The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-16

mental Since the enactment of the
first revenue law under Washington
down to the present time the periods Of
Pr osperity have been under protectiol
and the periods of adversely have been
under the policy of free trade, or tariff
for revenue only.
This remarkable prosperity under
the Dingley law has not been for one
class, but for all the people. It has
touched the artisan, the farmer the
manufacturer, and the common labor of
the country. All have felt its benehcent
influence, and I measure my words
when say, that the production from all
kinds of business enterprise has dOu-
bled since the memorable year of 1885,
when the country in its distress turned
to William Mckinley, the champion of
protection, as the advance agent of
prosperity The capital employed in our
industries has doubled; the total wages
paid for labor have more than doubled
in these ten years, the farmers have
lifted mortgages and we are enjoying
the embarrassments of a surplus in the
savings banks; and laborers have
ceased to hunt for jobs and have be-
come the hunted by the jobs; in spite
of large immigration from other lands,
there is more work than workers in
this country today. Capital is cheaper
than ever before, and money can be had
at less interest than anywhere else in
the world.
Lit sun OL prosperity Is Su4HlIR OH
every part of our immense stretch OF
territory from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific and from the Great Lakes to the
Gulf and the Rio Grande. We are at
peace with all the world and our in
fuence for peace. whether it be between
two great powers in the Orient or among
the small republics on the American
continent, is felt Throughout the world
The record of the servant is his best
and only certificate for continued en-
ployment and the Republican party as
a servant of the people stands today
in this campaign squarely on its record.
We have no census figures as to bus
mess conditions in 1896. but we have
them for 1890 1900 and 1905. and to sup
plement these we have the official mes
sage Of President Cleveland, complain
ing that unparalleled business distress
and lack of confidence marked the
greater part OF his administTa ton. We
also have the official statement of Sam
uel Gompers as president of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, that more
than 5000 600 workingmen were without
work in 1894 and 1895, and that work did
not return to them until 1897.
According to the census of $780, there
were S6.525, 000,759 capital invested IN
manufacturing Industries in the United
states, whereas. according to the official
figures, there were in 1895 SIS, 122, 607. 090
so invested. The average number of
wage earners in 1890. as given by the
census. was Z, PSI, 535. (And Mr.. Gompers
said 100000 were without work in 1894
and 1880 In 1905 the number was s.
492,178, not including those in the hand
trades.
The total WAGES paid in 1890 amount
ed to 81, S91. 209 696 and in 1905 to g, ST.,
409,S5S. The value Of the output of our
manufactures in 1890 was S9.372, 37S, SAG,
and in 1905 $14.s73. S1S 425, not including
that from the hand trades.
Big Advance in Ten Years.
Taking the testimony of President
Cleveland and Samuel Gompers as to
the deplorable condition in 1894. 1895
and 1895, it viii readily be seen that
the Industrial development Of the
country both as affecting labor and
capital has been at the rate of 100 per
cent in ten years.
There has been much discussion
and no little confusion over the effort
to compare the relative increase IN
wages and cost of living in the last few
years The labor bureau of the United
States in its last bulletin on this ques-
ton made q. very careful analysis for
the fourteen years from 1890 to 1904.