Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-09-21
WHY BUSINESS
IS BOOMING.
The Situation as Viewed by a
Prominent Agriculturist.
rennsylvanians Must Roll Up a Big Re-
publican Majority and Lead in the
Canvass For McKinley's
Reelection.

1t Is not always the experienced bus
mess man that puts things in the
tritest and most forcble English
when he has anything to say. The in
telligent, wide awake agriculturist
who has an opportunity to study public
questions and to form his own opin-
ions from we'll established facts, fire.
Quently has a knacl of expressing HIM
self in "a manner that leaves no room
to doubt his convictions or to sue
cessfully controvert his conclusions.
John Hamilton. who is secretary of
agriculture of this state, is a practical
agricuturist and a consistent Republic
can as well. In commenting upon the
present political situation he said;
Government is business. Business
upon a colossal scale, conducted by
men delegated to act for the whole peo-
pie, and these delegated men are in
structed by the people to carry into
operation and effect the great leading
principles which the majority for the
time processes to believe.
"In 1892 tariff for revenue only sup
planted as business principle tariff
for protection of industry, and the eff
feet of this radical change of an es-
sential principle was instantly per-
ceived. Mills that formerly run unin-
ierrnptedly began to close their gates,
t'affic that had been busy began to
itl away Foreign goods began to
i.orr in upon our shores; labor began
20 Ec ii!e in our streets; building be-
"?i - suspend construction; money,
IL, i had been abundant, began to
gov scarce; mines and furnaces be-
G,.u to close out their business; prices
an to drop; soup houses began to
use and tramps thronged the high
', ays; capital grew timid; lenders at
home and abroad called for their cash;
the sheriff's sales were posted upo1
| every billboard. The whole country
was in industrial and social despair.
Even the government, to protect it
self from utter overthrow, along with
that which had overtaken her citizens,
was compelled to go out into the mar
| kets of the world and borrow money at
exorbltant cost, to the extent of $780,
1000, in time of peace. to meet the
expenses of the state. Four long years
of this experiment, tariff for revenue
only continued, when again, in 1896.
| the parties came up before the people
| for their judgment.
THE 16 TO / ISSUE.
| "The Democratic party, knowin.
| and fearing their record, and that the
| old cry of a tariff for revenue only
would cause their overwhelming de-
| feat, invented new issue, with which
they hoped to overshadow the old one
of 1892. and they called it '16 to L.
The free coinage Of silver was the
Democratic war cry, and the Republi-
cans stood, as of old. for sound money
and the protection of American indus
| try The Republicans took up as
their candidate and leader that noble
representative protectionist. William
Mckinley, the author of the tariff act
of 1890, and the Democrats appropri-
ated man up to that time compara-
lively unknown. but whose record as
believer in the free coinage of silver,
16 to l.. was open and pronounced.
THE Democrats contended that the