Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-10-29

has increased until they now consti-
tute about SO per cent of our total ex-
ports. The present year will show an
increase OF about $50, 000, 900 over last
year in the export of manufactured
articles, while our imports have fallen
Of $3.50, 100000. The decrease in the
import Of manufactured articles was
81 per cent in 1897. and will be Il per
cent in 1898.
During last year the manufacture Of
fron and steel made wonderful strides.
while the advance in the price of both
has increased, and the iron and steel
mills are unable TO fill their orders.
In 1880 we imported Of iron and steel
products 81 900 900, and exported s14,@
had increased to $25,ooo.o0O. For the
fiscal year ending June, 1898, the i'm
ports decreased to $12,615, 900, and the
exports amounted to 0,00e, GOO. In
1880 we imported five times as much
iron and steel products as we expert
!. ed. In 1898, 19 years after, We export
ed five and one-half times as much as
we imported.
Today the state of Alabama fixes
the price Of pig iron In the leading
markets of the world. What a glori-
. GUS result for a southern state. Penn
sylvania sends steel billets and plates
to England, and American rails and
other steel products go to Australia,
Japan and Russia.
Importtat ass OF foreign wool have
and sheep has about doubled. Under
the Wilson bill wool declined IA to 18
cents, sheep from $3.50 to $3.50 per
head. Under the Dingley bill wool
has gained IA to Is cents, and sheep
risen in price from .$1.50 to $3.50, and
in some localities $5 per head.
The gold reserve in the treasury has
constantly increased until 1t is now
s24O. 1000, 900. The lowest point reached
was under Cleveland's second admin
istration, In January, 1895, when it
was $44,000,000.
Tin Plate Industry.
The tin plate industry has increased
rapidly. It Is now giving employment
to 81, 600 men, whose wages amount to
$50, 900 per day and consumes about
5000, 900 worth Of raw products an
nualIy. u will be remembered that a
few years ago the making Of tin plate
In this country by putting a duty on
that imported vas laughed at and rid
iculed as impossible by Democratic
orators and the Democratic press. We
are now exporting the plate, thereby
saving at home the immense sums for
merly paid to foreign countries for
tin plate, besides giving employment
to our people for all We manufacture.
Our lumber interests have become
prosperous; mills are running on full
time and new ones being built The
creased at least So per acre, while the
markets that were given to Canada
under the Wilson free trade bill have
been restored to American lumber.
Under two years Of Republican ad-
ministration whole pyramid Of mort
cages on farms in Kansas and Nebras-
ka has been paid of, and is now on
exhibition at the Omaha exposition
Selling Bonds to Pay wsr Expenses.
To pay the expenses Of the war
e700, 000, 900 Of 8 per cent bonds have
been void, aftsr public notice, to $780,
600 subscribers. at par. This IL in
striking contrast with the sale Of
bonds made by Democratic president
notice to a syndicate to pay current
expenses OF the government in time
OF peace, the loss to the government
on the first s50,000,000 being about &c.
100000. Yet certain Democrats in
congress opposed the sale Of bonds to
carry on the war.
While August shows the largest bus
AACSo III tAO alSlOly VI QuI lOItiSu
trade, according to Dunn 4 Company
business failures were less than any
August in the lest five years. All
these beneficial results and Others that
might be named in the business and
financial world that have come about
under a Republican administration,
are not accidental; they are the fruit
of Republican policies, wisely admin
istered.
Campaign Prophecies of Democrats.
During the campaign Of 1896 Mr..
Bryan and other Democratic leaders
declared that the price of wheat would
follow the price OF silver; that there
was some mysterious connection be-
tween the price Of silver and other
commodities; that II the price OF silver
vas low the price Of all other prod
ucts rs a result would be cheap. This
was argued everywhere, on the stump
and In The press, by the Democratic
party. Within the last two years
wheat has sold for long time at 81
per bushel, and the price of nearly all
farm products has advanced, while the
price of silver has remained about the
same. Not one Of the prophecies and
predictions of disaster made by the
Democratic party that would follow
the election Of Republican president
on a sound money and protection plat
form has come true, while all the
promises and pledges made by the Re-
publican party to the people have been
faithfully kept and performed by q
Republican administration.
Striking Contrast.
Contrast the condition Of the coun-
try under Democratic administration
with conditions now, two years after
the Inauguration Of a Republican pres
tdent- During the Democratic admin
istration there was universal depres-
sion in business, almost O continuous
panic, want of employment, hundreds
of thousands of men hunting for work,
products OF farm, mine and mill lower
than ever known, gold constantly leav-
Ing the country. the gold reserve Ia
the treasury reduced from 500, 900, 900
to $14,000,0o0, the treasury In time Of
peace bankrupt; home markets given
10 foreign countries; Canadian farm
eys aud manufacturers prosperous
while our farmers and manufacturers
we're correspondingly depressed; de-
creased revenues, until Mr.. Cleveland
had to borrow money to pay the ex-
penses. Of the government and in
sesrss f0f de ss PSss tss Sesry
everything West Virginia produced
was put on the free list, or not SUI
fciently protected, and consequently
our markets were taken from us,
prices Of our products declined, farm
ers In many instances were obliged to
sell their cattle. sheep and horses at
any price they could get because 1t
was too expensive to keep them. Wool
declined IL to 16 cents per pound;
beef, ~ cents; cattle, $40 to SIS per
head: horses. $40 to $40. Mines, fac
tories and mills all over the country
were closed, despair and discourage
ment looked the people in the face,
while hope had well nigh left them.
This was the true condition OF the
country during the larger part and
especially at the close Of Mr.. Cleve-
exaggerated.
Prosper isy Here.
What 10 the condition Of the country
now? We are In the full tide OF pros
perity which blesses the nation and
promises to be lasting; the people are
happy and contented, there Is employ
ment for labor, times are good, mills
are crowded with work, the price OF
farm products advancing, the treasury
bursting with money. there is more
money In the country. than ever be
fore, and equal to the best In the
world; exports Increasing and imports
decreasing. All this has come to us
as the result of two years Of Repub-
lican administration, and with a for
eign war on hand.
In the face of this splendid record
the Democratic party now asks that
there be change. A change from
what? From prosperity to business
depression, from good times to hard
times. To ask for a change now we