The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-10-30
CONCERNING PROSPERITY.

United States is not denied Times are
; good on the farm and in the shop
: Markets are good for all that can be
produced Demand is crowding pro
duction, and therefore prices are high
Conditions are so favorable that the
fact is not seriously, or if seriously
not intelligently, disputed. But there
is complaint. That is also fact to be
admitted. There is free suggestion
that the good times might be made
better, and theories are advanced to
that end. A period of good times al
ways turns out to be time to urge
reform in the revenue policy of the
country. 1t was so in 1892, and it is
so now in 1912. Discomfort apparently
is of strongest voice when industrial
conditions are most favorable and
prosperity most in evidence.
The opponents of the republican
party, the party in responsibility dur
ing the past fifteen years, are COM
PEELED to admit that the times are
prosperous. But they urge that the
republican party is entitled to no
credit. They assume that times would
continue prosperous under reversiOn
of republican policies. The advocates
of tariff for revenue only" insist that
the policy of protection is weight
and not an aid to prosperity. The
fact remains, however, that the United
States is industrially prosperous, and
that the prosperity OF the present time
| is more equally distributed than ever
before in the history of the govern
ment.
But it is urged that the republican
party is entitled to no credit. 1t may
be claim is put forward beyond rea-
son, and it is certain that denial is to
sweepingly made. Flippant orators
want to know if the republican party
| is responsible for the sunshine and for
the rain it's season. To be sure not.
That is another obvious fact. 1t is
asked if the republican party is re-
sponsible for the abundant crops.
The credit belongs to the soil and to
the Industrious farmers, who have
given it intelligent tillage. That is
another fact.
Then where does the republican
party come in?
At lease it must be conceded that
the republican party has not been an
instrumentality for Gripping conf
dence. The party has not strangled
prosperity. 1t has not upset the mar
kets. 1t has not engaged in wild ad-
ventures and driven capital from
employment and labor into idleness.
The party has fostered the industries
of the country. 1t has protected the
home market, which is the important
market, against the incursions of for
eign made goods 1t has not disturbed
the finances of the country. 1t has
aided in ways open to legislation and
administration in maintaining stability
in business and confidence in the in
tegrity of obligations. The proof is in
the fact of continued and expanding
prosperity.
If what is, beyond denial by the ad-
vocates OF an overturning, is wholly
apart from republican responsibility,
then it must be difficult to accept as
surance that government in other
hands can deliver a higher order and
more Astounding prosperity. The fact
of prosperity is not easily disposed OF
| in the contention in behalf OF
change.
Exaggeration is incident to our
politics. Men are easily diverted from
consideration of what they have by
their thought of things they would
like to possess Politicians of disturb
ing mind have much to offer in con-
tribution to the spirit of unrest. But
they cannot set aside the important
fact that the country has prospered
under republican rule and that it was
never more prosperous than it is just
now.
Denial of republican responsibility
does not change the fact. Nor can II
be an easy task for any orator to make
plain that republican policies have
been weight upon prosperity and
not generous in promotion.
There are many things to do for
betterment, and the question is how
much can be done without retrogres-
sion and in association with pros
perity.-SiouX City Journal.
Special Stamps for Parcels Post.
| Arrangements have been made by
Postmaster General Hitchcock for the