Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1902 — Providence and Prosperity. [ARTICLE]

Providence and Prosperity.

The Kansas City Star says: “Senator Beveridge makes the common mistake of many Republican politicians, of attributing the great prosperity of the country wholly to his own party. It would seem that the plenitude and wise arrangement of resources in the United States, superiority of the soil, the excellence of the climate, the early and the later rains, the advantageous juxtaposition of fuel and ore, the location of the republic and many other natural conditions which were established when the morning stars sang together and all of the sons of God shouted for joy, ought to reflect some little credit on Providence, whom the Republican party insists on trying to eclipse.” One is of course impressed by this explanation of prosperity. Providence gives us the prosperity, but who Is cast for the job of giving us the other 'thing? Were the resources of this country any less in 1896 than they are now? Was not he soil just as good? Were there not rains, both of the early and the late variety? Were not the fuel and ore in just as advantageous juxtaposition? Was not the republic about as well located then as now? Were not the morning stars doing business even before that time? If so, what was the matter? We hai had “good times” in 1892, we have them in 1902. The resources, the soil, the iron ore, the mel, the sunshine, the spring and fall rains were with us not only at each end of the decade, but in the middle. What difference existed —a difference which created prosperity in 1892 and 1902, and prostration in .1894, 1895 and 1896? Any man with a memory ten years long will not find it necessary to call in a mathematical expert in order to figure out the factor not common to both equations.