The times., 1898-01-26
THE LACK OF PROSPERITY.
Democratic Members Find In It q
Subject of Debate

Democratic Members Find In 1t a
Subject of Debate.
"a member would be out of order
who discusses this BILL" said Mr.. Dock
cry, of Missouri. yesterday while the
debate on the Indian appropriation
measure was on in the House.
While the debate was in progress Mr..
views very fully and freely on pros
perity'' under the Mckinley Admins
tration. He attacked the Dingiey bill
savagely and declared that under It
there had been a gradual. regular and
continued decline in wages, and he
read a statement from Wharton Bar
ker, of Philadelphia, the eminent
statiStician, which showed conclusive
iy that wages bad decreased 1 per cent.
since the Dingley bill became opera
tive.
Mr.. Stone of Pennsylvania asked:
How is it If we have no prosperity
that all the laboring men in the cOun-
try are at work?' The Republicans
applauded-
They are not all at work, retorted
Mr.. Richardson. and right up in New
England. where the Dingley bill was
wanted more than anywhere else, rs
900 persons are now out on a strike
The retort called for thunderous ap-
plause from the Democrats
A dozen Republicans sprang to their
feet, all shouting at once. and bedlam
reigned for few minutes. Finally. or
der was restored, and Mr.. Richardson
said:
1T has often been said that there
are no two things alike in this world
and | always thought this true until
the other night / heard a minstrel ex-
plain that there are two things alike
"One minstrel asked another what
two things were precisely alike
Il don't know replied the other.
What two things are precisely alike2
Why solemnly replied the otnef'
the two things that are precisely alike
are the Cleveland panic and the Nc
KinIey boom
Shouts Of laughter and applause by
the Democrats greeted this story, anG
even some Republicans smiled broad
ly. Mr.. Richardson concluded his re-
marks by claiming that the minstret
had told the truth and that the long
promised prosperity had not arrived
Gen. Grosvenor felt called upon To
answer Mr.. Richardson. and in gen
eral way he spoke OF the flying spindles
and blazing blast furnaces, declared
that the expectations from America
were greater to-day than ever in its
history. and declared that there were
no idle men in the country.
Mr.. Dockery. of Missouri, took excep-
ton to the remarks of Gen Grosvenor
relative to the statement that there
are now no unemployed men in the
country, and after referring to the
great strike in New England. he de-
cIared that he believed it had been en-
gineered by mill owners for the purpose
of enabling them TO dispose Of their
surplus stock, the result Of Over-pro-
duction He asserted that as a people
the Americans are Over-prOducers to-
day in every line Of industry, which he
attributed to the fact that the Ding
ley act closed the markets Of the world
to American productions and that they
are daily becoming more and more
closed. a condition which forces the
people in this country to submit 10 the
will Of the trusts. He insisted that in
order to give employment TO all the
markets for the productions must be
enlarged and not contracted
In competition with the world Mr..
Dockery asserted that America need
not fear England, France or Germa-
ny. for one-half Of their productions
were by hand, while those of America
were nearly all by machinery. and that
as a whole American productions are
obtained at q less cost than those Of
any other country. owing TO labOr-say-
ing machinery and the vast quantities
produced by them. He earnestly in
sisted that the markets should be en-
larged.
Mr.. Cochran. of Missouri. made bit
ter attack on Grover Cleveland. to
whom he attributed all the financial
troubles that the country has had dur
ing the last five years. He declared
that after he was elected Cleveland fell
into the arms Of the Republicans and
a few CuckOos. and that he is not and
never was a Democrat. He said that
Republicans should not find fault with
Grover Cleveland. for he had been their
best friend. but he almost shouted.
Il thank God that he has been lashed.
lashed. lashed by Republican tongues
as he has been cursed, cursed, cursed
by Democrats"
Several Republicans interrupted Mr..
Cochran. which caused MIR. Simpson,
of Kansas. to exclaim:
Take your medicine and don't get
ugly!''
Others who denied the Republican
claim that prosperity had arrived were
DR.. Norton. of Ohio. and Mr.. Handy,
of Delaware.
Mr.. Sherman. Of New York, who was
in charge of the appropriation, asked
that its sections be considered and
when the one relating to transportation
was read. in reply TO a question Mr.
Sherman admitted that there would be
a deficiency Of $50 600 in this item. Fur
ther debate was postponed until to-
day