Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-02
SUGGESTIONS FROM ALTGELD

Ex-Governor Altseld is by far the
ablest exponent of the principles of his
party, therefore what he says merits
more than passing attention. In his
speech at Creighton hall Mr.. Altgcld
admitted that there is prosperity, but
said it is partial and not permanent.
'In some Places he remarked, "there
is something like prosperity" We do
not know to what extent the ex-gov-
ernor of Illinois has investigated the in
dustrial and business conditions of the
country, but If he is in the habit of
reading the weekly reports of the com
mercial agencies, the statistics of trade
and other sources of information, he
knows that prosperity is general, that
| every section of the country is partici-
pating in it, But it is not real prosper
ity according to Altgeld, merely an IN
| Notwithstanding like prosperity"
| All the industries of the country are
| operating full time and not few of
them overtime. The iron and steel man-
| ufacturers have orders year ahead.
| The railroads have not cars enough to
eXpeditiously transport the traffic that is
| offered. The demand for labor is in
portions Of the country in excess of the
supply. The farmer finds ready mar
ket for his products at good prices. Ii
this be not real prosperity we should
very much like to know what is.
1t will not, however in the Judgment
of Mr.. Altgeld, be permanent. No enc
expects that the present degree of pros
perity will continue indefinitely. AS
we said some days ago, the extraor-
dinary demand for iron and steel prod
ucts will sooner or later be supplied
activity in that industry. A like ex-
perience will come to other industries.
But no man is wise enough to foresee
whether this will come about two years
or ten years hence. All the conditions
seem favorable to prolonged era of
prosperity, if the policies which pro-
duced prosperity are maintained. The
one menace lies in the possibility of the
people again making the mistake they
committed in 1892 in voting for a
| change
"Giye us proper coinage" said Mr..
Altgeld, "and we will have prosperity
that Is permanent. We need an increase
in the volume of our money" This is
the familiar refrain of three years ago
the fallacy of which has been fully
demonstrated. Then we were told there
could be no prosperity without the free
and unlimited coinage of silver. Pros
perity is here and now the free silver
advocates say that it can be made per
manent only by the adoption of their
policy. 1t having been conclusively
shown that they We're false teachers
and prophets three years ago, what
claim has their counsel to respect OF
confidence now? AS to increasing the
volume of money that is being steadily
DONE the addition during the last three
years to the supply of money in gold
alone amounting to between $500, ,OOO
900 and $IO0,OO0.OO0, and today the pei
capita of actual circulation Is higher
than ever before. An increase in the
volume of sound money-the money OF
the civilized world-will aid in promot
ing prosperity, but the opposite effect
would be produced by the silver intia
tion that Mr.. Altgeld advocates.
I'VE don't want to depend for success
upon the misfortunes of other people,
said Mr.. Altgeld. "RestOre our HON,
markets and we will not need to go be
yond the seas" 1t has been the polio,
of the republican party since its organ
ization to build up the home market il
the interest of American producers anC
1t has accomplished this against the per