Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-10-20
SOME PROSPERITY FIGURES.

Two years and a half of Republican
administration have worked a great
change for the better. This fact stands
out with striking distinctness as every
citizen knows. The Chicago platform,
which the Democratic party is at pains
to reafirm, deplored "the fall in prices,
the prostration of industry and the i'm
poverishment of the people" 1t would
require columns to epitomize the pros
perity that has taken the place of those
conditions. The first step in the trans
formation was to reject the Chicago plat
form. All succeeding advantages result
ed from that emphatic judgment of the
people. A glance at some of the benefits
indicates the nature and extent of all.
Our currency is equal to the best in the
world. Workers everywhere are busy at
good wages. There is no army of the
unemployed. Farmers sell their pro-
ducts at profitable prices, and are pay
ing off debts incurred during the period
of Democratic blight. The foreign trade
of the country is unprecedented.
Threatening international problems have
been settled. The Pacific railroads have
paid up in cash. Hawaii has been an
nexed, after half a century of discussion.
Cuba is free. The treasury keeps ahead
of expenses, and has an immense store
of gold. The country has carried
through a successful war and expanded.
A closer look into these items increase
their significance. In three years the
money in circulation has been enlarged
nearly $500, OOO, 0OO, and $3.50, 100000 of the
addition is in gold. Exports of manu-
featured articles in the last fiscal year
footed up 1888 ,667, 794, or % per cent. of
the total exports of domestic products.
Our exports are 60 per cent. heavier than
they we're four years ago. The increase
in two years has been % per cent. Our
bridges are going to Egypt and Burmah,
Jul locomotives to a dozen countries,
and our agricultural machinery to near
ly all the world. Our reasons for this is
that the world knows that in all trading
III dollars mean 1OOc. Bank clearings
for the year ending with last month
were the largest on record. The increase
is Ill per cent. over the dark Democratic
year of 1894. 1t is to be remarked that
the latest figures are the best of all. In
August the exports of iron and steel
manufactures amounted to $l2,442,974
against s9,O61 1865 in the same month
last year. The exports of wood manu-
features were larger than in any previ-
III month, and there were gains also in
paper, tobacco, fibers, india rubber, glass,
fertilizers, starch, paints, naval stores
and some other articles.
Now says the st. Louis Globe Demo
crat, let Mr.. Bryan, who perseveringly
invites the country to place him at the
head of affairs, take the witness stand.
Three weeks before the presidential cleo
ton of 1896 he said in a speech at Min
neapolis: II repeat that we are on a de-
clining scale; that we are going down,
and that under the gold standard gold
will be dearer still, demand for gold and
every new demand will increase the pur-
chasing power of gold and depress
prices" Many voters we're led to believe
that in 1896. But in 1899 are they as
much impressed as ever with Bryan's
Judgment as to the basis of prosperity
in this country? In a previous speech
during Cleveland'ssecond administration
Bryan declared that the world could not
count on an addition Of over $48,OOO,OOO
a year to it's gold coin, or a total of
$l38y000,0O for the next three years.