The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-06-09
Temporary Prosperity.

ANO OAiS NloPNtCo a Plus
perity in our land today. But it is sec
tionai in its factory aspect, abnormal
in it's feverish rush, fictitious in its es-
sentials and perverting in it's tenden-
cy. Worse, it is the gold sluiced from
the river of blood, poured out by the
horrifying sacrifice of millions of our
fellow men. God forbid that we should
boast a prosperity wrought in such
waste Of human life. We had rather
rejoice in the prosperity of peace. We
had rather boast our good fortune won
from the world as it stands erect, in
fair contest, where men openly con-
tend for the laurels of industry and
the garlands Of trade. / do not mean
that, we must sharpen our wits in
competition with the world" for we
tried that and invountarily turned the
blade to cutting our production and
payrolls. There was no cut in the
cost Of living, but a visible hack at
the capacity to live.
The Democratic party is always con-
cerned about the American consumer
Our Republican achievement is the
making of nation of prospecting pro-
ducers. Far better high cost of liv-
ing and ability to buy than a lower
ing of cost attended by destruction of
purchasing capacity.
The Cost ofLiving
1t is worth while to recall the mag
nifieu Importance given to the high
cost of living four years ago, first, to
emphasize Democracy's failure to re-
duce it, though it risked and almost
accomplished the ruin Of our good for
tune in attempting it; second, to de-
clare there is no such thing. What
was thought to be the high cost were
only the higher demands and the lar
ger capacity to buy, which were the
natural refeXes of the higher standard
OF living reared under Republican pro-
lection.
The one notable advance in cost has
profted the American farmer, for
whose befitting share in good fortune
we have stood unfailingly and sincere
| y LIS lCNuIu Is heDuUllCdu
achievement, and we prefer to cling to
the conditions which brought to agri-
culture its delayed but deserved re-
ward and hold it secure in Republican
maintenance of home market un-
matched in all the world. More, we
want our basic prosperity to be home
created and home sustained and not
dependent Oh conditions abroad.
Democratic Repentance.
The nations abroad and the Demo-
cratic party at home are bearing wit,
ness to Republican wisdom. German
industrial self reliance is the sequence
to her adoption of a Republican pro
tective tariff, and England's manifest
conversion to this fostering plan viii
magnify the prophetic wisdom of Re
publican prOtectionists Even the
Democratic party is penitent now and
makes confession in action if not in
words. The proposed destruction of
American sugar has been repealed and
simulated grief about the American
breakfast table has been put aside.
With that facility for changing posi-
ton which has been made manifest
from Baltimore to Vera Cruz. the par
ty in power proposes to restore the
tariff commission which it had hasten
ed to destroy.
This change of attitude is not be-
cause Of its great and manifest love of
commission alone. but because failure
is written across every paragraph of
Democratic revision. and fear is haunt
ing the White House slumbers. The
Wilson administration has sensed the
country's anxiety about industrial con-
ditiOnS when the revelry in munitions
! ana the immunity granted by war are
ended. 1t has made a reflective csti-
mate of the perils of 1914. once called
psychological, and means to apply a
stolen remedy, with more concern
about the effects than the ethics in
VOWED. We do not oppose a tariff
! commission. We favor it. 1t is Re-
publican creation.
Square Deal For Business.
NO DOlcSI UuSlueSS III tulS COullliy Ii
| too big to lie good and useful or too lit
| tie to be protected and encouraged, ana
both big and little deserve the Ameri
| can shield against destruction by for
eign competition and protection from
| the raiders, political or otherwise. al
home Business and its agencies OF
| transportation are SO :nseparable from
each other and from the common wea
| that the political party which does not
pledge them square deal, no more nc
| less. does not deserve the confidence OF
| the people. The strength of the bust
| ness heart shows in every countenance
! in all the land, and the weakness OF
| that heart holds nation i'll. We must
strengthen the heart of American bust
ness in government cooperation rath
err than official opposition.
| 1t is not inspiring to recite Demo
| cratic failures. l shall not dwell OF
that party's insincerity or incapacity
| The country indicts and the record con
| victs. 1t proclaimed the sacredness OF
it's pledges, and then profaned them
1t protested economy and is staggered
{, by its own extravaganza. 1t has turn
ed adequacy Of revenue under indirect
and unfelt taxes to inSufficiency and