The Republican journal., 1915-06-10
Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, June Z, 1915. Although
the people of the United States, regard
less of political affiliations, manifest a
willingness to stand by the President in
any aggressive action for protection of
American interests and for maintenance
of National honor IN foreign affairs,
there is everywhere evident determine
ton not to let matters of this kind cloud
or permanently displace the discussion
of economic problems.
Democratic leaders realize that the
people will not abardon domestic issues
because of temporary foreign problems.
Secretary of Commerce Redfield recog-
nized this when he declared at Indian
apolls that the Democratic party had
brought the country through the most
terrible commercial shock IN its history
and landed her safe and strong upon the
peaceful shores of prosperity and in3u-
ence."
His declaration is taken as a throwino
down of the gauntlet to the Republican
party and a challenge upon that issue,
His remark necessarily directs attention
to the great commercial shock which
this country suffered Immediately after
the election of Grover Cleveland in 1892
He practically declared that the CONNER
cial shock hich this country suffered
Immediately after the election of Wood
TOW Wilson is more terrible shock than
that which was suffered after the cleo
ton of Grover Cleveland. While this
comparison is one which it is needless to
discuss so far as the intensity OF the
shock is concerned, most business men
realize that there is such close similarity
that even Democrat could not avoid
discussing the two catastrophes in con-
nection with each other.
But issue will be taken vita Secretary
Redtleid's assumption that the Demo-
cratic party ''has landed the country
safe and strong upon the peaceful shores
OF prosperity" Business men know
that whatever degree of prosperity
has been regained subsequent to the
terrible commercial shock" to which
Mr.. Redtield refers. has been due to the
enormous demands for American pro-
ducts created by the war in Europe.
Every American farmer who sold his
wheat last fall and winter for anywhere
from Sl.25 to $3.50 per bushel knows
exactly why he got the increased price.
there is no American farmer stupid
enough to be misled into the belief that
twas the Democratic party that brought
hlm this portion of prosperity. Every
country merchant who sells goods to the
farmer knows that when the farmer
pays his bill he is paying it largely with
money received from the purchasers of
wheat II the warning nations of Europe
Every manufacturer who is selling goods
TO the merchant knows that the mer-
chants small portion of regained pros
perlty comes indirectly through the
farmer who sold bis wheat at an abnor-
mally high price because of the great
demand from Europe where war had
made production entirely inadequate to
the needs for immediate CONSUMPTION.
Every producer of raw material who
supplies the manufacturer has sense
enough to know that the manufacturer
renewed activity is due to demands for
his products for export to Europe, or is
due to that increased price which the
farmer got for his wheat.
When Secretary Redfeld asserted that
his party had drought the country safe
and strong through the most terrible
commercial shock" which that party had
brought upon this country, he not only
threw down the gauntlet to the R1publi-
can party but challenged the intelligence
Of every American citizen and invited
discussion of the accuracy of his state
nent. While some Democrats would
now like to avoid the discussion of &C.
onomic problems, this statement of Sec
rotary Redfeld, who has gone out over
the country as defender of the politi-
cal acts of the present administration,
makes it impossible to shut off discus
sion of such questions as the tariff,
Democratic extravaganza, and govern
mental ineficiency.
The terrible nature of the commercial
shock is admitted but there will be few
so rash as 10 contend that the Demo-
cratic party has to any extent restored
industrial activity.