Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-11-04

HIOutnS L ne democrats came into
power in 1913 and Immediately pro
ceeded to pass low tariff law, tariff
for-revenue bill
The result of what they did and
did not do was to plunge this country
into the depths of misery. The Gus
toms receipts fell OF so that one hun
dred million dollars had to be raised
by special tax, which was called q
war tax, although it had nothingttc
do whatever with the war Incidental
", wish you would consider the fact
that the treasury itself is now on the
point OF bankruptcy; four months
hence this government will be unable
to pay its running expenses: and the
impending deficit is only concealed at
the moment By adroit juggling with
figures
however. the trouble brought on by
the Democrats vas far deeper than a
question of treasury balance. Business
paralysis followed. The sfdings of the
railroads We're damned with empty
freight cars. There were hundreds
OF thousands of men unemployed in
streets Things were going steadily
from bad to worse. Then, suddenly
the great war broke out, and it pro
duced upon Us the effect of a tariff
higher than we had ever had in our
history
of course. several months elapsed
before this. effect was felt. At the out
set no one knew what course the wal
would take and there was the general
expectation thasit would last but very
few months. In consequence our bust
ness did not adjust itself to what had
occurred until the spring of 1915. On
I'll that time the misery was acute !
was myself one of a committee in New
York appointed especially to work in
connection with the municipal govern
ment in the effort to provide food and
shelter for the scores of thousands OF
men who wished work and could not
find it. This condition was general
throughout the country
Warned Workers Away.
4 have before me a statement issued
by the Central Labor Union of Indian.
apolis. dated January 25th, 1915, warn
ing workmen to stay away from In
dIanapolis, saying that sixty per cent
of the workingmen in Indianapolis
were idle and that for some time they
had been unable to secure work. The
statement continued that never before
in the history of the city had there
the men reaching the city, after spend
ing their last cent, would be picked
up for lettering and would get no
work. The communication concluded
with the words, Stay away Dis
courage all who are thinking of com
ing to this city Thousands of men
now walking the streets every day
looking for work.
AT the same time the governor of
Ohio. on January 9th, 1915. sent in
special message dwelling on the TN
happy industrial condition in Ohio
and other states, and asked for special
measures to meet temporarily the ter
r1Dle problems presented by the great
number of unemployed men.
We trembled on the brink of the
gravest industrial disturbance and dis
aster. We were rescued Temporarily
by the war. With the wars close. we
shall have serious conditions to meet
anyhow. Under wise leadership there
will be difficulties. but with the pres
ent leadership these difficulties will be
such as to cause the most intense con-
Germ to all who think seriously on the
subject Remember that at the pres
ent moment our immense exports are
made up predominantly of material
uemdHueu Dy the DeIl1gerent nations
which they will cease to demand. once
peace comes.
The fiscal year that has just closed.
compared with the fiscal year before
the war, showed a decrease in exports
OF $2OO.OO0,000 so far as materials not
affected by the war were concerned.
but an increase of $1,000, OOO, 900 of ex-
ports that were affected by the war.
For example, mules and horses, which
of course, are tremendously in demand
by the foreign armies, went up from
total representing about $4,000. 900 to
total representing almost 500, 200, 900.
Cattle and grain showed a similar
jump Firearms went up from a total
representing less than $4,000. 900 to a
total of over s1S,0OO.0OO Explosives.
cartridges, dynamite and the like went
up from total of $4,000, 900 to a total
of S467, 100000
Show Loss.
On the other hand, things needed
only in peace have fallen off. Build
ers' hardware. for example, remains al
most stationary, about $4,000, 900 in
1914, and somewhat over Sc, OOO, 900 in
1916, and sewing machines dropped
from s11.5e0. 900 in 1914 to $500, goo
in 1916 That is, we sell now less
than one half of the number of sewing
machines that we formerly sold hut