Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-08-03
Three Years Ago and Now.

Three Years Ago and Now.
The industrial conditions which
prevailed throughout the United
States three years ago says the Inter
Ocean have been completely reversed.
Then workingmen were clamoring for
employment; now employers are
clamoring for workingmen. Then the
factories and railroads were burdened
with far more capacity than business;
now they are burdened with far
more business than capacity. Then
the genius Of manufacturers was
strained to devise means whereby
production should be reduced to the
minimum capacity Of their plants;
now all the skill at their command ia
called into reqnisition to provide
means whereby production shall be
increased. Then the idle were
struggling to secure employment on
any terms, while the employed we're
struggling to prevent wages from
falling below the living scale; now no
honest and capable man need want
for work, and the struggle Of the
employees is to raise wages.
Whatever strikes are in progress
today are not to prevent reduction
Of wages, as was the case three years
ago, but to compel their advance;
whatever anxiety the employer is
suffering today is not due to his in
ability to find market for his pro-
ducts, but to meet the demands. In
dustrial conditions never have been
and never can be SO nicely adjusted
except in books written by socialistic
dreamers-as to be perfectly satisfac.
tory to humanity; in The commercial
as in every other phase Of life, rain
accompanies sunshine and thorns are
found hidden behind roses. Reports
from all parts OF the country tell us
is that the demand for manufactured
goods is beyond precedent-but the
mills are unable to secure hands
enough to supply it; that the big
steel and iron works have orders
enough to keep them busy at their
full capacity for two years; that mil
lions Of tons Of freight is piled up for
transportation-but the railroads
have not cars enough to handle their
business; that great enterprises are
organized and capitalized-but are
unable 10 procure the building ma
terial, machinery and general equip
ment which they require, because the
factories are too busy to turn them
out.
An altogether new and pleasing set
OF problems is set before the political
and social economists for solution.
The men who know oil about every
thing in hard times are called upon
to explain to us just little about
something in good times, but they
are as mum as gateposts. The very
facts upon which three years ago
Democratic orators based predictions
Of dire calamity have turned upon
them. Protection, instead Of driving
the millions into idleness, has put
millions into the pockets Of the work.
ers. The "accursed gold standard,
instead Of enslaving the masses, is
making the masses Independent. The
precious metal which was going to
be boarded by the plutocrats is freely
offered by the banks to businessmen
in exchange for paper, by the en-
ployer in exchange for labor, and in
both cases it is freely declined in IA
vor OF more convenient currency.
The gigantic trusts which we we're
told few months ago were about to
monopolize production and trade and
enfeeble or destroy individual enter
prise cut but sorry figure after all,
when their operations are compared
with the entire volume Of business
now being transacted. In the pres
ence Of the conditions now confront
ing the nation the theorists are
stricken dumb.
Koepke Will Run.