The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-10-11
FOOLING WITH
PROSPERITY
RAILROADS TELL The STORY

man Of the Country.
All through this year mills in this
fountry in nearly If not quite every
ine of manufacture have been so
korged with business that they have
|een much behind with their orders.
OF what use to worry about foreign
|rade when you cannot make all the
foods that are wanted at home? No
ane man regards with Indifference
Export business for the country at
brge; but If a Massachusetts man
Ian sell in New York more fabrics
ban he can make what impulse can
|e have to seek for customers in Lon
on or Paris or Calcutta?
And why should he be expected to
bake sacrifices to get that trade? How
|an you expect him to agree that the
|hriff behind which he finds an insa-
! liable market for goods, a market hav-
bg actually riotous prosperity shall
e cut and amended and patched and
|obbled so that there shall be bet
pr chance to push American goods
.cross the seas?
The condition of the railroads tells
be story Of our overflowing prosper
' y. The nations business has about
.ntgrown the capacity Of the rail
bads of the country which has half
be railroad mileage Of the world.
The time is near at hand when, in
bme parts Of the country, to double
be railroad trackage will be still not
sufficient effort to meet the require
ents of a swift expanding COM
erce.
And If some one shall say that this
upendous prosperity produced under
be shelter of the tariff Is by no
eans the result of the operation of
be tariff, we may we'll ask, How can
bu prove that proposition? To prove
is of course quite impossible. But
e may declare, with no peril Of con-
addiction, first, that a high tariff has
least not operated as an obstruc-
bn or a check upon prosperity, and,
Fcond, that no nation under heaven
Fer succeeded in building up manu-
ctuTing industries without help from
|riff protection.
There Is not a single example in
story; actually not one. Is 1t pru-
INT to try experiments with this
nazing prosperity? And, particularly,
ay l ask of the out-and-out free
hder, What reason have you for pre-
ming that a higher measure of pros
rity may be procured by the adop-
bn Of methods directly opposed to
ose under which we have attained
the very highest prosperity ever
hieved by human effort?
1t is a fair reasonable supposition
at, if we simply let conditions alone
ey will work towards, or at least,
ey will not obstruct the continuous
pvement towards better and better
ings for the nation.
The assertion may be made with
nfdence, an assertion which has for
warrant such mournful experience
the past, that a decided change in
e protective system. or even strong
enace Of such a change, will have
q effect to check the development
business rather than to promote It.
How to Check Prosperity.
DO you wish to know how to put an
d to the embarrassments now ex-
rienced by mill owners who are be-
hd with their orders, by employers
ho find the supply Of laborers short,
railroads which cannot obtain cars
ough with which to move the freight
Tered them?
can suggest an immediate and ef-
etive remedy for all such. troubles.
Let the word go out from an au-
oritative source that Congress in
hds to make important changes in
tariff. And, particularly, let it be
hde known that there Is to be re-
eion of important duties downward,
d all the difficulties from which
hnufacturers and common carriers
b now suffering will promptly disap-
ar.
Send the tidings over the land to a
artled and indignant people that the
iff barrier behind which they con-
ct their peaceful pursuits is to be
dermined, and instead Of the mills
ing unable to meet their orders, the
ods will be stacked in the store
pms and the wheels will be idle.
stead of the railroads finding cars
fce the sidings will be filed with
fhty cars. Instead of the working
ople being eagerly bid for by the
hnufacturers, and wages swiftly ris-
k. there will be multitudes OF idle
en in the streets and in the soup
uses, and there will be suffering and
stress where now there ia comfort
d abundance.
1t will be strange II this nation
thin a few years OF the Cleveland
I'd times. produced by a foolhardy
Tempt TO recast the tariff in the in.
rests Of foreigners, should be willing
make again venture 80 ruinous
d dreadful.
The protective system absolutely
81 sfifae itaa1P hv fba enn6itiona now