The Forrest City times., 1901-09-06
POLICIES OF REPUBLICANS.
Prosperity Has Not Always Come n- der That Party's Dom
 iHation.

1t is a standing argument of the re- publican spellbinder and republican newspaper that when their party is in control the country is prosperous, while disaster always follows in the wake of a national democratic victory. says the Washington Times. The great objection to this argument is that 1t is not true. It Is a claim that will not bear scrutiny in the light of the country's past history. There have been some exceedingly favorable con- ditions in the United States with the republican party in absolute control of national affairs. The panic of 1873 came with the republican power at it's height, and republican policies in full force. There was not even a remote prospect of any change. Gen. Grant had just been reelected and had nearly full term to serve. And yet the finan- cial storm swept the country like tornado. and there never was a com plete recovery until considera bly more than a score of years had passed.
 There was another smaller panic in 1sSl-S2, and the whole period between 1873 and 1893 was one of very general depression, subject only to temporary and spasmodic revivals This is a mat ter of economic history, and the cause of the troubles has been made the subject of the most exhaustive investi- cations on both sides of the Atlantic. During all of this period the policy of the country was exclusively republic an, for the democrats never controlled both houses of congress and the presi- dency at the same time, and conse- quently were unable to place a demo- cratic measure upon the national stat ute books.
 The panic of 1893 likewise came with every vestige of our economic legisla- tion of republican enactment The only democratic measure We have had since the civil war was the Wilson tariff. and this was not enacted until about 15 months after the financial storm broke. The great moneyed in- terests of the country insisted that the panic was caused by the Sherman law, distinctively republican measure. and during the debate on the repeal bill Senator sherman declared in the sen ate that if the law were repealed Chat IS, the purchase clause of it) prosper ity would return in ten days The re- peal bill passed, but prosperity did not return in ten days. or in ten months. or in five years. And when the cam paign came on in 1896, forgetting heir former declarations, the republican leaders asserted that the continued hard times were owing partly 10 the Wilson tariff, and partly To the silver agitation; but they conveniently omit ted 10 explain what caused the trou- ble before the Wilson law was enacted and before the silver agitation began.
 The panic of 1893 was. in fact, forced one, brought on by President Cleveland and Secretary Carlisle. in collusion with the New York bank ring. for the express purpose of giving the country an "obiect lesson" and thus forcing a repeal of the sherman law The effort was eminently successful in all respects except in restoring prosperity. In carrying out this de- lectable scheme, as is well known, MT. Cleveland put himself out side the pale of true democracy, and straight in line with the current republican thought. There might and probably would have been some trouble even without this artificial forcing of the panic. for rhe business stagnation was almost worldwide, and we could not reason ably hope entirely 10 escape; but the panic would not have come when it did or have been so severe. When the revival came, that also was interna- tional in character. the change ap- bearing in Europe about year before II did here, But our main purpose now is merely to show how unfOunded is the claim that we always have prosper Ely under republican policies.