The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-05-23
Hopes for Victory.

"a, Mr. Han8DrOugh SAID. am
firmly convinced that present condi-
tions are most favorable to the farm
ers of North Dakota, and when we say
the farmers, we practically mean the
people of that state. l do not believe
they stand to gain by the political
agitation that is now going ON in the
state.
HAS the average North Dakota
farmer forgotten the tribulations that
came to him from 1890 to 1900? do
not believe he hast During that de-
cade congress revised the tariff three
times, and there was much political
agitation, accompanied by widespread
business disturbance. The country
changed administrations three times
In those years with some remarkable
results upon the prices of farm prod
ucts. When Harrion came to the
presidency in 1889, following DEM
ocratic administration, industrial and
commercial affairs were at very
low ebb. A Republican tariff law was
enacted In 1890, and business revived
at once, Notwithstanding the dire pre-
dfctions that were made as to what
the effects. Of the law would be-. In
some respects the political agitation
Of that day resembled the commotion
that is now In progress in several
sections Of the country. 1t was. called
Populism then. The movement for a
change of administration gained such
headway that, even in the face Of
the better conditions that set in after
the Mckinley law was passed, the Re-
publicans were voted out of power.
Democratic Revision Calamity.
"Mr. Cleveland, thoroughly commit
ted to a tariff for revenue only, be-
came president in 1893, and the fol-
lowing year we had another revision,
this time by the Democrats. Business
disaster and commercial chaos imme-
diately followed as result of this
revision. The prices of farm products
fell to the lowest point since those
dolorous days preceding the civil war.
The people soon realized and regret
ted their mistake, but were obliged
to wait in patience and poverty four
long, miserable years before a remedy
could be applied. Then, almost re-
gardless of their political beliefs, they
elected the patriotic American. Will
lam Mckinley, as their president.
Again there was an industrial revival.
This was greatly augmented by the
enactment in 1897 of the Dingley tar
tff law by a Republican congress.
That was thirteen years ago, since
which time an era of unbroken pros
perity and confidence has prevailed.
"All this is a matter of indisputable
history. The most profound causists
have failed and will continue to fail,
except for political purposes and in q
sporadic way, to convince anyone that
Republican party policy did not have
much to do with it.
$50, after ten years of varying ad-
verse economic experiences, with low
priced products for the farmer in
times of political agitation against
the tariff and under resultant Demo-
cratic policy, with ten years of living
prices for the farmer and compara-
lively business repose under Republi-
can policy-after two decades, the
one of gloom and the other of hope
fulness and happiness, we are now in
the midst of biennial campaign in
which the North Dakota farmers and
business men generally are asked to
return to the worse than stagnant
conditions that prevailed from 1890
to 1900.
Compare Prices With Former Ones.
Every farmer that kept books in
that period of political turgescence
and industrial catastrophe should turn
back to hiss accounts and examine
the prices he got for what he had to
sell, and then compare them with the
prices he is receiving for the prod
ucts he is now selling. If he con-
tracted a debt in those times-and
most farmers were obliged to do so
then-when he expected to pay 1t from
the proceeds Of wheat sales at from
30 to 60 cents bushel. 1t will dawn
upon him that he is now paying the
debt from the proceeds of wheat sales
at 81 bushel. In other words, a
$1,000 debt of that day. with 50-cent
wheat. is in effect $500 debt now
with 81 wheat.
How is it possible for the political
agitator to convince the farmers that,
II he is elected to Office. he can bet
ter these conditions? Isn't it more
reasonable to apprehend that by his
continued agitation, while he might
hatter his own condition in getting