The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1916-02-10
THE KIND OF PROSPERITY WE
ARE HAVING AND WHAT
IT IS COSTING
William E. Humphrey, of Washington Says "Our Prosper
ity is Measured by the Blood and Tears Shed
Across the Sea-"

sell to our competitors vastly more
than we ever sold them before, al
higher prices than ever before, is a
great industrial calamity to this cOun-
try that only the genius of a Demo
cratic administration could overcome
Nine Months of Free-Trade Depression
Before this war in Europe broke out
we had experienced nine months of the
present free-trade tariff law, and dur
ing that time there was a greater fall
ing off of revenues there were more
fP mess failures, more mills and fac
,, IS closed, more men were thrown
4 Of employment, more beggars and
mupers were made, more idleness and
want brought upon us, more demands
were made upon charity to care for
the cold and hungry than during any
other nine months in our nations his
tory, not excepting the days of star
walton and rags under Grover Cleve-
land. applause on the Republican
side.) The war in Europe has been
a calamity to the race beyond human
conception, but it has been the in
dustrial salvation of this country.
Our prosperity is entirely created by
that indescribable tragedy. But for
the war this nation would today be
suffering industrially beyond imagina-
ton and description. We would be
in the midst of panic and poverty
that would make the days of '93 to '97
look like greatest prosperity by COM
parison.
Certain Industrial Invasion.
| When the millions of men now in
the armies of Europe turn from pur-
suits of war to the pursuits of peace,
when they leave the battle fields and
return to the workshop and the mill
and the mine and the farm, what,
then, will be the effect upon our in
dustrial condition?
When these millions, burdened with
debt and struggling with poverty,
when they cease to buy from us the
things that they eat and wear, when
they begin to produce and produce
more cheaply than ever before, when
this mighty host becomes competitors
instead of customers, then we will wit
ness an industrial invasion of this
country that will surpass all former
industrial wars as the present war in
Europe surpasSes all others of history.
To meet this contest we are utterly
helpless. For this contest we are ma
king no preparation whatever Against
this invasion we have torn down every
defense, destroyed every weapon and
disarmed and discouraged every sol
der.
Land Flooded With Cheap Labor
Products.
We should prepare for war. We
should be ready always to repel any
invader. Upon this question oil agree
The only reason that there is any diff
ference of opinion in this country to-
day upon the question of prepared
ness" is because there is a difference
of opinion as to the danger of inva-
sion. But If we knew that we would
be invaded, that about it there could
be no question of doubt, then certainly
no American but what would be in
favor of most complete preparedness
without single day of delay. As
certain as civilization endures, just
that certain will we suffer an indus
trial invasion as soon as the struggle
In Europe ends. Upon this question
there can be no difference of opinion
What will be done in that day when
our land is flooded with the products
OF cheap labor, when our mills and
factories must close and our land
again becomes filled with the idle. hun
CRY unemployed? If our present ad-
ministration continues to conduct the
affairs of government the suffering
and poor in that day will again be fed
with classic phrases upon "psycholog-
icap prosperity, they will be clothed
with scholarly essays upon the beau
ties of free-trade and the glories Of
new freedom and warmed with SNUG
and Sinking advice upon efficiency.
The Price of Free-Trade Stupidity.
If our present tariff law remains
upon our statute books a period Of de-
preston will begin in this country
within "a hours after peace is declared
and within - months after thai time
we will be in a period of panic and
poverty never before equaled in our
national experience. Then will the
people of this country realize, what
| they now know, that our prosperity
today is due to the wI,' In Europe.
To take no step to avert this certain
disaster is treason against the Ameri-
can people.
| If the party in power does not know
this, then the price OF their stupidity
will be well-meritad political oblivion.
| (Applause on n" Republican side. J
Let us examine in detail this bros
perity so exultinSly proclaimed by the
Democratic party. Up,l what fcun-
dation does 1t res: Let us look upon
the peaceful picture of prosperity this
side of the oce;ln ard then turn t. the
bloody picture IDoh the other AMI SIZE
If there Is any relation between the
two
Prosperity of the Farmer.
They point to the prosperity of the
farmer. True, we have the largest
wheat crop in our history, and we have
sold more to Europe than ever before.
our sale of wheat to Europe during
the first year of the war COMPARED
with the first year of the present tar
IN law in time Of peace increased from
S103,595,000 worth to 1916. 49,. 600
worth, gain of 205 per cent. Our
wheat Is used to feed the armies of
Europe. But what was wheat worth
In this country at the beginning OF
the war? To show the effect that the
war has had upon our prosperity. LEI
us take for comparison the year from
September, 1913. to September. 1914