The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-22

Before voting for a Democratic candidate
for Congress, business men should stop and
think what it means. There never was
time in the history of the United States
when all signs pointed as Enthusiastically to
period of remarkable Industrial expan-
sion and commercial progress as they do
at present. The testimony of business men
is unanimous regarding the high degree of
prosperity which now prevails and the en-
couraging outlook for the future. This is
particularly true of the manufacturing bust
ness. Never before was there as good a
home market for manufactured
products and never before was the foreign
demand for them as great. 1t really looks
as if American manufacturers were about
to capture the markets Of the world. A
leading manufacturer of this city who visit
ed Europe during the past summer sold
100000 worth of goods and says, 81 believe
1 could have taken orders to the amount of
a million dollars if 1 could have filed
them" Other local manufacturers who ship
goods abroad report a large increase in
their foreign trade The proprietors of an
establishment which was burned out re-
Gently say I'VE were 5000 orders be-
hind and were running night and day."
Nearly all the manufacturing establishments
in the city have sold out their stocks on
hand and are running on orders only. The
same is true all over the State. especially in
the gas-belt cities. Statistics recently pub
lished in the Journal show that the product
Of twelve manufacturing industries in the
State increased from $50, 629, 594 in 1897 to
SOS, 475.297 in 1898. The wages paid in these
twelve industries increased from $1S0S1, 206
in 1897 to 2O,S53,975 in 1893 An increase in
the output of twelve industries of SASS, 703
in one year and of $2272,769 in the wages
paid is a proof of prosperity that every
body can understand. 1t means that more
persons by many thousands are employed in
the manufactures of this State than there
were two years ago. One manufacturing
concern at Muncie reports that it employs
$50 persons now as against one hundred in
1896; concern at Seymour employs $50 per-
sons now as against 125 in 1896; concern in
Alexandria employs 1880 now as against
1000 in 1896. and so on There are very few
factories in Indiana that do not report an
increase of from twenty to 200 per cent. in
the number of employees now over two years
ago. A correspondent of the Journal writ
ing from Anderson, Ind, under date of Oct.
II, says:
Four years ago this city was struggling
for means to maintain and feed its citizens
who were unfortunate enough to be thrown
out of work by the fears aroused by the
election of a Democratic administration
and found the effort most severe one; but
now factories are running. some working
night and day, stores crowded and the
railroads are doing business here never
equaled before.
The same is true in greater or less de-
gree of every manufacturing city in the
State. Manufacturing prosperity in con-
nection with good crops, affects all lines
Of business The railroads feel it very sem
sibly, and show it by their increased bust
ness and pay rolls. The superintendent of
motive power of the Big Four Railroad
says there are now 2,649 persons on his pay
rolls. drawing $1O9,724 month, as against
2,451 persons two years ago, drawing $99, $40
month. The same rate of increase on
other lines would make a material addition
to the number of persons employed and the
amount of wages paid in the State.
WHAT is true in Indiana is true in every
other State. The country is throbbing with
new prosperity and preparing to enter in
and take possession of new markets. With
out reference to what has brought about
this condition, intelligent business men ev-
erywhere, irrespective of politics, say that
business prospects were never brighter
That being the case, why should any bust
ness man or any person who has the welfare
of the country at heart desire a change?
Instead of going back to discarded policies
or turning aside into uneAplored paths,
why not adhere to those which have led to
the present prosperity and which promise
to bring still greater? A vote for Demo-
cratic candidate for Congress means a vote
against the policies which have brought
about the present era of prosperity and
against commercial as we'll as territorial
expansion.