Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-07-16
PROSPERITY" PRESS WORK

NSPuDiACuu machine ana us allies,
the amalgamated trusts. in the way
o. getting reports into the newspa-
pers noting the unemployment OF
men laid on during the last eight
m onths. 1t is to the best interest
OF the manufacturers and other cap
tains oi industry who are hoping for
a Republican victory TO make it APP
pear that good times" are at hand.
Only three and a half months inter-
vene between the present time and
the election. What more valuable
contribution to the Republican cam
paign fund than the unemployment
of a large force OF men for three
or four months?
The workingman- does not readily
take money for his vote, bat IL he
has been laid of for several months
and is given again the remunerative
position he formerly enjoyed he will
naturally. and honestly, consider the
claims of the political party under
"hOot vi dHdlIS luS
apparent return of prosperity is TAX
ing place. Opening the factory and
putting on full force is an econom-
ical and effective method of helping
out the party that demands contri-
buttons in exchange for the perpet-
uation OF the high tariff. The pro-
prietors of establishments re-em-
ploying laid-off men judiciously give
out to the local correspondents care
fully-molded statements about the
return OF prosperity and the news
columns of hundreds of daily papers
become, despite careful editing, a
valuable aid to the cause When a
Massachusetts manufacturer con-
tributes to the campaign fund the
daily wages OF 100 or 500 men for
three and half months, less the
value OF their labor in making pro-
ducts not marketable at present be-
cause of depressed conditions, the
telegraph editor OF a Texas or Cali
fornia newspaper. bending over the
copy desk" at midnight. cannot
know what motives prompted the
recall OF the men to work That
they are again at work is news"
and the record of ii is publicity"
for the Republican campaign man
ayers. The questions that should
interest the workmen thus re-em-
nlnUnH hnfnrn
whether atcual prosperity or cam
paign prosperity has recalled them
to the factory or mill, and whether
a party that brings about fourteen
weeks OF artificial prosperity to tide
over the necessities of a campaign is
one in which faith is to be reposed.
Business conditions at the present
time do not warrant the employment
of all of the men who have been put
back to work. VIII they warrant il
after the election? OF course the
employers hope so. An idle factory
is dead expense. But just at pres
ent there is no proof that the hope
is accompanied by conviction. In
the meantime the Republican party
and it's campaign contributors are
making every effort to make a show
of prosperity that will be reflected
in the columns of the press and will
encourage not only the men put to
work, but men in distant states who
hope TO get work
There is no occasion for calamity
bowling. Things might be worse
This country is not going to the bow
vows industrially, no matter which
OF the political parties polls the
larger vote in November IL is un-
dergoing a period of financial stress
and business depression due to sew
eral contributing causes. The let
us alone" contingent who desire the
maintainence of the tariff wall" and
the restoration of the conditions un-
der which all Of the pirate schemes
OF high finance lrospered until a
few years ago believe that their par
adise will be regained in event that
Mr.. Taft ana Mr.. Sherman are elect
ell and the much discussed policies
of Theodore Roosevelt abandoned at
the threshold of the white house by
a new administration which they
feel sure will not attempt to dupli
cate the spectacular activities OF the
present administration, and which
at the same time will safely and
sanely" stand up for the present
tariff laws which even the Roosevelt
administration has never sought to
disturb because. in the language OF
Mr.. John Oakhurst, gambler, 1t
couldn't afford It.
Prosperity will gradually return.
Under Republican administration
we should have the Sort of prospect
" that manifests itself in high prices
for watered stocks and finished pro
ducts and large profits for the let
us alone" gentlemen who build up
industries by getting subsidies from
the government under a law shut
ting out competition On the whole
sale and retail markets and the let
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