The sun., 1900-09-04
o THE American business man,

CO U THE American business man,
as w. ]. 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
ers who go thousand feet into the
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 that the elec-
tion would bring victory to the Repub-
iican 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-
markably 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 that "peace 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 people, the reading in black
and white of the record of prosperity is
at this time very timely. Future success
must always be based on the lessons OF
past experience. If the American people
are 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
yember.
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 its 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 result.
Both the Republican and the Demo-
cratic parties made their promises in
1896 tQ restore prosperity to the people.
Vhe masses saw through the quackery of
sths Democratic plan Of being made pros
porous by the payment of wages in 4S-
cent dollars, 50 they turned down Bryan
and elected Mckinley President.
q Mr.. Mckinley had somewhat facetious-
ly been termed "the advance agent Of
prosperity So soon as he was elected
Democratic organs got themselves ready
for snecring interrogatories of "Why
don't the show Gomez" 1t came, however,
with such startling promptness as to pro-
duce the bewilderment of despair among
] the few whose own prosperity was de-
ndent on unrestful despair among the
asses. The prosperity "show" was soon
lund to be no humbug. The people had
iced not been deceived by the "advance
ut" They were soon getting more
khey had really dared to expect.
The Unlocking of Money.
erst manifestation of the prosper
ement was the unlocking Of vast
money from boarding, and the
pr it on deposit at the banks. The
hts of banks during the autumn
hter months of 1867 showed
ind steady increases in deposits.
we're also striking gains in clear
icating greater rapidity in the
pts of money. While the first
AN measure positively conducive
resent prosperity was the Ding
bill, which did not become a
July "a, 1897, yet general bust
led not for its passage before
pg'' the great improvement in
phditions which it was obvi-
soon ensue.
P97 began the gloom of four
emocratic hard times was still
the country, discouraging
pd blighting such industries
list. With the Inauguration
Mckinley, the vast institu-
ass credit, on which is vitally
industrial prosperity of all
pple, began at once to re-
e destructive effects of the
banic-breeding silver agita-
the general loss of conf
y the fiscal blunders Of the
Illustration.
|ning defeat of Bryan the
nber had given the coun-
free silver was dead"
the Democratic party
he inconceiyable temer-
bur years later, and in
whose chief god was
policy of President
lie harm in two ways.
resulted in the closing
over, the driving out
bousands of American