v-
mi
GREAT AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS.
QL'EER REFORM PRACTICES. CIIUECII AND TAIilLT.
A DIG QUN TO UE SPIKED THIS YEAR.
I 111
v
Ex-Qovornor McOorklo Says It Is Deoid
cdly for Expansion.
PHILIPPINES rUItNISII A KEY
Islands Opon the Door to Trutlo In tlio
Orient China tlio Urontcst Field for
Commercial Conquest, nml United
Shite Mnat Improve Iter Oopportunlty
NEWARK, N. J., Jnn. 18. The thir
teenth nnnual dinner of tho board of
trndo wns held tonight. Among those
In attendnnco wero Governor Voor
licea, Mayor Seymour and Congressman
W. P. Hepburn, R. WajMo Parker and
Charles N. Fowler. One of tho guests
of hefaor was ex-Governor William A.
McCorklo of West Virginia, who spoko
upon the topic "Tho Attitude of tho
Progressive South In Promoting tho
Country's Forclgu Trade." Ho said
In part:
"Tho first question of nbsoluto Im
portance today to tho north Is tho mat
ter of foreign markets. It is supremo
In Its Importance to tho whole people.
Wo cannot longer llvo within ourselves
and such Is tho situation that, If tho
Amorlcan people proposo to assumo
tho required position In tho great for
eign trade, they must grnsp theso mar
kets. "First, of critical Importance, Is tho
market of tho empire of China. This
Is tho market for which Russia, Ger
many, Great Britain and France, with
all their energies, are contending. Hero
Is the most Important mnrkct of tho
globo. Today, without organized ef
fort, wo sell them $25,000,000 per year,
nnd within a short time wo will make
H $76,000,000. This means much to you.
Tho mind can scarcely grasp our Inter
est in an cmplro of 4,000,000 square
miles, Inhabited by an energetic people
just opening their eyes to civilization
Within a short tlmo In this now terrl
tory tho American locomotive has un'
dersold thoso of every other country,
and this year China has purchased
from you and tho south about $11,000,
000 of cotton. Hero is fnst develop
ing tho great cotton market of tho
world. Theso people need everything
wo manufacture. Already wo havo
built up a great trade In cottons, ma
chlnery, leather goods, electric goods,
chemicals, railroad equipment, tools,
hardwaro and tho general products of
our workshops. At tho present rate of
progress, our tratlo with China will, In
fifteen years, bo'tho most Important of
any trado in tho world. Wc demand a
vigorous policy which will bo perma
nent In Its effects, under which tho
rights of this country will bo pre
served, and under which the markets
of China shall not bo turned over to
European nations as their own oxclu
slvo property, but shall bo held nllko
on terms of absolute equality for the
citizens of the United States.
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS THE KEY.
"Now, sir, wo arc faco to faco with
tbo great question, how shall wo keep
open to our country tho door of the
great Chlneso nnd eastern markets?
There Is but one door for us nnd thnt
Is through tho Philippine Islands. Hero
is tho real strategical and commercial
position of tho east. Every eastern
mnrkct can bo reached far moro easily
through theso islands than from nny
other position. Shanghai and Hong
Kong, through which cities England
has established her great trade, offer
no such position for commercial sue
cess as do tho Philippines. It gives
control of tho great northern and cen
tral coast of China, with Its teeming,
activo population. They put us in n
position to grasp through them tho
markets of Japan, with its 40,000,000 of
energetic people and its annual trade
of $250,000,000. Tho great coaBt lino of
tho Philippine Islands of 800 miles
practically dominates tho northern
coast of China, capable of a foreign
trado of a billion dollars per year,
Without our position In tho Philip
pines, our commercial treaties with
China would bo valueless, and upon
our withdrawal from theso Islands, tho
Chlneso cmplro would not last
month, and Its rich markets would for
over bo lost to tho peoplo of this coun
try. Many who oppose our retaining
an Interest In these islands seem to
imply that our retention of them is for
tho purposo alone of establishing n
tyranny over tho Inhabitants. I find
thnt thoughtful men are in favor of
establishing tho Jurisdiction of our gov
ernment, giving tho Filipinos full con
trol of their local affairs when they are
nbltf to manage them, and allowing
them tho highest measure of liberty,
such liberty as thoy havo never en
Joyed, nnd such as they never will
enjoy If tho flag should bo removed
therefrom. To leave tho Islands Is to
' turn them over to anarchy.
"Now, as to tho position of the south
on this last great question. What has
been her tradition? Those who sug
gest that tho south has been ultra con
servative as to tho widening of tho
sphoro of this country's inlluonco do
not know her traditions. As to h?r
action In tho future I confidently refer
you to hor past.
"Corea, Slam, China, Philippine isl
ands, Japan, South America, nnd tho
Islands of tho sea dcslro your mer
chandise; and theso markets must be
reached by a cheaper routo than
around Capo Horn. England, by tho
completion of tho Suez cannl, has tho
advantage In trndo routes. Tho south
has never faltered and no Interest has
over Interfered with tho persistent de
plro to sco tho great work of tho Nica
ragua canal completed by American
hands and for tho glory of American
commerce"
Frontlet nlmt.
Tho wearlsomo debnto on tho Phil
ippine question wns continued In Iho
tsenato yesterday without an Interesting
feature. What good Is It doing and
whero Is It to end? Theso aro pertl
nont questions which tho country wlil
soon ho nsltlng tho senators unless
they pauso long enough In tholr ora
torical craze to ask themselves and be
guided by tho obvious answer.
If talk Is profitless, why keep talk
ing? It will convince nobody that tho
administration is always wrong and Its
opponents always right, whatever the
latter man think or say.
l'nrt l'liijred bjr the Fnrmer In tho Won
derful Commerce of the United Stntri
Whnt tlio l'rotcctlve TnrllT Dors.
Tho republican party has nlways
made a definite claim that their prin
ciples of government wero Intended to
benefit tho great mass f tho com
mon people, that they nro a business
party, that Is, n party, who, when In
power, establishes such policies that
the business of tho country hns al
ways materially increased. This Is
true nt home, whero by tho workings
of their methods manufacturers mo
encouraged, employment given tho Idle,
nnd their cnpaclty for purchasing from
tho producers of grain, the agricultural
classes in other words, Is greitly en
larged. Under the wise ruto of tho
republican party foreign commerco of
tho United Slates also has always boon
helped nnd developed.
Tho foreign commerco of tho United
States is attaining wonderful propor
tions under the protective tarlrt laws,
nnd Is a great factor In adding to tlio
general propspcrlty of tho country.
During tho year 1899 this trado
amounted to over two billion dollars,
moro than three-fifths being oxports
nnd less thnn two-fifths Imports. Tho
offlclnl figures are: Imports, $799,431,-
020; exports, $1,275,486,041. Tho ex
cess of exports Is larger tnnn In any
preceding year except In 1898. Pro
ducts of ngrlculturo form C3 per cent
of the exports and less thnn 29 per
cent of tho imports.
TRADE IN DREADSTUFFS.
During last December tho United
States exported to foreign countries
domcstlco brcadstuffs, provisions nnd
oils amounting to $19,148,230; during
the year ending December 31, tho ex
ports of these articles amounted to
$712,031,925.
During tho four years of tho last
democratic administration tho exports
of brendstuff3 amounted to $623,051,-
C5C; during 1S9S nnd 1899 of tho pres
ent republican administration tho ox-
ports of brcadstuffs amounted to $033,-
000,000. It Is an expansion of trado
that particularly Interests tho western
farmer and stock raiser, nnd undor re
publican rulo It seems to bo doublo
what it is under democratic rule.
In this connection It is curious to
compnro tho brendstuffs exports under
tho vnrious ndmlnlstrntlons, nnd noto
tho falling oft when tho democrats aro
In power:
1877-80, Republican years. .$797,970,080
1881-84, Republican yc.s.. 823,588,012
1S85-88, Democratic years... 579,177,728
1889-92, Republican years.. 706,289,601
1893-96, Democratic years.. 623,051,056
1S97-99, Rep. (only 3 yrs).. 831,754,238
This tabulation, which Is taken from
the records, shows that during fifteen
years of republican administrations
tho exportation of brcadstuffs amount
cd to an average of $210,640,479 per
year, while under tho eight years of
democratic rulo tho average was only
$150,278,075 per year. So It makes n
difference of sixty million dollars a
year to tho farmers of tho country
when tho republicans are running tho
government.
Tho dlffercnco in tho balanco of
trado under the dlfilcrcnt admlulstra
tlons Is equally startling. During
eight years of domocrncy tho balanco
of trade In favor of ttils country was
$719,285,940, or an average of $89,910,
742 per year. This seems llko a large
amount, but It was doubled during tho
republican years. During tho two last
completed terms of republican pros
Ident3 and the three years undor Mc
Klnloy, making a total of eleven years,
tno balanco of trade In favor of thlB
country wns $2,190,394,365, being an
average of $199,126,760 per year. This
Is proof concluslvo thnt under repub
Ucan mnnngemont tho peoplo of this
country draw from foreign countries
as a net balanco $169,216,018 moro
ovory year than they do when tho
democrats aro In power.
A STUDY OF THE FIGURES.
A study of tho Imports ana exports
of 1899 compared with thoso oi earlier
years presents some Interesting facts
From 1869 to 1899, imports doubled
while exports quadrupled. Tho im
ports of 1869 woro $438,465,894 and the
exports $337,375,983, making an excess
of Imports over exports amounting to
$101,079,986, while, ns above Indicated
the excess of exports in 1899 Is $475,
652,051. Relatively tho proportion of
freo and duttablo goods In the list of
Imports differs very greatly, only $21,
775,643 of tho total Imported In 1869
being admitted freo of duty, while In
1889, $351,814,004 of tho imports camo
In freo of duty.
Tho contrast In the reclpts and ex
pendlturcs of tho government Is nlso
worthy of notice. During Cleveland's
first term tho receipts exceeded the
expenditures by $372,232,729, but dur
lng tho four years of his second ad
ministration, when tho democrats had
full swing, tho Government ran be
hind to the amount of $130,072,675. In
the meantime, during tho last two com
Dieted republican administrations,
which, llko tho democratic years, wero
In times of peaco, tho receipts of tho
government exceeded tho expend!
turos by Just $692,410,038, or an vr.
ago of nearly three times more every
year than under democratic rulo.
In spite of tho unusual war expensed
now being Incurred, tho good republl
can record Is being kept up at tho
present time. From July 1st of lust
year up to tho 15th of Janunry, th
receipts of tho government exceeded
tho expenditures by $20,989,157, which
Is almost twlco ns good as tho demo
crats could do In tlmo of peaco during
the eighties, and at tho rnto of $75,
000,000 per year better than tho dem
ocrats did In 1893-90.
INCREASED EMPLOYMENT.
IlradBtreeta In December reported as
follows: "Pennsylvania lndiiFtrles nro
using 300,000 moro persons than at
this tlmo a year ago; 100,000 New Eng
land cotton mill operatives havo re
celved an advance of 10 per cent In
wages; wages of employes In tho cot
ton mills in Augusta, Ga., and Rath
and Langley, S. C, arc to bo ad
vanccd; tho Richmond, Fredericksburg
& Potomac tallroad has Increased the
wages of Its yardmen, conductors and
brakemon 10 per cent; 2.4U0 workers
In Elgin watch factory will recelv
en Increase of wages January 1, otc,
London of the l'optillat Fnrtr InYoWed
lu QntBtlonnble Practice.
Tho news comes from Lincoln thnt
there Is a scandal In tho affairs of tho
oil Inspection burcnu. Chiof Inspec
tor hns mado a report, showing thnt
tho fees of tho office aro coming In
moro thnn twlco as fnst as they did
when Edmlstcn wns In charge.
This is not unexpected. It was well
known that tho bureau was conducted
ns nn adjunct to tho fiulon party, and
that tho populist chairman wns put
In charge of It in lieu of other salary
for his political labors.
Out tho question now comes up:
What become of tho fees which wero
not reported? Wero they pocketed by
tho chulrmnn of tho "reform party,"
or wero they turned Into the treasury
of tho pnrty? Tho latter supposition
cannot bo true, ns n statement of tho
condition of tho populist campaign
treasury was published, and no men
Hon of tho oil fees appeared In tho
report.
Somo of tho crooked deals of tho
chief oil Inspector camo to light over
a year ago, when ho was detected In
tho act of padding his expqnso bills.
Ho reported railroad faro whon ho car
ried freo passos over tho linos. Thoro
wero also oxpenso bills for many lie
tltlous trips.
And yet this ofilclnl was placed In
command of tho populist "reform
forces," nnd is kept thore. Tho con
clusion Is plain. Either tho populist
campaign steerors are deriving a bon-
eflt from party pllfcrlngs that aro going
on; or elso tho populist pnrty winks
at and permits misappropriation of
public money when only Individuals
aro to bo boncfited.
Tho rccont notion of tho populist
commlttco In suppressing tho resolu
tion on tho matter of fraudulent
'board of transportation" would Indi
cate that tho party Is hopelessly in tho
clutches of unprincipled politicians.
Tho peoplo of tho atato cannot too
Boon havo their eyes opened to tho
real condition of affairs.
Read tho following extract from tho
World-Horald:
"Tho World-Horald yesterday con
tained tho following interesting mat
ter:
SHELVED THE RESOLUTION.
Populist Stato Central Commlttco
Steer Clear of Demand for
Action.
Majority Defeated a Formnl Request
Urging Stato Board of Trans
portation to Grant Relief.
Action of Commlttco nt Recont Meet
ing Leaks out How tho Mem
bers Stood on tho Prop
osition. Special Dispatch to tho World-Herald.
Lincoln, Nob., Jan. 13. It has just
leaked out In populist circles that at
tho meeting of tho populist stnto com
mlttco hold In this city last weok a
resolution urging tho stnto board of
transportation to do something was de
feated. Tho resolution was as follows:
"Hot It Resolved, By tho stato cen
tral committee of tho people's Inde
pendent pnrty:
"First Wo demand of tho secretary
of stato, tho attornoy general, tho aud
itor of public accounts, tho stato treas
urer and tho commissioner of public
lands and buildings, constituting tho
hoard of transportation and elected by
tho suffrages of the party which wo
represent, that thoy causo tholr sccre
tarics to invcstlgato tho complaints of
shippers without further dolay nnd,
if thoso complaints bo well founded,
wo demand that rcliof bo given to tho
shippers of tho stato by a regulation
of tho freight rates charged by the
railroads.
"Second Wo demand of tho secre
taries of tho state board of transtior
tntton that they proceed immediately
to oxamlno into tho complaints of
shippers and to determine whethor tho
complaints nro just and If the rates
aro unreasonnblo, wo demand that tho
said secretaries rcgulato and reduce
tho samo In such mannor ns that tho
causo of complaint may bo removed f
and If said secretaries nro unwilling
to rcgulato tho freight rates In tho
stato within tholr powers wo then do-
mnnd that thoy resign their offices and
that the board of transportation ap
point secretaries who will act.
"Third Wo demnnd a regulation
by tho said board of tho telephono and
express chnrges In this stato with view
to nllowlng tho companies controlling
theso monopolies to earn a reasonable
lncomo upon their investments nml to
glvo tho consumers of thoso services
tho benefit of tho enormous profits now
being collected by thoso compnnlcs."
John C. Sprechor of Colfnx county,
D. W. Hnmllton of Butlor county,
J u 1 go Halo of Butler county and El
mer E. Thomas of Douglas county till
spoko In favor of tho resolution nnd
urged Its adoption. Senator Sprecho
mado several earnest nppcnls to tho
commlttco not to defeat tho resolution
Wilbur F. Bryant, who Is not a mem
ber of tuo committee, camo In nnd
mado a very eloquent speech pleading
for tho defeat of tho resolution.
J, II. Edmlstcn nlso spoko In oppo
sition to tho resolution. LoMar of
Saundors and LowIb Beltzcr both mado
speeches against tho resolution.
J. W. Edgerton, ono of tho seerotar
Ich of tho board, came in whllo tho
resolution was under dlscuHBlou nnd
mndo a speech pleading for tho roso
lutlon's detent.
Senator Howard of Hnmllton county
spoko ngalnst tbo resolution and then
made a motion to tablo It. This mo
tlon was ndoptcd.
Thoso who voted against tho resolu
Hon wero ns follows:
nownni or Hamilton, i,eMnr o
Saunders, Folber of Cednr, O'Hara of
Knox, Gentry of Burt, Anderson of
Flllmoro, leaves of Holt, Swoboda of
Howard and Tibbies of Thurston.
Thoso who voted for tho resolution
wero Sprecher of Colfax, Hamilton of
Butler, Thomas of Douglas, Dalloy cf
Nemnha and Halo of Butler.
Thoso not voting wero Wltford rf
Washington, Nownes of Sarpy, Wagner
of Gago and Uhl of Cuming.
China has nix
mills.
emokoleaa powder
DOES nELIQION THRIVE
POVERTY AND WANT?
ON
Chnrarterlttto Free-Trnde Contention
Thnt tho Canto of Christianity In
Kent Promoted hr Iliinmn Destitution
nnd Mil try.
The Brooklyn Eagle, n Frce-Trndo
but gold standard newspaper, Is very
certain thnt Tho Amerlcnn Protectlvo
Tariff Lcaguo Is on tho wrong track In
Its effort to show tho extent to which
tho churches havo shared In tho res
toration of prosperity through Increas
ed plate collections. Tho Eaglo says:
"Religious revivals follow disasters,
and big financial panics make men
think of their sins nnd Induce them to
turn their thoughts to tho churchos
nnd to glvo to them moro liberally
thnn In tholr prosperity. Flood nnd
pcstllonco nre potent lnlluonccs In
mnklng mon think of serious things.
A wnve of prosperity docs not ndvnnco
tho causo of rollglon. It rather retards
It. If our present prosperity Is oc
casioned by tho Dlngley law then tho
churches might well hope for n return
to tho Wilson law, with Its alleged do-
pressing effect on business, nnd Us
consequent direction of tho thoughts
of men to ilhclr souls' salvation.
It was tho Wilson law that mado tho
churches nrosnerous. nnd not tho
DIngloy law."
It may bo bo, but If bo, lot us havo
tho facta and figures to prove It. Tho
Eagle, chief among tho nowspapors of
tho "City of Churches," Hhould know
whereof It Bpenks; but does It know
for certain thnt rolklon faros best
when tho peoplo fnro worst?
Is It truo thnt poverty Increases
crimo nnd morality at ono and tho
same tlmo?
Do Idleness, hunger nnd want opor
nto to fill tho Jails and nlso tho
churches?
Ib tho minister surest of his salary
whon tho burglar Is busiest?
Do tho dlro conditions which Impel
men to Btenl and murder promoto
Chrlstlnn morality?
Aro pow rents moro promptly paid
nnd Is tho contribution box hotter filled
when churchgoors have empty pock
ets?
Doea tho nppcnl In behalf of homo
and foreign missions meet with tho
most, llboral rcsponso when tho con
gregation Is "broke?"
Aro church dcbtB tho smallest whon
Individual debts nro largest?
Do mon think most about tho Bal-
vntlon of their souls In times whon
thoy nro most engrossed with tho
problem of how to keep body and soul
together?
Is It, In short, true, ns tho Brooklyn
Eaglo assorts, thnt "it was tho Wilson
law that mado tho churches prosper
ous, nnd not tho Dlngley lnw?"
Tho American Economist docs not
bellovo that any of thoso things nro
truo. To bellovo them would lnvolvo
tho necessity of believing Christianity
to bo n curso Instead of tho greatest
boon and blessing tho human raco has
over known.
If tho churches will do tholr pnrt In
furnishing Information ns to tho rela
tlvo dlffercnco between pinto collec
tions In 1895 under a Freo-Trado tariff
nnd In 1899 under tho Dlngley tnrlff,
tho Amerlcnn Economist will guaran
tee to show that religion nnd moral
ity thrlvo best when mankind Is Imp
piest, most prosperous, nnd freest from
tho necessity nnd tho tcmptntlon to
commit crime.
Of tho truth of this there Is not tho
slightest doubt. Wouldn't It bo n good
thing to domonstrato It boyond ques
tion in tho manner proposed by tho
American Protectlvo Tnrlff Lcaguo?
RIQHTLY NAMED.
Democrat AMinmcd of tho Term "Frec-
Triide" m Applied to tho WlUon Lnr
Somo of tho Democratic newspapors
aro scolding nt Congressman Gros
venor of Ohio, becnuso ho said In his
recent speech on tho Currency bill thnt
In tho cnmpnlgn of 1890 tho Dcmocrnts
demnnded "tho mnlntennnco of tho
Freo Trndo Tariff bill, called tho Wll
eon net." They complain of tho term
"Freo Trado" as applied to tho Wll
huh uiu, insisting tnni it was in n
menstiro Protectlvo, alnco It carried nn
average duty of nearly 40 per cent
Isn't it rnthcr lato In tho day to bring
up tins question? Thrco years nnd
two montlis ago tlio peoplo of tho
United States registered their Judg
ment of tho Wilson tnrlff by over
throwing tho pnrty responsible for Its
enactment. Thoy condemned It for
what It wns, a Freo Trado measuro In
prlnclplo and Intention, nnd, If not
wholly ho, ns near un approach to
Freo Trado as tho Democratic party
(uireii to maito nt tnni iimo. it was
meant to bo tho entorlng wedgo that
should split asunder tho Amerlcnn
system of Protection, nnd tho horrlblo
wreck nnd ruin wrought by that enter
lng wedgo forcshndowed only too
plainly tho ultlmnto fnto of Amerlcnn
Industries In tho event of tho complcto
realization of Freo Trndo lu this
country.
Congressman Grosvenor'H nppolla
tlon, "tho Freo Trado tnrlff bill, called
tho Wilson act," Ih fully Justified by
tho fncts. Domocrats, howovor, nro
naturally n llttlo sensitive about It, In
vlow of nil that has happened In tho
past thrco years. Formerly they wero
only too glad to tako tho credit of tho
Wilson Tariff lnw as "a step in tho
right direction." They found no
fault In tho campaign of 1896 wheir
that law wna characterized as a Freo
Trado mcaauro. Tho only fault thoy
found thon wns that It didn't go far
enough In "tho right dlroctlon," that
Is In the direction of Freo Trado. But
times havo changed, nnd tho Demo-
vats would like to hnvo tho WlUon
? THE.
WAGE.S
OF
75.0 00
0?ERrTlVi.S IN
AJEW ENGLAND
HMtBELN
ADVVNCrVD
. V
v M
law rolcgatcd to tho limbo of oblivion.
Fownrd tho law nnd tho blame which
nttachca to tho party responsible for
It tho greatest charity would bo forget-
fulncss. Thnt Is why tho stlng of Mr.
GroBvenor's reminder has called forth
so many manifestations oi pain nnu
uneasiness. But thcro nro somo things
not to bo forgotten. Tho "Freo Trndo
tariff bill, called tho Wilson act," Is
ono of theso things.
TEXTILE INDUSTRIES.
Thejr Aro Flonrtuhlnsr Urnndly Under
Protection.
Tho cotton nnd woolen mill opera
tives of New England havo news that
camo Just too lato to bo eclobrated on
Thanksgiving day, but which will
much Increase tho cheer of ChrlBtmns-
tldc. Owing to tho prosperous condi
tion of tho cotton goods trndo tho mill
companies havo boon nblo to announce
advances In wages amounting In most
InstnnccB to 10 per cent. For many
of tho cotton mills this Is tho second
Increase of 10 per cont within a fow
months. Tho Amerlcnn Woolen Com
pany, which operates twenty-six tnllln
In a score of towns, nlso nnnounccs a
gonornl advnnco of 10 por cont. By
sovcrnl Independent woolen companies
n similar advanco Is made.
What this prosperous condition of
tho textile Industries means to Now
England mny he gathered from tho
fact that fully 300,000 persons will now
receive higher wngcB. From tho nd
vanccHalrcndy announced It 1b estl
mntcd thnt tho cotton-mill oporntlvos
wilt receive an addition of $180,000
weekly to their present earnings. Tho
Increnso thus far to tho woolcn-mlll
operatives amounts to $20,000 weekly.
Somo of tho ndvancca went Into effect
yesterday, others will dato from noxt
Monday, nnd still others will begin on
Jnnunry 1. Counting tho families of
tho mill workors, fully 1,000,000 per
sons aro directly nffoctcd by tho ad
vance, nnd probably as mnny moro will
benefit Indirectly.
Thnt tho cotton manufacturers can
sco tholr way clear to make theso ad
vances In wages Is n proof of tho gon
ornl prosperity of tho country, for tho
demnnd for their goods is not confined
to any ono section. Thoro Is also n
growing foreign demand for American
cotton fnbrlcs. Tho contrast between
tho prcsont prosperity of tho cotton in
dustry nnd tho depression of 1893 Is
most striking. So sovero was tho pros
tration of business then that many
Now England cotton-mill owners
talked of moving to tho southern stntea
In tho hope of obtaining cheaper In
bor, and tho Massachusetts legislature
appointed n special commission to con
sldcr tho problem of unemployed tox
tlio workers. Now nil tho cotton mills
aro biiBy and tho prospects of trado aro
excellent.
Tho woolon manufacturers also testi
fy to tho Improvement In conditions.
"Tho woolen business wns novor in n
moro nourishing condition than to
dny," Bays William M, Wood, treasurer
of tho American Woolon Company,
"Tho mills aro busy and nro looking
forward to tho now season with tho
highest anticipations." With tho res
toratlon of confidonco and prosperity
which followed tho vordlct nt tho polls
In 1896 tho peoplo nro nblo to spond
moro mouoy for clothing. Owing to
tho accumulation of stocks during tho
depression tho cntton-mlll oporntlvos
did not gain much benefit from the
changed conditions until enrly this
yenr. Enormous Importations during
tho Inst days of tho Wilson tariff act
held hack tho woolon trndo still longer.
Tho textile Industry of Now Englnnd
has Buffered much from tho policy
which camo Into effect with President
Clovelnnd's accession to odlco. Tho
textile workers of Now England hnvo
had a bitter object lesson. Under tho
Republican policy of protection, sound
money, and expansion thoy nro pros
perous ns never boforo. It hns been a
subject of comment thnt Massachu
setts, misrepresented by tho Atkinson
crowd as opposed to expansion, should
havo led nil tho other stntea In tho
numbiir of soldiers, In proportion to
population, furnished for tho nrmy In
tho Philippines. Tho fact is that tho
worklngmon of Massachusetts under
stood much hotter thnn their Bolf-con-stltuted
leaders tho valuo nnd nd
vantnges of tho Philippines nB n baso
for oriental trade. They woro willing
to do their shnro toward securing those
advantages for themselves, tholr kin
dred, nnd tholr country, Chicago In
ter Ocean.
Tho f nllr of It.
Tho laboring man Iiub moro work to
do today than ho has had for years;
he Is getting higher wages for doing
it than ho has received for a long
M - m"
. UU.IIi lirETUHDEDUnk
mr
Am JtvBnwHMPMMar.
i.i
Adapted from the New York Tribune.
tlmo. Now ho Is tnlklng nbout voting
to tear down tho party thnt gnvo him
tho work nnd tho wngca, nnd enthrone
In Its place a party whoso watchword
is "Low prices for everything." Slnco
wo wero children, nil of us havo been
taught to think of tho man who killed
tho gooso that laid tho golden egg was
tho Prlnco of Fools. Compared to tho
laboring mnn who votes to reduco his
wnges nnd tho number of days ho
works, tho man who killed tho gooso
Is n wlso mnn nnd n philosopher.
Lawronco (Kan.) Journal.
DANOEP AHEAD.
Cnllfnrnln' Prntoit Aanlnal rropoioi!
Ilrelprorltr ConrcMlout.
If reciprocity treaties with foreign
natloiiB mean tho rolcnso from restrict
ive tnrlff regulations of foreign prod
ucts which wo do not produco, In re
turn for tho admission for such of our
products Into foreign territory ns thoy
do not produco, no ono will dony their
wisdom.
On tho other hand. If theso troatlca
moan tho withdrawn! of tariff In such
1 mannor ns to build up ono class of
products in our own country nt tho ox-
Poiibo of another, or tho fattening of
powerful Enotcrn corporntlons by tho
destruction of protectlvo Industries of
the country, It Is tlmo to call n halt.
Tho nows from Washington thnt not
only tho Jamaica reciprocity treaty,
but tho French reciprocity, contains
provisions that strlko staggering blows
not only to tho fruit Industry of tho
Pacific coast, but to our wlno Industry
nnd still other products, nt tho behest
of rich and powerful corporato Inter
ests In tho East, Is amazing nnd dls-
hcnrtnnlug.
If thnt Is tho way tho administration
and tho Republican party Interpret tho
duty thoy owo to tho country, tho
sooner tho president nnd tho party
learn thnt thoy aro trending tho path
thnt loads to dlsastor tho hotter.
It will not do to lightly put this
question nsldo by saying thnt Cali
fornia must suffer for tho general good.
If that wero truo It might bo n good
excuse, however lamontablo, but It Is
not.
Will It bo for tho common good to
shnttor tho Industrial Interests of this
lmmonso western region thnt Iho
Stnndnrd Oil company, tho northwest
ern millers and gracdy Importers In
tho oast may fattciv7
Tho Republican party has stood for
protection to our growing industries
with mngnlflcont results. If It por
mlts Itself to bo used by designing mon
It will bnsoly desort Its colors, and will
desorvo ftio fnto that will auroly over
take It,
It Is not a question alono of Injury
to our local Interests; tho affair as
sumes a national Importance. Should
tho Republican party prove faithless
to Its tniBt In California, It will provo
faithless In other states. Los Angeles
(Cal.) Express.
llnppy Time for Wngo Kurnon.
On tho morning of Dec. 18 an nd
vnnco of 10 por cont in wagoB wont
Into offect In mnny of tho cotton mnn
nfncturlng cities nnd townn of Now
England. Tho increnso nffocts from
70,000 to 75,000 hands. Tho plncos In
cluded In thoso ndvnncco aro Lowoll,
with nbout 18,000 oporntlvos; Augustn,
Mo., with 1,100; Lawrence, 12,000;
Chlcopco, 3,000; Ulddeford, Mo 3,500;
Manchester, N. II., nenrly 15,000; Now
buryport, 500; Watorvlllo, Mo., 1,000;
Lisbon, Me., 500; Brunswick, Mo., 700;
llooksott, N. H 500; Suncook, N. 11.,
1,500; Amcsbury, 800, nnd Nnshun,
1,500. In uddltlon nn udvnnco goes Into
effect In n number of tho cotton mills
of central and western Massachusetts.
Somo of tho woolen mills nlso In
creaBod wages 10 por cent Dec. 18.
Theso nro outside of tho American
Woolen compnny, which will mnko u
gcnernl ndvnnco on Jnn. 1, nffectlng
26,000 oporntlvcs, whllo In tho south
ern cotton ;nlllB nn ndvnnco la shortly
to bo mado In tho wnges of nbout 50,000
workers.
From tho West comes tho nnnounco
mont thnt on Jan. 1 the Elgin Na
tional Wntch Company will put lu
force n now acalo of wnges amounting
to nn advance of D to 10 por cent, and
affecting over 3,000 hands.
Many thousands of workmen in
other parts of tho United Statos start
ed tho year 1900 with Increased
wages. It Is Merry ChrlstmaB and n
Happy Now Year for tho wago earnors
In theso days of protection and pros
perity. Kent Vie for Hhenp Klirnrn.
Tho Knnsaslana who throo years ago
UBcd tholr dinner horns to cry calam
ity aro now UBlng tholr Bheop shears
to clip coupons. Loulsvlllo Courier
Journal.
