Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-09-29

were known. and the nation knew what
TO expect from both. No sooner had ne
entered the great Office than lie calico
congress together TO revise the tarlH so
as to aid our languishing industries anu
furnish ample revenues for the govern
ment. Congress met in March, az
once entered upon the work or tariH
revision, but owing to the dtlatory tac-
tics of the Democrats, especially IN inc
senate, the Dingley bill did not become
n law till July "A, 1897; and by thus delay
ing the passage of the bill they enabled
the importers 10 stock up so heavily in
many ines of imports. that the Dingley
law did not. at first, produce quite as
much revenue as was expected. SUI on
the eve of our troubles with Spain, and
before we had incurred any .
Outlay for War Purposes.
Il was evident hat the Dingley law would,
under normal conditions, and without
war. give us ample revenues Tor the cur
rent expenses OF the government. with a
moderate surplus. That McKinley's adj
ministration and the Dingley tariff law
have broathcd new life into the iangulsn-
Ing industries OF the country and orough.
back our old-time Industrial life ana
yigor, is apparent In many directions
Not only has this great trade balance
given us an abundant supply OF gold IN
the treasury, but it has also largely re-
duced our credit balance abroad. Millions
of dollars of American securities held
abroad have been returned to this conn-
try in liquidation of the trade balance,
thus largely reducing the interest ana
dividend drain made upon us annually
All of these facts furnish palpaDle evil
dence To our free silver brethren that
there is an abundance of money within
our reach, easily acquired under favor
able and proper industrial and trade con
ditions. nursed and protected by favorable
tariff legislation, and that IL does not re-
quire the free coinage of silver and the
destruction of the parity of u money 10
obtain an abundance of sound currency.
Since 1896 there has been on all Industrial
and productive ines a large increase IN
prices. Agricultural products and the
products of our mills, factories and shops
have. in most instances. been much high-
er, and so have wages. This ought 10 con-
vince ouc FIRE silver friends that the low
prices of 1893. 1894. 1895 and 1896 were
not the offspring and result of the quality
or quantity of our money, for we nave
had the same kind of money and the same
system of currency in 1907 and 1888 as In
those years. IL the lack OF free coinage
Produced Low Prices
IN those years, IL ought, by the logic OK
free silver. 10 have produced the Ike re-
suit in 1897 and 1898. Thus we can now
point you 10 clear and tangible facts
he experience of 1897 and lS9S--in fun
proof OF what we argued to you IN ISM
There is no school SO reliable and ii'strac-
tive as the school of experience.
II we turn to another, and perhaps the
most eventful, chapter of our national
life. during this administration. the con-
trast between Cleveland and Mckinley
is still moro pronounced than In these
other issues To which l have called your
attention. Cleveland was ready to huri
us into a wal with England over q dis
puted boundary In Venezuela, but he
shrugged his shoulders and turned a deaf
ear, except through formal diplomacy. TO
the poor, oppressed and struggling Gu
bans. living near our very doors, and
suffering under q tyranny more cruel and
relentless than any 10 be found else
where in the nineteenth century.
The savage barbarisrn of Spanish war
fare made little impression and evoked
only formal diplomatic protest. The tears
and the sufferings of women and chill
dren, driven In and penned up TO die of
starvation. moved him not, except in the
most ~perfunctory n formal manner His
eyes were still upon Wall street. as in
the lays OF the bono issues. for Wall
street wanted no war with Spain. Not
so with our own brave. sympathetic and
warm-hearted Mckinley. Long before the
explosion of the Maine. and long before
tltt lN 1AoAtAt - Az 'ILAA
TO recall the brutal Weyler, to try the
experiment of a modified and more liberal
home rule, and to carry on the war with
less barbarism and more in accord with
the methods of modern civilized warfare.
His great heart went out TO the poor
r-ecopccntrados. not merely sentimentally.
but I'm a practical and effective way. He
stayed the hand of Spain and took steps
TO relieve their want and suffering. He
was a true and unfaltering successor "
the noble Lincoln. Who never ceased to
be mindful of the downtrodden and op-
pressed slave. He not only forced Spain
TO pursue milder and more humane meth
DDS, but he warned her that the war
must soon come to an end. or Cuba must
be free. In those ante-bellum days there
were many who chided him for his moder-
alton and elaboration. but he realized
what his critics did not comprehend, that
he m not only strike for humanity.
hut that he must justify his course be-
fore the civilized world. n thus,
through his wise foresight and prudence.
II came to pass that
When the War Was Upon us,
We were not with ut fir ends and allies. though
Anglo Saxon h a of TIE EFT re world wen
out 10 poor Cuba and destroyed all possible
concert Of hostile powers. Like Lincoln. he
aimed rather to direct than 10 lead the senti.
ment ard cons iense OF the nation. He hoped
for peace. but was not afraid OF war. and
h~aiy. when the madness OF Spain. and an
arols d Iublic teatlnent. decTeed that the hour
to strike had come, he took up the task of
war calmly. deliberately and thoroughly. as
bcca me the ~chieftaln ~ a great nation At
the outset the Democratic party, In ana out
OF congress, seemed as eager for war as an,s
of us. but their eageruess in congress was
marred ard alloyed with a desire to seek Marty
advantage. They voted for war and FOR the
first $50 o00.o appropriation not only fog
wars sake. blu. In a spirit Of hurrying tho
president and Gliding him for his apparent
And when war had come and IL became ,
question OF providing ways and means they
could not 70 bear TO inject their part,sansnlt,
They cppos q TIE borrowing OF money and IN
) ste+i on lnfat ng ard 10 pardizing our cur
rfney by an ealarg 4 Issue OF greenbaaks and
ny ! su ng papsr money on our silver seignior-
age In advance Of It's coinage. They opposed
] gisiaticn for tie enl s'msnt CT colo ed troops.
whsn ctimat'c conditions Of Cuba ard tho sol,
a T y qualit os of the negroes made such troop.
desIable. and they opposed legislation per
INIT ng our volunteer soldiers To vote In con-
Sress.onai eie tions. as they had been permitted
10 DO In the War OF the Rebellion. While these
matters We Q not exactly fatal TO a due prose-
cuton OF the war, they showed how petty
partisansh'p was permittci to darkcn and he
War. should be blind 10 all party spirit ana
sNouid cnly aim TO fortify and strengthen the
z yfrnr ent at all points.
Tbe war rs over q Il its lsSscns remain for
our instruction and profit. bur our task Is uot
yet ended. The people whom We have helped
20 save IL Is our duty to regeneratc ana up-
hold. IL was u-on bread grounds OF humanity
upon mercenary or commercial grounds. that
We fntevyened: and our intervention o,rs. ~.