The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-09-22
WHO WILL DENY THEM7
Facts Of History Concerning the
Operation of Free-Trade and
Protection.


was under a protective tariff and
the people know what this tariff has
done for the country. No nation
upon the face of the earth has en-
|joyed such prosperity. Our popu
lation increased over 100 per cent.
Our capital increased from sixteen
billions to about seventy-five bill
lions, and we paid over nine bill
lions war expenses. The balance
of trade in our favor was over
$154, 900, 900 on. an average annu-;
ally from 1873 to, I8)2. Under the
protective system we have grown to-
be the most powerful and the most
wealthy nation upon the face of the
earth.
But the people finally concluded
after thirty-two years of Republican
rule to try the Democratic rule and
free-trade or tariff for revenue only
once more. So in 1892 they elect
ed Grover Cleveland and Demo-
cratic congress and the tariff reform
plan. Every honest person will ad-
nit that up to the time Cleveland
was elected in 1892 we had prosper
Gus times. Money was plentiful
and business was good. Note the
sudden change when the news of
Cleveland's election flashed over the
wires and the people had time to
realize the fact. Every. person
wanted to curtail business and ser
tie up, The country became; thor.
oughly alarmed, because the. Demo
cratic party was pledged to tariff
for revenue only, and. some Of the
leaders boldly declared that they
would fight the protected industries
to the death. So, long before tar
if law was passed, the worst panic
ever known in this country was
sweeping over the land. Factories
were closed. Labor was idle. No
new enterprises (save soup houses)
were engaged in. Business was
paralyzed and people began to
hoard money, and during that free
trade, soup house Democratic adj
ministration over two hundred and
sixty.two million dollars Of bonds
were sold to maintain the gold Fe-
serve and pay'the- running expenses
-of the 'government. Not a day, not
an hour of that free-trade period
did we have prosperity in this codn-
try, and the Democratic party re-
pudiated Cleveland because he car
ried outfits free-trade platform. and
caused the hard times.
But IN 1896 the people were again
for protection and elected Repub-
lican president and Republican
congress, and so strong was the SEN
timent of the country in favor of
protective tariff that several Demo
Gratis voted for the Dingley tariff,
which was placed on the statute
books as soon as it was possible. to
get a vote in the senate. From the
day that Mckinley was elected pres
ident the times began to improve,
money became easy and boarded
money began 20 come into circula-
ton, and they have continued to
improve until the country is again
happy and prosperous and indus
tries of every kind are furnishing
employment to labor, and the soup
house industry is gone, we hope,
forever.
Our foreign trade is the largest
this country ever enjoyed. We sold
last year to foreign countries over
six hundred million dollars more
than we bought of them. so that it
takes six hundred million dollars of
gold (not the Bryan brand of silver
dollars) to pay the balance due us.
There is nearly one billion dollars in
gold in this country, the greatest
amount ever held by the people of
the United States. ...,... =.
II our present tariff system con-
tinues we will have the bulk of the
gold of the world. Think of six
hundred millions of gold year
coming to this country, besides what
we produce annually. These are
some of the advantages of a protec-
tive tariff, and if protective tariff
IS continued we will soon be the
creditor nation of the earth. A
protective tariff has enabled us to
furnish machinery, tin plate, wire
nails, steel rails, locomotives, ETC.,
to free trade England. ***-Benton
Qll.) Republican.
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