The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1900-08-30

Gao THE American business man,
as W. j. Bryan four years ago de-
fined him, including the Man
who is employed for wages" the "Mer-
chant at the crossroads store" the
Farmer who goes forth IN the morn
ing and tolls all day. and begins in the
spring and tolls all summer" the "Min-
EARTH" the Attorney in the country
town." ETC., the last four years Of Re-
publican rule have wrought remark
able benefits.
The Prosperity Chapter Interesting.
The Republican platform of 1896 pro-
fessed full assurance hat the cleo
ton would bring victory to the Repub-
lican party and prosperity to the people
Of the United States" How prosperity
followed in sequence to the Republican
victory in 1896 constitutes indeed a re-
markedly interesting chapter of Ameri-
can history-a chapter which must al
ways bring home to the hearts Of the
American people, with grateful force,
the truth thai "peacc hath its victories
no less renowned than war;"
LEST we forget the causes. and be-
come ungrateful for the prosperity which
during the last four years has become the
all important incident. Of our happy ex-
istence as II people. the reading in black
and white of the record of prosperity is
at this time very timely. Future success
~ ~ al 1r-n,-, 10 ho-nI ~, thu lnccnrc <p
past experience. If the American people
nre to continue in the prosperity which
they have been enjoying the last four
years, it is by considering with serious
earnestness the data of such prosperity,
making thereon the one possible decision,
and expressing such decision with salu-
tary emphasis at the polls this next No
vember.
The "Masses' the Foundation.
In the remarkable speech four years
ago by which Mr.. Bryan sprang into
fame and into the nomination for the
presidency. he expressed the Democrat
ic idea that if you make the masses pros
porous their prosperity will find it's way
up and through every class and rest
upon it."
Literally indeed has this general ex-
preston of an old idea been fulfilled by
the Republican party under President
Mckinley.
1t is one thing to have a rather indef-
mite idea as to what a desirable result
would be. 1t is another thing to success
fully accomplish such a result.
Both the Republican and the Demo-
cratic parties made their promises in
1896 to restore prosperity to the people.
The masses saw through the quackery of
the Democratic plan of being made pros
porous by the payment of wages in 49,
cent dollars, so they turned down Bryan
and elected Mckinley President.
Mr.. Mckinley had somewhat facetious-
ly been termed 1.-THE advance agent Of
prosperity" So soon as he was elected
Democratic organs got themselves ready
for sneering interrogatories Of "Why
don't the show Gomez" It came, however,
with such startling promptness as to pro-
luce the bewilderment Of despair among
the few whose own prosperity was de-
pendent on unrestful despair among the
masses. The prosperity SHOW" was soon
found to be no humbug. The people had
indeed not been deceived by the advance
dSSlkts r. AACy NClS Sooh SSLllAS u1OlS
than they had really dared to expect.
The Unlocking of Money.
The first manifestation of the prosper
lty movement was the unlocking of vast
sums Of money from boarding, and the
placing of it on deposit at the banks. The
statements Of banks during the autumn
and winter months of 1867 showed
heavy and steady increases in deposits.
There were also striking gains in clear
ings indicating a greater rapidity in the
movements of money. While the first
Republican measure positively conducive
to the present prosperity was the Ding
ley tariff bill, which did not become a
law until July "a, 1897. yet general bust
ness waited not for its passage before
"discounting" the great improvement in
Gus would soon ensue.
When 1897 began the gloom Of four
years of Democratic hard times was still
hanging over the country, discouraging
enterprise and %blighting such industries
as tried to exist. With the Inauguration
of President Mckinley, the vast institu-
ton of business credit, on which is vitality
dependent the industrial prosperity Of all
classes OF people, began at once to re-
cover from the destructive effects Of the
four years Of panic-breeding silver agita-
non, and from the general loss Of conf
dence causedeby the fiscal blunders Of the
Cleveland administration.
The overwhelming defeat Of Bryan the
preceding November had given the coun-
try the idea that free silver was a dead"
issue, and that the Democratic party
would not have the Uncomfortable temer-
ity to revive it four years later, and in
%cidentally Bryan, whose chief god was
the silver idol.
The free trade policy of President
Cleveland had done harm in two ways.
Primarily it had resulted in the closing
Of mills the country over, the driving out
Of employment Of thousands Of American