The Bemidji pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami County, Minn.) 1896-1917, 1900-08-30
- D THE American business man,
as WI. Bryan four years ago de-

GO o THE American business man.
as WI. Bryan four years ago de-
3 fined him, including the Man
WHO Is employed for wages" the Ter =
chant at the crossroads store, the
.4Farmer who goes forth in the morn.
Ing and tolls all day, and begins in the
spring and tolls all summer the Min
ers who go d thousand feet into the
EARTH she attorney In the country
town" etc, the last four years OF He
publican rule have wrought remark
able benefits.
The Prosperity Chapter Interesting.
The Republican platform Of 1896 pro-
fessed full assurance that the cleo
tion would bring victory to the Rspub-
sican party and prosperity to the people
OF the United States" How prosperity
followed in sequence to the Republican
victory In 1896 constitutes indeed 4 re-
markably interesting chapter Of Ameri-
can tistory--a chapter which must al
ways bring home to the hearts Of the
American people, with grateful force,
the truth that peace hath Its victories
NO less renowned than war.
Lest we forget" the causes, and be-
como ungrateful for the prosperity which
during the last four years has become the
all important incident Of our happy ex-
lfstence as ii people. the reading IN black
and white OF the record or prosperity IS
at this time very timely. Future success
3turst always be based OH the lessons OF
I, mast experience. II the American people
are to continue In the prosperity which
they have been enjoying the last four
years. 1t is By considering with serious
earnestness tile data OF such prosperity,
making thereon the one possible decision,
and expressing such decision with salu-
tnry emphasis at the polls this next No
yember.
The "Mnsaes,, 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
lie idea that il you make the masses pros
porous their prosperity will find its way
imp aud through every class and rest
upon it.
Literally indeed has this general ex-
4 preston Of an old idea been fulfilled by
Ithe Republican party under President
mckinley.
s 1t IS one thing to have rather indefi-
mite idea as to what desirable result
would be. It is another thing to success
4 fully accomplish such a result.
Both the Republican and the Demo-
cratic parties made their promises in
4 1896 to restore prosperity to the people.
The masses saw through the qnackery OF
the Democratic plan Of being made pros
porous by the payment Of wages in 49,
cent dollars, so they turned down Bryan
land elected Mckinley President.
Mr.. Mckinley had somewhat facctious.
9sIy been termed "the advance agent Of
prosperity So soon as he was elected
Democratic organs got themselves ready
for sncering interrogatories Of why
don't the show come 2" 1t came, however,
with such startling promptness as to pro-
Iducc the bewilderment Of despair among
THE few whose own prosperity was de-
pendent on unrestfui despair among the
masses. The prosperity show was soon
found to be no humbug The people had
indeed not been deceived by the advance
agent. They were soon getting mere
than they had really dared to expect.
The Unlock ing of Money.
Tho first manifestation Of the prosper
iity movement was the unlocking of vast
gums OF money from boarding, and the
iplacing Of il on deposit Mt the banks. The
statements OF banks during the autumn
- 80 5sJ,,, n
heavy and steady increases In deposits.
There were also striking gains in clear
siings indicating greater rapidly 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 unit! July "a "a, 1897, vet general bust
ness waited not for its passage before
.diseounting' the great Improvement in
general conditions which it was obvi-
Gus would soon ensue.
When 1897 began the gloom Of four
years or Democratic hard times was still
hanging over the country, discouraging
enterprise ind bighting 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-
don, and from the general loss Of conf
dence caused by 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 dead
issue, and that the Democratic party
would not have the inconceivable temer-
aty to revive it four years later, and In
csdentally 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
az employment Of thousands OF American