Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1896 — Hard Times. [ARTICLE]

Hard Times.

What tins caused the "hard times’* through which we are passing? Almost every one has his theory about tt. One man says It Is tho gold standard, another thm.lt/Js the danger of free coinage; one that tt is because tariff duties are too Ugh, another that it la because the duties are so low as t» flood tho'COtiut/y.With foreign goods, and these ‘are only examples of tho wide diversity of opinion flint exists. l’orli|ii>s the strangest theory of all, which nevertheless spurns to, have many adherents, Is that the blcyele has caused it. It is reasoned out thus: Hundreds of thousands of persons hnvo been saving every spare penny to buy a wheel, and have thus killed other business. Mon, women and young people of both sexes wear their old clothing, economize in food ami resbrt to other means of saving, and thus the business of the butcher,' the baker nnd tho candlestick-maker is seriously diminished. «i ii Watches, pianos, jqjvelry, books and other articles not necessary ‘‘lp ‘ the strictest souse of the word used to be the favorite luxuries; now all these things are neglected for tho bicycle. The market for horses was greatly Injured by the substitution of electricity for animal power in moving street-cars. The trade certainly had another serious blow when tho bicycle became tho popular mode of locomotion. In all this then? Is an clement of exaggeration, but It cannot be denied that there Is a measure of truth in tho theory. That is, the demand for bicycles has probably Intensified the bad. times. But neither Jia rd ypjea nor good times an? a result of one cause. It la a mistake to fix upon one peculiarity of the situation and say, remove that and all will be well. Ho far as the bicycle Is held* responsible for the business depression, It Is sufficient to point to the fact that tho wheel-croze is quite as provaletit'Hi Europe as It Is in this country, and j?et business abroad Is In an excellent condition.—Youth’s Companion.