The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-03-29

sage of the Mills bill through the
House, proved sufficient to bring us
back to sanity, and in 1888 the Repub-
lican party was restored to complete
control of the Government.
Following the Inauguration of Pre-
sident Harrison times improved, fac
tories were enlarged, commerce null
tiplied, exports and imports exceeded
anything in the past, not only in the
aggregate, but per capita, and the
average price of live stock sold in
Chicago increased from the middle of
Cleveland's first administration to the
close of the administration of Benjam-
in Harrison nearly So for every horse,
steer, COW, calf, sheep and pig.
But meantime Republicans again
sowed discomfort. The American peo-
pie pay little attention to the teach
ings of our political opponents, but
they listen when Republicans speak.
The protective tariff was assaulted in
the house of its friends. Republican
editors east and west, while protesting
to believe in the principle of protec-
ton, denounced its application. Bills
were introduced by Republicans de-
manding material reductions, and
Republican orators on Republican plat
forms, as we'll as under the auspices
of commercial organizations, openly
criticized the party that had made
them and the craftsmanship of those
who had made this country what it
was.
Responsive to this sentiment, the
Republican party, ever watchful to
know the wishes of the people, passed
the Mckinley bill, an act entitled
An act to redu the revenue and
equalize duties n imports. Z" This
was approved on G tober l, 1890, and
in thirty days from this good-faith
Republican attempt to reduce the tariff
the American people, more displeased
than ever, for no one got every thing
he expected, and every one got some
thing he did not want, took their re-
venge by replacing the Republican
House that originated the bill with
one Democratic by over two-thirds
majority. Two years later Mr.. Cleve-
land was again elected, with both
branches of Congress in harmony with
his political beliefs.
Does any one suppose the Ameri-
can people had more confidence in the
Democratic party in 1892 than in
1888? Was its platform more sane !?
1t was more insane. 1t declared
specifically that the protective tariff
was in principle unconstitutional and
in its operation fraud and robbery
of the majority for the benefit of the
few. 1t openly demanded the use of
both gold and silver as standard
money, without discrimination against
either, through with such safeguards
as should insure the equal power of
every dollar at all times in the
markets and in the payment of debts,
and proposed the restoration of state
or wildcat currency. The fact that the
Republican party was equally uncer-
tain on the gold standard question
could not have made votes for the OPP
position, for its utterances, unsound
as they We're, were not quite so bad
as those contained in the platform on
which Mr.. Cleveland was elected.
We are all more or less familiar
with conditions following the last in
auguration of Mr.. Cleveland. In two
years our imports had fallen off SO
per capita, cur exports $2.75 per cap
tia, and the average price of stock
sold in Chicago had decreased over SIS
for every horse, steer, COW, calf,
sheep and pig. These are only some
of the many indications of suffering,
for all industries were ruined.
We have now lived nearly nine
years under the Dingley tariff and we
stand today at the highest point Of
commercial prosperity which any peo-
pie on the round earth ever attained.
Our exports as we'll as our imports
have touched unprecedented figures,
both in the aggregate and per capita,
while the average price of live stock
in Chicago has increased since 1896
over SIS for every horse, steer, cow,
calf, sheep and pig.
Hon. John G. Carlisle, Mr.. Cleve-
lands Secretary of the Treasury,
was in Washington one day this
month. At the hotel he met an ex-
tensive manufacturer, and remarked
to him 81 suppose you are a stand
patter still" eyes," said the
manufacturer, 81 am. In 1892 was
the President of five separate and
distinct corporations engaged in man
five distinct lines of goods
in four different states. None of these
factories was paying dividends less
than six per cent, and none paying
over eight. In two years from the
date of Mr.. Cleveland's Inauguration