,
who is cautious in statement and not
prone TO rush into print for the exploita-
ton of his views on current matters. Il
think" he said, shat we are going to
have steady progress toward far better
times. l do not look for any boom, but
gradual improvement from now on. The
railroads are getting more traffic, and
they are working more harmoniously. The
settlement of the tariff question will be
great relief to the business community.
After the rates of duty have been agreed
upon and a bill passed we can settle down
with the assurance that we shall not be
again disturbed by tariff measures for at
least twenty-four years. The properties
in which | am interested are doing well.
Yes, / think there Re every reason to be-
lieve that we have long ago passed the
turning point"
This sentiment Is widespread, and
though there may be some INSCRIPTIONS
politicians who would block tariff legisla-
ton until after the fall election in the
hope that thereby the opponents OF the
Republican party would be able to gain
some political capital and advantage, it is
possible that better counsels will prevail
and the bill will be passed sooner than
was expected.-Albany Journal.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08
Some Free Silver outcasts.

Some individuals, who bolted the Re
publican party last year and voted for
Bryan, held a meeting in this city and
organized what they call 1.-THE Silver Re-
publican Party Of the United States"
For some reason they do not care to join
the Populists or the free silver Demo
Gratis. They seem to think they will have
a better chance of picking up offices if
they have a distinct organization.
These boilers cannot be prevented from
forming a new party, but in doing so they
ought to state clearly to the public what
its principles are and what reason there
is for its existence. That has not been
done. Congressman Towne declares
that
"This is a movement that has taken
deep root. and will grow until the restora-
ton of silver to an equality with gold has
been accomplished.
What is this equality that Towne and
his associates are going to devote the
rest of their lives to securing? Does he
intend to say that the time will come
again when sixteen ounces of silver will
exchange everywhere for one of gold!
Towne should look the facts in the
face The price of silver, which was 40
cents an ounce in 1870, is GO cents now.
In spite Of the low price the silver miners
of the United States put 100000
ounces on the market last year and made
money at the business.
The demand for silver by silver stand
ard countries is decreasing because the
number of those countries is diminishing.
Japan, the most progressive of Asiatic
nations, with a population of Al, OO0,O 900,
has adopted the worlds gold standard.
4 ID r.1,- duo ner
countries. are preparing to do so.
Does Towne really believe that his lit
tie movement" will be able to raise the
purchasing power of 81 grains of silver
until it becomes equal once more to the
purchasing power Of twenty-three grains
of gold? 1t is difficult to believe that any
intelligent man who knows what the
present silver production of the world is.
and how much more cheaply it is pro-
duced than of old, really imagines any
thing of the kind.-Chicago Tribune.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08
Political Pith.

President Cleveland pulled down the
American flag in Hawaii; President Nc
Kinley pulled it up again.
One-third of the Southern vote in the
present Congress has been cast for pro-
lection.
Every days consideration Of the Senate
schedules of the tariff bill brings them
more in harmony with those of the House
bill, and il is probable that the bill, when
il goes into conference, will differ but lit
tie from that which passed the House.
The shades of the late Samuel j. Ran
dali are DOW being invoked by the Democ-
racy of that section which fought him
most bitterly during the closing period of
his useful career
With one member of the Democratic
team pulling in the direction of free trade,
another towards protection, still a third
in favor of free silver, and a fourth head
ed resolutely toward the gold standard,
the Jeffersonian-J cksonian band wagon
is not making much progress.
The recent "silver Republican" confer
ence is said to have had as its real object
n plan to unload Mr.. Bryan as the leader
of the silver cause. Mr.. Bryan has too
many "isms" and is to erratic to suit the
men who are putting up the money in be-
half of the silver cause.
No subject is being more carefully con-
sidered by President Mckinley now than
the Cuban question. 1t has been the
cause Of much anxious thought by him
from the beginning and there is good rea-
son to believe that his plans are well de-
veloped and will be recognized as wide
and satisfactory when they become
known.
The trade reviews and the daily papers
of the country unite in the assertion that
business is frightening in all parts of the
United States. More men are employed,
the volume of new orders is increasing,
and the amount of work done is steadily
gaining. With the final action on the tar
if bill, which may be expected during the
present month. an increased Improvement
is confidently expected.
People who are surprised that the Re
pubicans in the Senate are not answering
in detail the attacks made by the Demo
Gratis upon the pending tariff bin need not
suppose that il is because of lack of argu-
ment or facts upon which to base them.
Their silence is simply because of their
unwillingness TO consume a moment of
time more than is absolutely necessary
in getting the bill before the Senate.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08
The Campaign of Calamity.

To read the daily wailings of the organs
Of free silver and free trade will con-
vince any fair-minded person that those
noisy journals have started in to fight the
calamity campaign of 1896 all over again.
They are preaching the old pernicious dog
mas of discomfort, disorder and disaster
with all the reckless rhetoric of the dem
agogue and the anarchist. Processing
friendship for the cause of labor, they are
wickedly striving to arouse the working
man against his employer; pretending to
favor the restoration of prosperity, they
are deliberately trying to stife the grow
ing spirit of confidence in business en-
terprise; and, while ostentatiously mourn
ing over the depression of industry, their
whole influence is being exerted to make
il permanent and hopeless.
Such are the real purposes of the new
campaign of calamity. In furtherance
of them it's organs publish daily columns
of dispatches to show that trade and in
dustry are steadily going from bad to
worse, and that the condition of labor
is becoming more and more desperate.
To these prophets of evil the report that
a factory has closed it's doors, that fur
mace has banked its fires, or that a mill
has curtailed its working force is n mes
sage Of JOY. A story of business failure
or abandoned enterprise is a delight;
tales of idleness and want are hailed
with glad acclaim, and every line that
tells of paralysis in trade, loss in CAPT
tai and earnings or despair among those
who toll is eagerly welcomed and osten-
tatiously displayed as a fulfllment of
gloomy prophecies.
Back of this eager quest for evil It'd
ings is a stealthful purpose to provoke
antagonisms between labor and capital,
and thus undermine the foundation of
the rising structure Of business pros
perity. Good times mean death to the
agitation for free trade and free silver.
The calamity organs know il, and this
knowledge is the inspiration of their
desperate attempt to postpone the day
Of returning confidence and prosperous
business.
The intelligent masses of American
wage-earners fully understand the stu
alton. Their condition is far from what
it ought TO be in employment and pay,
but on the other hand il Is much less
distressing than the mouthy oracles Of
chaos would have it appear. The conduct
Of the great body Of workingmen under
the harsh conditions which now prevail
has been admirable in its patience, hope
fulness and sef-restraint. The attempt
of demagogues and charlatans to incite
disorder and strife in the ranks of labor
will receive its sharpest rebuke from the
workingmen Themselves
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08
Politicians Working Country People

The dangerous characters who were last
fall hired to stir up dissatisfaction and
SOW seeds of anarchism and riot in the
cities are now being sent through the
country districts for the same purpose.
They travel in gaudily painted wagons,
bearing false or misleading quotations
from distinguished men, which are dis
torted into apparent support of the free
coinage of silver, which is now worth less
than one-half what it was when these
utterances are alleged TO have been made.
To conceal their real purposes these men
profess To be obtaining subscribers to
free silver publication, with which is fur
nished a copy of book by Coin" Har-
vey, whose writings are now recognized
as not only untruthful and misleading,
but purposely and maiciously so and an
imposition upon those before whom they
are placed. This attempt to distribute the
seeds of distrust, anarchism and riot in
the agricultural communities for the pure
ly selfish purpose of making a market
for the property of silver mine-owners
and placing few politicians in office de-
serves the contempt of those upon whom
it is being imposed. 1t is of the Same
class as that by which the tin peddler
wagons spread falsehood through the
country in the Congressional campaign Of
1890, but is vastly more dangerous to
the country from the class of employed,
the doctrines they disseminate and the
desperate schemes of those who support
them in this performance. The silver
mine-owners and their political allies have
resorted to this new device to deceive the
people, who are, however, rapidly discov-
ering the impostions they practice.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08
A Currency ommission Urged.

A currency commission which shall
frame a plan for the general revision of
the currency system of the United States
seems likely to be the next step of the new
administration, after the passage of the
tariff bill, which will probably take place
before the end of the month. 1t is I'M
derstood in Washington that the Presi-
dent will, as soon as the tariff bill passes
the Senate, send special message to Con-
gress urging the creation of a commission
which shall devise n plan for the general
revision of the currency system of the
country in time for consideration by Con-
gress when it meets in its regular session
FIVE months hence.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08
Export Bounty on Farm Products.

The proposition for a bounty on staple
agricultural exports is not new subject.
1t is departure from the protective pol
icy. 1t has been considered for some
years by the farmers, especially by the
members of the National Grange, where
it hae been fully discussed but not yet
Endorsed by a majority Of that body. Some
of the propositions seem to be favorable,
but it is doubtful whether the giving of
bounty on agricultural products would be
beneficial to the farmer. There might be
some temporary benefits, but if it stimu-
lated production the effect would be dis
astrous to the farmer. What troubles the
farmer now and makes low prices for his
productions is the fact that he is now
producing more than the market will read
lily absorb of certain commodities. SO
long as he continues to do this he must
be content with low prices. If this boun-
ty should stimulate the production and
increase the surplus offered in the mar
kets of the world, it would have the eff
feet of decreasing the price received by
the farmer rather than increasing II. AS
/ said, il is n departure from the policy
of those who believe in protection. The
protective policy advocates the encour-
agement of production in those lines
where we are now not producing enough
to supply our own people, but are depend
ent to an extent on foreign countries for
our supply. This proposition does not
have such a purpose. 1t proposes simply
to donate to the farmer certain bounties
on products exported, and it is doubtful
whether it would at the most have more
than temporary beneficial effect, with
n tendency to bad reactionary results
From interview with Assistant Secretary
of Agriculture Brigham.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08
Most ENCOURAGING for Years.

In broad way last week was one of
the most encouraging in business circles
that this country has experienced for sew
eral years. The general outburst of con-
fidence in financial circles was reflected
in the course of the stock markets, which
were bullish from start to finish. The
reassuring utterances of the President
and the leading members of his cabinet
produced a very favorable impression;
but beyond that il was seen that number
of encouraging factors were in evidence.
1t was perceived that the price of iron
had gone up; that railroad earnings were
increasing: that money was in ample sup
ply for all legitimate purposes; that the
gold exports had dwindled to a mere moth
ing and that the prospects of speedy en-
actment Of the tariff bill were daily grow
ing brighter. This induced buoyant
tone in the prices of all.-Minneapolis
Tribune Rep).
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08

Twenty years ago, in 1877, the country
as enshrouded in the gloom of BUSH
y IS depression, consequent upon the pan
tof 1873. There were plenty of prophets
40 predicted that the times would never
/ any better, and the mass of the peo-
were discouraged and about ready TO
|Jlcede that the prophets of evil were
|it'ht
n But in the fall Of 1877 signs of improve
Lent began to appear. The general the
In was that a more hopeful feeling was
luced by the approach of the date for
resumption act to go into effect.
Here was no doubt something in this
tory; nevertheless plenty of states
IN" were found who asserted that re-
.dnption would be a failure, and that
I, .siness would be injured rather than
Typed by the attempt to resume.
But in spite of ali the talk. the times
| ltinued to improve steadily. They
ore much better in 1878, and in 1879 the
Ping tide assumed the proportions of
lppthing like boom. Some of our Min
lipols people who carried real estate
fough the period of depression, and
birly broke their backs doing so. will
aeuber that by 1880 it was salable at
fyanced and advancing figures. In the
1t few years the prices of realty here
PH elsewhere in the country reached the
thest prices ever known before or
&c.
he history of this country appears to
tw that panics and recoveries run in
Sut twenty-year periods. There was
4 panic of 1878, followed by five years
rdepression: the beginning of recovery
1877; the full tide of recovery in 1879,
owed by period of prosperity lasting
Pill 1892. Then came the panic of 1893,
owed by the period Of depression
Cch we are now experiencing. To
lle tb@re are as yet no signs of improve
mt discernible, while to others there is
eady faint glimmer of dawn. Many
" looking forward to the passage of the
tiff bin as the starting point of new
iod Of prosperity. But whether from
alt or some other cause or causes, it is
lfe probable that history will repeat it
b, AMI that in the fall of the present
mr., or the beginning of 1898, we shall
mess a notable Improvement, followed
perhaps ten or a dozen years of great
sporty.
he cycle is nearly completed. We
fe experienced nearly FIVE years of de-
lfsion since the election of Cleveland in
". 1t is about time for a change in
natural order of things.-Exchange
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08
DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS LOADG
The Sugar Trust scrssmers Find Ther
Attacks Reacting ON Them selvee

Attacks Reacting ON Themselves
There has been some especially shap
talk in the Senate and some Of the peoTf
who are seeking 10 make political capitt
by throwing dust with reference TO til
pending tariff bill have suddenly dis
covered that there are two sides to almost
any story. Two or three Democratic
leaders seem to have reached the conclut
sion that they could once more fool the
people, and that their most convenient
way to do il would be to charge that the
sugar schedules of the tariff bill as agreed
upon by the Republican caucus were IA
vorable to the sugar trust. So they pro-
ceeded upon the "stop thief plan to make
all sorts Of malicious charges of this kind,
taking advantage Of the fact that Repub-
leans in the Senate have been refusing to
discuss any features of the bill not abso-
lutely necessary to be explained, simply
for the purpose of gaining time and get
ting the bill through as promptly as pos
sible. The gentlemen have found, how
ever, that there is limit to the endur-
ance of the public who are being imposed
upon with this sort of falsehood, and the
newspapers of the country have suddenly
revived the fact that the very men who
are now shouting sugar trust with refer
ence to the pending tariff bill are the
ones under whose guidance the "per-
fidy and dishonor" bill Of 1894 was franz
ed and its sugar schedule so shaped as to
create the greatest scandal that has been
known in political history in many years.
Attention is called to the fact that the
three men, Senators Vest, Jones and
Mills, whose mouthings about an increase
in prices of sugar trust stock as result
of the pending tariff bill have been the
features of the week, are the very men
who framed the sugar schedules of the
Wilson bill under which sugar trust
stocks advanced 66 per cent, while the
advance during the entire consideration
of the present bill is only 6 per cent. and
this mere incident of the general ad-
vance which has been strongly marked
meantime in all stocks. That the three
men whose manpulations in the schedules
of the Wilson bill caused an advance of
GO per cent. in the price of sugar stocks
should now be screaming like madmen
because sugar stocks have increased per
cent. during the consideration Of the pres
ent bill would be unaccountable but for
the fact that they are apparently doing II
to not only make political capital against
the Republicans but at the same time
conceal as far as possible their own rec
ord in this very line.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-08

of last year. The fact that large numbers
Of Democrats in every State where cam
paigns are to take place this fall are re-
fusing TO support the free coinage Of sill
yer, and that many members of that par
ty in Congress and elsewhere are aban-
doning free trade and supporting high
protection, has rendered a further ALI
ance of the two parties improbable. Mr..
Il. b. Rankin, prominent member Of the
Populist party in Ohio, in a recent in
terview, said: 'The object of the or
ganization of the Populist party was to
secure needed reforms. not to stab the
Democratic or Republican parties. ! was
opposed to fusion last year. and am still
more opposed TO ii now"