Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-04-06

Poriohed from the Earth-0enerai
Increase In Wages In All Industries.
1880 81 - ltE ttst, VI Il.
Two years ago William Mckinley
was inaugurated as President of the
United States. He had been nominated
In obedience to the manifest Will OF the
great majority of his party, nine
months previous to such inauguration.
At the time Of his nomination the coun-
try was In n deplorable condition. I'm
wise and unscientific Legislation rela-
tive to duties on imports had crippled
manufactures. Pernicious assaults on
the, credit OF the country and threats
against the integrity OF the standard
OF value had driven capital at home
and abroad into hiding. American Sc
curities had been thrown on the mar
ket In Wholesale quantities by foreign
investors. Fortunes were sacrificed In
the. mad scramble to sell, as lives are
often sacrificed In the rush Of a crowd
to make exit from a burning building.
Interest rates were high, and the best
of security failed to induce loans.
Wages had been decreased and many
great Industries were paralyzed, mil
lions of wage earners were Idle, and
the price of agricultural products was
lower on the average than for genera
ton. Bad as was this condition, mat
tiers were made worse by the boldest
assault ever made by political party.
on the currency of the country. The
threat Of free coinage, like the ap-
proach of pestilence, had well nigh
precipitated a panic.
The convention which nominated
Mckinley declared emphatically for
the maintenance Of the gold standard
Of value and scientific revision Of the
tariff. 1t assured the country that the
endorsement of these propositions and
the fulfillnent of these pledges would
restore normal conditions, and insure
a return Of prosperity beneficent alike
I to producer and consumer, the en-
ployer and the employed.
The people by majority Of mill
! ion votes and by preponderance of
the votes Of the electoral college gave
power to the Republican party on these
representations. The wisdom of this
decision was Immediately made mani
fest. Confidence began to be restored
the moment 1t was known that the
gold standard of value was to be main
tanned. and that the tariff bill Of 1904
was to give place to more scientific
measure. The rush to sell American
securities at sacrifice ceased. Prices
slowly began to advance. Business ex-
banded gradually and healthfully.
Not moment was lost In taking the
initiative in the line of the fulfillment
of party pledges. Congress was con-
vened in extraordinary session and
put in more hours of work than any
other Congress since the close Of the
war. The result is that In spite of all
drawbacks incident to a war with a
foreign power, ali pledges relative to a
return of prosperity have been made
good. The official record is before us.
The close of McKinley's second year
In the White House and the end of the
life Of the Congress elected on the
same day was significantly marked by
the publication on that day of the re-
ports Of the two commercial agencies
which weekly chronicle the industrial
condition Of the country. 1t was by
all odds the most encouraging report
ever promulgated by these agencies.
1t brought glad tidings to all branches
Of industry and to all classes of peo-
pie.
To the business world in general, 1t
announced the greatest volume Of bust
ness every known in February. The
exact words of the report are as fol-
lows: I'm all the years Of weekly COM
mercial reporting. there has been no
other week in which the reports from
all parts of the country have been on
the whole so good as they are this
week."
Manufacturers were encouraged by
reports Of unprecedented advance sales
at increased prices.
Agriculturists are notified that stocks
are the largest ever held Oh March 1,
with prices away in advance Of two
years ago.
Merchants are promised prosperous
season.
Last. DuC not leaSt is the record that
wages have advanced all over the coun-
try In cotton industries there has
been ten per cent advance In wages,
and an increase in the number employ
ed of twenty-five per cent. In iron and
steel mills there has been an advance
i'm wages averaging from ten to fifteen
per cent. and an increase in the num-
Der Of persons employed averaging
from twenty-five TO thirty per cent.
Similar conditions prevail In copper
mining. In the lumber industries there
has been an advance of twenty per
cent. In wages and more men are want
ed than can be obtained. Among ma
chinists there has been a return to the
old schedule, and Ii Is reported that i'm
building trades a strong tendency Is
manifested towards shorter hours, or
an increase In wages.
The conclusion Of the whole matter
Is that two years Of Mckinley have
been marked by return of confidence,
revival Of business, unprecedented
expansion in export trade, increased
wages, enlarged opportunities for en-
ployment, the rehabilitation Of agricul-
ture and new birth of freedom and a
new era of glory for the republic. The
long faced misanthrope travelling up
and down the land asking with n sheer,