The Pleasantville press., 1912-10-30
NO EXCUSE THIS TIME

The Past Shows That Democratic
Success and National Disaster Are
inseparabIe.
For those who voted into power
Democratic low tariff administration
twenty years ago there was the ex-
cuse that they had no lesson Of expe-
rience to warn them from their
course. More than thirty years had
passed since the enactment of pro-
tective tariff, industries were flourish
ing, wages rising and the treasury had
considerable surplus. There was
feeling that Cleveland had not been ac-
corded fair opportunity to prove that
"a tariff for revenue olly" would BEN
eft the country, and while the issue
was still IN the balance came a des-
perate labor struggle, amounting to a
local war to inname the public mind
and evoke demand for some action
on the part of the national govern
ment to curb the power of large cor
porations. The Sherman law, enacted
by the Republican Congress, and
signed by President Harrison July 2,
1890, was n force, but its powers had
not been invoked and its scope had
not been determined by the highest
judicial authority. Mr. Cleveland's
supporters argued that radical reduc-
ton of the tariff would restrain cor
porate greed and prove cure-all for
economic evils. Mr.. Cleveland him
self took substantially this ground in
his inaugural address.
The facts of history are that the
tariff was reduced to revenue basis,
the Sherman law remained dormant,
tories were closed or ran on short
time, business languished because
very few had money to buy, prices
went down for the same reason, the
farmer could not sell his produce, and
hundreds of thousands of unemployed
workers had to live on the savings of
former prosperity or, if they had no
savings, on charity. A large number
of the unemployed formed what was
known as "Coxey's army and marched
on Washington to demand relief.
Such were the conditions under the
last Democratic administration, and
the people waited longingly and re-
pentingly for that four years to pass.
Knowing that modified free trade had
proved a failure, the Democrats Of
fered free silver as their next pana-
cea, but the people would have none
of it and when 1896 came Republican
rule and Republican policies were
voted in with a whoop.
Fifteen years have passed since a
protective tariff was restored in 1897.
Under President Taft the nation has
achieved a height of prosperity far
exceeding any in the past. Every le-
gitimate industry is active, wages are
higher than ever before, and the saw
ings banks TEEN with thousands of
millions of dollars of the wage earn
ers' money The Sherman act has
been and Is being enforced against
every violator, and important legisla-
tion has been enacted for the greater
protection Of employees of public serv-
ice corporations within the jurisdic-
ton of federal authority.
With the lesson of the last Demo
cratic administration before the peo-
pie a step backward in the same di-
rection would have no sensible ex-
cuse. When disaster followed in the
wake of Clevelands second election
the plea of ignorance could be offered
for the false step that had invited the
lean four years Of misfortune. A sim
liar plea could not be offered in the
future, should majority decide to
make the trial of another Democratic
administration. In view of past ex-
perience such change would not be
from a certainty to an uncertainty;
1t would be from certainty of pros
perity, Industrial activity and good
times generally to certainty of de-
preston, Industrial paralysis, general
reaction and rrivation. 'I told you
SOL" could point with accusing and
unerring finger to the costly and pain
full lesson of 1893-97, whose moral had
been set at naught, and those who had
brought about the new era Of wretch
edness could offer no palliation for
their folly.
Happily all signs point to continu-
ance of the present fortunate condi
tions under the guidance Of President
Taft whose sound, sane and impartial
administration of affair." has mads
these conditions possible. The Amer.
lean people are not going to make a
change simply for the sake of change.
From every part of the country comes
assurance that the Republican party
is gaining in renewed strength every
day and will go to the polls in No.
vember to roll up substantial major
ity for Taft, prosperity and progress.
1--WE denounce the profligate waste
Of the money wrung from the people
by oppressive taxation through the
lavish appropriations Of recent Repub-
lican congresses, which have kept
taxes high and reduced the purchas-
ing power of the peoples TOLL" de-