The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-01-07
The Epidemic of Falling Prices.

established it leaps the quarantine bounds
which are placed to prevent its spread
and enters the homes of the wealthy, and
the community is startled by having a
most prominent and influential member
of its family stricken down.
Economic epidemics, follow a similar
line when they invade country. The
poorest class are the first sufferers, and
their Affections attract little notice till
the weather. and leading business men,
bers of society begin to fall victims 10
the invading cause. Such has been the
history of the present epidemic of falling
prices which made its appearance about
1866. A few years later the weakest
business houses and firms began to tunl-
BILE, the roads were full of idle people,
thrown out of employment by the collapse
of the business which gave them daily
work and bread From that time on to
the present there has been steady fall in
prices with few temporary checks from
some local and transient cause. Every
farm in the country has been cut in two,
as it were, and one half of its former value
has disappeared. Every debt seems to have
been doubled. The same amount of prop
erty that would have paid it when contrac-
Ted, in some cases will scarcely pay the
interest on the debt, if the property can be
converted into, or exchanged for money at
all. Many families who few years ago
were well to do" living in comfortable
circumstances not even dreaming offuture
want, are now on the border line of pow
erty, with no prospect observable before
them that promises better condition.
And still prices contiue to fall at rate of
a per cent year. An abnormal condi-
ton of the wheat crop of the world has
created temporary breathing spell for
some lines of business that are reached by
the wheat influence, but general business
has not been affected by this local and
partial relif.
The epidemic of falling prices has been
the scourge of this whole1country for
many years. Like other epidemics it
first attacked the poorest class of society.
Gradually it crept into and commenced to
ravage the homes of the more well to
do" class. Large business firms were
invaded and houses of old and long
standing, noted for integrity and fair
dealing were smitten by the destroying
hand of falling prices.
Political quacks and false prophets
assured the people that the disease was
only temporary, and would soon pass
away, that they had diagnosed it and
ascertained that it was want of ICON
| fideuce" which had caused the trouble,
that the Republican party's return to
power would purify the business atnlos-
phere and prosperity would again make
its appearance at the door of every house
hold and business Immediately. Hope
| springs eternal in the human breast, and
such solemn and positive assurances were
made and repeated by the political quacks,
fakirs and false prophets that many of
the people were persuaded in the midst of
their distress and fears to believe what
they most wished for would come to pass
THE truth is that the financial prin-
ciples which the Republican party stands
for have been the policy of the govern
ment for thirty years. Cleveland's two
administration never swerved hairs
breadth from them.)
But alas, it was not by the mere change
of nurses that remedy was to be had to
a disease that is deep seated and threatens
to destroy society itself, and to work
the downfall of civilization, if a remedy
as radical as the disease and heroic as
the plague is virulent is not found. The
quacks, fakirs and faith cures of the Re-
publican party have all failed to even
check the inroads of this epidemic of
falling prices. 1t has filled the land with
tramps, who are growing vicious, and as
society, or that part of it which has
escaped the disease, raises its hand and
voice against the tramp nuisance" the
nomadic tramp, like the Ishmaelite, is
ready to lift his hand against society.
The homes and farms of the middle class
are being swept from them by the mort
gage debt which is result of the wasting
malady.
The epidemic shows no abatement in
its onward march as it gathers its victims
from all ranks of society. Our local
community was shocked by the news
that one of the great banks and
Trust company of Philadelphia had
closed their doors, and that one OF the
greatest, in fact the very greatest business
man who ever entered this county, had
fallen victim of this business scourge of
falling prices His great business ability,
integrity and liberality did not save him
from falling victim to the confidence
man, the quack economist and political
fakir of the Republican party. He with
all of his business wisdom fell victim to
the insiduous wiles and extravsgant
promises of these humbugs who were
hired to traverse the land and spread
their false doctrine and promises in the
summer and fall of 1896. About one
month before the election Mr.. Singerly
assured his workmen that in one month
after, if Mckinley was elected, they
would witness the greatest business re-
viyal and most PROSPEROUS times that had