St. Joseph County Independent, Volume 18, Number 8, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 10 September 1892 — Page 2

, ^womans Influence

^"XmbM J^MUgow CHAPTER X —Continued. Once in her room, Margaret did not go to bed, but changing her dress to a light wrapper she ran to Miss Hilton’s apart ent. “Are you asleep?” she called, softly. Being answered in the negative, she opened the door and entered. “Dear Miss Hilton,” she cried, going to the side of the bed and placing her hand with caressing gentlennss on the hot, throbbing brow. “Are you better? You should have let me stay with you.” “No, dear, I’m glad I didn’t. I really feel much better. Your bathing had a magical est ct. I have been asleep ever so long, and I feel wakeful now. Did you have a pleasant evening?” “Yes, so pleasant. The Colonel was really quite charming. I forget to feel unhappy even a moment. ” “I hope you-will a ways know such forgetfulness, Margaret. “ You have so much to make you happy, so many who love you dearly. My brave little woman must not give way to this despondency. Sit here for a while, if you are not too tired, and we will talk. Was Alice quite well?” “Yes, perfectly. And so happy, Miss Hilton.” The note of pain in the low-spoken words filled Miss Hilton With vague sadness, but she answered very quietly: Naturally she would be happy. I should be sorry to see her otherwise. Margaret, child, are you doing quite right?” There was a moment’s silence after this abrupt question. Margaret buried her face in her hands, while a hundred doubts and questions rushed through her mind. Then, looking up with a new determination upen her face, she said with decision: Yes, Miss Hilton. I have gone over ! that old catechism with myself so many, j many times. The trouble lies with my views of life. I guess I started out with i ideas of ideal love. I have found real- ! ity, and it is disappointing. I have ! such a capacity for happiness, or pain, that I almost frighten myself. All these forces are acting within me now.” Miss Hilton sighed. “I am sorry to hear you talk so,” she sa : d. “I want to J leave you happy and contented.” . “Leave me?” repeated Margaret, look- I ing up in pained surprise. “You cannot ■ mean that.” “Yes, dearest, I do. I thought you ' plight understand it. I’ve been think- ; ing of it lying here, and I intended tell- 1 big you to-merrow; but it’s just as well to-night. ” Margaret allowed her hand to r< st on I ‘ Miss Hilton’s brow w.th a new gentle- 1 J ness in its touch. ° I * Only duty takes me i rQju you.eon - i 1 tinued the old

lam i-art - t ingfroma^^^ J her affliotion my i . " ’XXbFher side. lam 1 /L r^nnl this, Aarg-ir<‘t. J?e-»1 cmiu, < m/’heart will always be with you, und you wll not need me when you are , marr ed ” I 1 ■ I think I shall always need you. Miss ■ Iliron,” returned Margaret, with an effort to speak bravely; but, of course, । I would not be the one to keep you , vh le duty calls you. Ah, how I hate duty! It is eo hard—so cruelly hard. | With these passionate words, Mar- ; garet buried her lac • in the pillow and a iss Hilton, drawing the brown head , close beside h r, stoked it with an; infinitely tender caress. . I “Has duty teen so hare for your she ! asked, gently. . “I have no right to complain, was . the self-repr achiul answer; “no right i at all. I am low-spirited and nervous to-night, an 1 the thought of your leav- j ing me makes me feel that ± am really ; an 1 truly giving up my old life, and it is : bohard!” “I am ; orry you feel such regret, Mar- ; garet. I wish I might lay it solely to your low spirits, but J. fear there is a deeper reas n than that. 1 wish I could make you see your new lite in its true light, and teach you that, with all its a :ded duties and responsibilities, it holds the sweet hopes and tender possibilities which complete and crown a woman’s life. You understand me, dearest?” “Yes; I am so anxious to learn, Miss Hilton, while you are here to help me. I wish I did not grow so attached to old friends and old customs. I wish I could love half way, but I can't. I love with all my soul, am! Ihae in proportion. I should like to chan ~e my nature, if that were possible. I want to do better; I want to help myself and help Brian, and J am so weak, Miss Hilton.” She paused, with a half sigh. “Your desire will make you strong,” was the quiet reply. "I don’t think you have a weak will, Margaret.” Margaret caught ti e suspicion of a smile on the old lady’s face. “No,” she answered, half-smiling in her turn, “but it is a very unreasonable will. Miss Hilton. Always wanting to do whet it shouldn t. I find it -very troublesome. You see, I have depended you so long, I have found so much comfort in your sympathy and advice, that I shall miss you more than I can realize. But lam paining you. I will not say any more. I would not have you think that I am placing my selfish desire before your manifest duty. I might be tempted to do so in my present state of mind, so 1 had better go to bed. Are you sure there is nothing 1 can do for you? It -will be a real ; leasure.” Miss Hilton drew the anxious face down to her, and kissed it With a lingering, tender aTection. “Try to be happy,” she said, 'that lease me above all things; and **^nect too much of Brian at first, his defective training and also, that what^M^jyes yo i, and through ^^rt your influence "qght, dear child, ‘ /I.” ® x s earnestly ex)do. navs

presssed hop v , Margaret lay awak j for many hours, thinking of Miss Hilton’s a “ d makiu S many resolutions tor the future. CHAPTER XII. WEDDING BELLS From the beginn’ng it had been agreed that Margaret and Alice should be married upon the same day, and the double wedding, both from the circumstances connected with it and the social prominence of the principals, created no little sensation in the society of S . The interest communicated itself to all classes, and the fortunate few who were present on the o n-asion were secretly envied by the less i rivileged outsiders. ’ Ihe latter contented themselves with . speculat ons and pi ophecies;and the wed- , ding journey was accomplished and the ' two young matrons had settled down to ’ I their new duties, before they ceased to i air their opinions. , I Margaret had laid aside her mourn- ’. | and for the first time since her un- . ? 7 e . at h Elmwood was the scene of , । festivities. But otherwise her life was , j much the same as it had been for the , ; last twelve months. i Her attitude toward Brian was un- . ! changed. She was kind and consider- . I ate, but no warmer feeling marked their । intercourse. Any demonstration of affection on his part called ft rth anger on hors. She might scold herself in the secrecy of her own heart; she might atone lor it by a hundred extra atten- ■ i tions, but the feeling was there, wait1 ing but the occasion to show itself. I And Brian saw it. As time went on he learned to repress his natural desire and approach Margaret with onlv friendly i warmth. j It was all wrong, Margaret was ft reed !to admit, in her moments of self rei ach. Yet whu was to blame, Brian 1 or she? Marriag > had wrought a greater ■ change in her life than even she had anticipated. With Miss Hilton’s departure went the helpful companionship and cheerful influence which meant so much to her. Even Brian seemed to miss their common friend. He certainly missed something; though what was not very clear to his own mind. He felt it in a growmg^ dissatisfaction. The restlessness which constituted such a large portion i of his make-up began to assert itself | with unresisting force. He found his | days monotonous, and the ennui, which ’ he laid to the dullness of country life, Margaret ascribed to lack of definite I purpose and settled employment. | “It is nothing in the world but lazij ness,” she asserted for her own conviction. “He knows it. too; so I sha’n’t tell him. I’m tired of everlasting preaching, and I dare say he’ll soon j grow to think I married him for nothing in the world but to play the shrew. 1 j hate it. Nevertheless, he sha’n’t keep l on this way. That I’m determine 1 on.” In spite of this resolution, Brian did not display any fresh industry, unless it was in going to the city, where he was ’ fond of spending his time. At first he returned home every even- i ing, like many of his neighl ors who were regular commuters, and went to business every day; but in time he failed to recognize even this duty, and his visits ! to New York lengthened thomiseß^ia^a# days, ^ud p " ' V .., ? ..-v- 11 ui» 11» o tho n . I

■"lie always ha I an ex. use- 11 ' Theater, his club, the importunities ot a ^Margaret receive I all in silence. I “Whether I go or stay matters little to her,” decided Brian. But he was mistaken. . . ! His indifference pained his young wife more than she would have admitted perhaps. She had ready started out with the determined purpose to make up in earnest endeavor what she lacked in warmth of feeling, and her sense of failure was very keen. She could not bring herself to icproach him because she doubted her right to do so. But the right to feel was certainly hers. She was learning so ne bitter lessons ’ during these early days of her married ! life; and not least among them was the

I contrast which Alice’s life offered to j hers. i She would retu n from her visits to i The Cedars, from the atmosphere of per- ’ ! feet happiness which seemed to reign ) ; i there, to feel her heart overcome by a I rush of feeling and filled with a vague ■ and indefinable homesickness. j Unusually heavy-1 ea'ted she came ! one evening from a day spent with Alice and the Colonel. It was growing late, j and the Colonel had wanted to come ! with her as far as Elmwood, hut this j । Margaret had opposed, declaring that ' she would not be either lonely or afraid. ; Yet, after she had started, she did feel ! lonely, and she bega i to wish for a companion in her long, cold walk. The . winter twili ht was beginning to fall, ; and through the indescribable melan- । choly of the darkening scene, the trees ' waved their bare bran Ims like spectral arms. The wind toughed dismally among the dead leaves, and even the । faint red in the sky had a ch.ll effect. against the low line of gray hills. It i ■ was all unutterably dreary, and Mar- j garet gave a sigh of relief when she . reached her cheerful sitting-room, with its glowing fire and comfortable, luxurions furnishing. She was som what surprised to see Brian standing be ore the mantel. He had been in New York for several days and she did not know of his return. „ “I am glad you have come at last, lie said, looking up a' her entrance. I got , here about four o’clock to find you gone ; । and the place as lonely „as the deuce. , Did you en’oy your ride?” [ “I didn’t ride,” returned Margaret, l extending her hands over the rosy coals, “I’ve been walking.” i “Walking! At this time! Not alone, L I Margaret?’’ , , _ , > “Why, certainly. Who would I have i with me. The ‘'Colonel did insist on [’coming, but I wouldn’t allow it, of . 11 course. I was not afraid. Only tne | . I least bit lonely, and —I believe lam ’ ) I tired. ” , Brian did not notice the almost imper--3 I ceptible break in her voice, but he did - , notice her pale face and wearied air. Without a word he drew a chair to the t ■ fire, and seated her in it. Then bend--1 1 ing’over her, he said with much anxiety: “I wish you wouldn’t try your strength j; so far, Margaret. The walk was too - I long for you.” h ■ “I don’t think so, Brian. lam not e ■ blaming the walk at all. I m afraid I m I | growing lazy, and if I was really sure ’ j of it I’d go out this minute and walk . until I dropped. I hate laziness so.”

! “I’d have some say in that” responded 1 Brian, ignoring hi r elojir.g words. “Walking for the purpose qj iropping, would be a very sensible ]TVmance, wouldn’t it? I wish you w*^Tn’t walk without me after this.” Margaret elevated hes eyebrows rather expressively. “Wh«t an unselfr ish man," sho returned. “How many J walks do you think I could take un lor 5 those circumstances. For the last month, yo I’ve been home only at night, ! and not every night by any means. I I have a prejudice in fa .or of sleeping at night. I think I shall still continue to take my walks alone Your mind is ■ above such simple delights." ’ With these words, Margaret bent her ’ head and watched Ihe pnk 1 nes bi tween hei fingers. Brian walked to the otner side of the room, and played a tattoo on the window. • “It is so dull here,” he remarked, after • a moment of this performance; “and as you don’t care whether I s ay or not, I don t see the use of spoiling my pleas“Don’t spoil your pleasure for worlds. ! If taking some interest in your home is likely to do so, you need only forget you have a home.” ' “My home!” he re; cated, with a bitterness raised by her half-concealed sarcasm. “When I consider my position here, do you think I can call this a home?” A change passed over heiMg.ce, and for a moment she could not answer, i though when she did it was in a tone whose lightness belied any deeper feeling. “I always gave you credit for a fair share of sens?, Brian, but now I find you sadly wanting. If you think lam going to humor your bad temper you i a e mistaken. ” Brian was not mollified at these words. 1 “It is no use in turning it off that way, Margaret, ”hesa d. “ Your actions tell me plainly that you married me because you felt under obligation to do so. You biame the one who marries for money, but I think marrying for pride is just as bad. ” “How dare you!” broke in Margaret, when anger permitted her to speax. "I wonder you have the effrontery to say i such things to me, and I wonder how I । can sit here and let yo i say them. Now, I don’t excuse yoursei . You are forever ; I insulting me and then begging my par- ’ don. I’m tired of it. Sometimes I wish | you w<uld stay in the city. That is—l | don’t wish anything of the kind. I’m a i goose. Please go and fix yourself for i dinner. I will soon bo ready, and I hope you don’t intend to go to the table - that way. ” Brian acted upon this hint to make j himself more presentable, and during ’ dinner he tried to make his peace with Margaret. In this he was successful, i as usual, for her ill-temper was short- i lived. At the same time, ho noticed that she was paler and thinner than she had been a f< w weeks before. What was the cause, and why had he not no- ' ticed the change? “Don’t you ever grow tired of Elm- : wood?” he asked her, with a rather sharp glance. “Never!” was the decided answer. “I ' love Elmw < d too well. 1 behove it i ' would break my heart to leave it. ’ “It is strange,” he added with a sigh; “a differ nee in disposition, I suppose. 1 The life which brings you happiness is all emptiness and disappointment uAae. ! The shadow of a seeming reality.” J® n “I think you make it only a shafiow ' BHan. It con’d be better, I LnowJLji^^ man. ” In theory; Margaret, but not Yin practice. Mv laziness, if you will.V" '

practice. Aly laziness, you win, w too thoroughly ingrained for that. ¥<l u , don’t like lazv people, do you?” 4 t “Indeed I don’t. I wish you’d finU p some other role just for novelty. ’ 1 * i “Thanks; I’m afraid my nature is too j conservative; though I don’t know but < what I may try my skill in medi ine for ' t your benefit. I don’t like your pale i ( cheeks and heavy eyes. i “That isn’t <ompiimentary,” laughed ;i Margaret, avoiding his glance. “1 as- • sure you these sign .•> ot decline may be < attributed to nothing more alarming I than a consumption of midnight o 1 over j i the latest of Guida s novels. You see I i I am learning bad habits in my old age." j i Brian was not satisfied with this ex- ; ' planation, but he did iot pui sne tils ■ 1 subject further then. , i |IO BE CONTINUED. I

Bull Beats I.ion “The lion has been called the king of beasts, hut I will back a bull of good fighting stock against anything that wears hair,” said C. AY. Courtright. “I was traveling in Mexico a few years ago and at Monterey a little one-ring circus with menagerie attachment was exhibiting. In the outfit was a large and ferocious-look-ing lion, which was proclaimed as the terror of the animal creation. A Mexican cattleman was an interested spectator, and while the tent, was full he mounted a seat, and offered to bet the proprietor of the show SI,OOO that he had a bull that could whip the lion in ten minutes. The wager was accepted and the next day set tor. the battle in the local bull pen. The lion was turned loose in the inclosure and a young lamb thrown to him. He killed and ate it, and the taste of blood seemed to make him frantic. Then a black, wiry, Spanish bull was turned in. Without a moment's hes- | itation the lion sprang at him, but taurus caught him on his needle-like hornsand threw him thirty feet. Ihe lion did not appear anxious to renew hostilities, but the bull was in for a light to a finish. He rushed at his enemy and gave him another savage toss. ' The lion retired to the farthest coiner of the inch' sure and tried to scramble out, but was clubbed back. The bull made another rush, and this time he drove a horn into his antagonist and nearly disemboweled him. Every bit of light in the lion was gone. The bull stood in the center j of the inclosure, pawing and bellowI ing, and the terror of the animal , kingdom was dragged out and an attempt made to save his life. The bull was boss from the moment he entered the arena.” —St. Louis GlobeDemocrat. The price of anthracite coal is to be raised again. The gentlemen asi sociated in the Reading combine i assert this is purely in order to get I the business on a stable basis, but it ; looks much as though they would furI nish their stable' with a dog in the । manger.

FOR ALL THE VOTERS. < — - THE PRESIDENT’S LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE. । ’ihe Issues Are Defined—Policy of the Re- | publicans—The Contest ties Between Protection und Free Trade—Fair Elections and Reciprocity Touched Upon. The President’s Letter. President Harrison’s letter accepting । the Lepublican Presidential nomination was made public Monday night. It contains over 10,000 words, is dated at Washington, and the substance is as follows: The H°n. W. McKinley, Jr., and Others, Committee, etc: Gentlemen—l now avail myself of the first period of relief from public duties to respond to tiift notification which you brought to me on June 20 of my nomination for the office of Pres- [ Ident of the United States by the Republican National Convention recently held at Minnei apolis. I I accept the nomination, and am grateful for . the approval expressed by the convention of the acts of the administration. The great work of the Fifty-first Congress has been subjected to the revision of a Democratic House of Representatives and the acts of the executive department to Its scrutiny and investigation. There lias seldom been a time, 1 think, when a change from the declared policies of the Republican to the declared policies of the Democratic party involved such serious results to the business interests of the country. A brief review of what has been done and of what the Democratic party proposes to | undo will justify this opinion. The President then at some length compares the present system of banking and the issuance of money with that which prevailed before the withdrawal of State bank issues, and declares that the present plan is the safest ever yet I devised. He touches upon the commerce upon the seas and recognizes the fact that our exports are carried in vessels sailing under foreign flags. He says: The merchandise balance of trade, the treasury books show, is largely reduced by the annual tribute which we pay for freight and passage money. The great ships—the fastest on the sea which are now' in peace profiting by our trade, are, in a secondary sense, war ships of their respective governments, and in time of war would, under existing contracts with those governments, speedily take on the guns for which their decks are already prepared and enter with terrible efficiency upon : the work of destroying our commerce. j The undisputed fact is that the great steamship lines of Europe were built up and are now । tn part sustained by direct or indirect govern- ; ment aid, the latter taking the form of llbefal pay for carrying the mails or of an annual bonus given in consideration of agreements to construct ships so as to adapt them for canying an armament and to turn them over to the Government on demand, upon specified terms. It was plain to every intelligent American that if the United States would have such lines a similar policy must be entered upon. The Fifty-first Congress enacted such a law, and under its beneficent influence sixteen American steamships of an aggregate tonnage of 57,400 tons and costing $7,100,0 H) have been built or contracted to be built in the American ship-yards. In addition to this,|it is now practically certain that we shall soon have under the American flag one of the finest steamship lines sailing out of New York for any European port. This contract will result in the construction in American ship-yards of four new passenger steamships of lo.i 0i tons each, costing about 000,1X10, and will add to our naval reserve six steamships the fastest upon the sea. Mr. Harrison favors the development of our South Atlantic and Gulf ports, and the increaaed application of the policy of teciprocity in South American trade. For this latter, he ascribes all credit to Mr. Blaine, and in summing up results and prospects, says: At a meeting held in March last of the associated chambers of commerce of Great Britain the President reported that the exports from Great Britain to the Latin American countned , during the last year had deci-e^s.ni tun ■z.-j, ecu, I and poltor Jd.’.': wIWtoI Rfa-ten. (iennanr JiTiw *«»*<■ 1 »*»••• Bhown coutcwtnut Mllß HpHithe battle of the markets and lias already secured important advantages. The most convincing evidence of the tremendous commercial strength of our position la found in the fait that Great Britain and Spain have found it neiessary to make recip- i rocal trade agreements with us for their West j India colonies, and that Germany and Austria i have given us important concessions tn ex- ' change for the continued free importation of I their beet-sugar product. A few details only as to the increas ' in our trade can be given here. Taking all the countries with which arrangements have been ! made, our trade to June 30,1802, had increased j 23.78 per cent.; with Cuba during the first ten | months our exports increased f.’>,702,193 or 54.8 percent.; and with Porto Rico J.v.io.aW or 34 ■ per cent. The liberal participation of our j farmers in the benefits of this policy is shown ; by the following report from our Consul General at Havana under date of July 26 last: During the first hjlf y< ar of 1891, Havana rei Other ports of t * islai 1 ab< nt an < amount, or approximately 2sn.H2 bags. Dur- | ing the sam pi ii ■ i Havana received 13,976 j I bags of American flour and other ports approx- । | imately an equal amount, making about 28,000 i

uags. But for the first half of this year Spain has | sent less than 1,000 bags to the whole Island i : ami the United States has sent to Havana alone 168,487 bags and about an equal amount to other ports of the island, making approximatelv 337,000 for the first half of 1892. Partly by reason of the reciprocal trade agreement but more largely by reason of the removal of the sanitary restrictions against American pork, our export of pork pro .ets to Germany increased during the ten months ending June 30 last J 2,025,074, or about 32 per cent. The British Trade Journal of London, In a I recent issue, speaking of the increase of American coal exports and of the falling oil of the English coal exports to Cuba says: “It is another case of American competition. The United States now supply Cuba witli about 150,000 tons of coal annually, and there is every prospect of this trade increasing as the forests of the island become exhausted and the use of I steam machinery on the estates is developed. I Alabama coal especially Is securing a reputa- , tion in the Spanish West Indies, and the river ' and rail improvements of the Southern States Will undoubteply create an important Gulf trade. The new reciprocity policy by which the United States are enabled to import Cuban sugar will of course assist the American coal exporters even more effectively than the new lines of railway. The President fears the loss of present, and endangering of future trade, if the Democrats are successful, for he declares they favor repeal of the reciprocity provision. He further says: The declaration of the platform in favor of “the American doctrine of protection” meets my most hearty approval. The convention did not adopt a schedule but a principle that is to control all the tariff schedules. There maybe differences of opinion among protectionists as to the rate upon particular articles necessary to effect an equalization between wages abroad and at home. In some not remote national campaigns the issue has been-—or, more correctly, has been made to appear to be—between a high and low protective tariff, both parties expressing some solicitous regard for the wages of our working people and for the prosperity of our domestic industries. But under a more courageous leadership the Democratic party has now practically declared that, If given power, It will enact a tariff law without any regard to its effect upon wages or upon the capital Invested In our great Industries. The majority report of the Committee on Platform to the Democratic National Convention at Chicago contained this clause: “That when custom-house taxation is levied ; upon articles of any kind produced in this country the difference between the cost o labor here and abroad, when such a difference exists, fully measures any possible benefits to labor, and the enormous additional impossitions of the existing tariff fall with crushing force upon our farmers and workingmen." , Here we have a distinct admission of the Republican contention that American workmen are advantaged by a tariff rate equal to the . difference between home and foreign wages, and a declaration only against the alleged ad- ' ditional impositions” of the existing tariff law. • Again, this majority report further declared: “But in making a reduction In tuxes It is not proposed to injure any domestic industries, > but rather to promote their healthy growth. ' * * * Moreover, many Industries have come to rely upon legislation for successful continuance, so that any change of law must be at

every step regardful of the labor and the capital thus involved.” Here we have an admission that many of our industries depend upon protective duties “for their successful continuance” and a declaration that tariff changes should be regardful of the workmen In such industries and of the invested capital. The overwhelming rejection of these propositions which had before received the sanction of Democratic National Conventions was not more Indicative of the new and more courageous leadership to which the party has now committed itself than the substitute which was adopted. This substitute declares that protective duties are unconstitutional—high protection, low protection—all unconstitutional. A Democratic Congress holding this view cannot enact nor a Democratic President approve any tariff schedule the purpose or effect of which is to limit importations or to give any advantage to an American workman or producer. A bounty might, I judge, be given to the importer under this view of the Constitution in order to increase important importation, and. so the revenue, for "revenue only," is the limitation. Reciprocity of course falls under this denunciation, for its object and effect are not revenue, but the promotion of commercial exchanges, the profits of which go wholly to our producers. Mr. Harrison denies that the policy of the Democrats to-day was tne policy of Jefferson or Jackson, and characterizes the present doctrine as “destructive and un-American. ” He says: There is not a thoughtful business man in the country who does not know that the enactment into law of the declaration of the Chicago convention on the subject of the tariff wmuld at once plunge the country into a business convulsion such as It has never seen; and there is not a thoughtful workingman who does not know that it would at once enorm- ; ously reduce the amount of work to be done in this country by the Increase of importations that would follow and necessitate a reduction of his wages to the European standard. If any one suggests that this radical policy will not be executed If the Democratic party attains power what shall be thought of a party’ that is capable of thus trifling with great interests? Ihe threat of such legislation would be only less hurtful than the fact. And now a few words In regard to the exist- l ing tariff law. We are fortunately able to judge of its influence upon production and prices by the market reports. The day’ of the prophet of calamity has been succeeded by’ that of the trade reporter. An examination into the effect of the law upon the prices of protection products and of the cost of such articles as enter into the living of people of small means has been made by a committee composed of leading Senators of both parties, with the aid of the best statisticians, and the re- i port, signed by’ all the members of the committee, has been given to the public. No such i wide and careful inquiry’ has ever been before I made. These facts appear from the report: ’ 1. The cost of articles entering into the use of those earning less than SI,OOO per annum has j decreased up to May, 1892, 3.4 per cent., while in farm products there has been an increase in j prices, owing in part to an increased foreign ' demand and the opening of new markets. In England during the same period the cost of living Increased 1.9 per cent. Tested by their power to purchase articles of necessity the earnings of our working people have never been as great as they are now. 2. There has been an average advance in the rate of waees of .75 of 1 per cent. 3. There has been an advance in the price of i all farm products of 18.67 per cent, and of all i cereals 33.99 per cent. The ninth annual report of the chief of the I bureau of labor statistics of the State of New : York, a Democratic officer, very recently , issued, strongly corroborates, as to that State, the facts found by the Senate committee. In view of this showing it is plain that this tariff law has not imposed burdens but conferred benefits on the farmer and the workingman. Some special effects of the act should be noticed. It was a courageous attempt to rid our people of a long maintained foreign monopoly on the production of tin plate, pearl buttons, silk plush, linens, lace, etc. Once or twice in ’ our history the production of tin plate had b"en attempted, and the prices obtained by the Welsh makers would have enabled our makers to produce it at a profit. But the Welsh makers at once cut prices to a point that drove the American beginners out of the business, and when this was accomplished again made their own prices. A correspondent of the Industrial YVorld, the official organ of the Welsh tin-plate | workers, published at Swansea, in the issue of June 10, 1892, advises a new trial of these methods. He says: “It is clearly the interest of both (employer and workmen) to produce tin-plates, tariff, or no tariff, at a price that wili drive all competitors xrom the Held.” But in spite of the doubts raised hr-dv-rW. rxw Ar iftoo. an<l Been established in fsir-;r.y,.*vd' 'states’ and the alliance between 1 the Welsh producers and the Democratic party I for its destruction will not succeed. The President then shows that in this ■ country the past year there was pro- \ duced over 13,000,000 pounds of tin and i terne plates. In continuance: Another industry that has been practically created by the McKinley law is the making of pearl buttons. Few articles coming to us from abroad were so distinctly the product of starvation wages. But. without unduly extending this letter, I cannot follow in derail the influences of the tariff law ot 1890. This tariff law has given employment to many thousands of American men and women, and will each year give employment to increasing thousands. Its repeal would throw thousands out of employment and give work to others only at reduced wages. In considering the motives of Democracy’s leaders, the President says: “The appeals of the free-trader to the workingman are largely addressed to his prejudices or to his passions, and not inirequently are pronouncedly communistic.” But of the outcome, he says: “They will settle the tariff contest in

the calm light of their November firesides, and with sole reference to the prosperity of the country of which they are citizens and of the homes they have founded for tLeir wives and children.” No intelligent advocate of a protective tariff claims that it is able of itself to maintain a uniform rate of wages without regard to fluctuations in the supply of and demand for the products of labor, but it is confidently claimed that protective duties strongly tend to hold up wages, and are the only barrier against a reduction to the European scale. The Southern States have had a liberal participation in the benefits of the tariff law, and, though their representativea have generally opposed the protection policy, I rejoice that their sugar, rice, coal, ores. iron, fruits, cotton cloths and other products have not been left to the fate which the votes of their Representatives would have brought upon them. In the construction of the Nicaragua

canal, in the new trade with South and Central America, in the establishment of Ameri- : can Steamship lines, these States have also special interests, and all these interests will j not always consent to be without representation at Washington. Shrewdly, but not quite fairly, our adversaries speak only of the increased duties im- , posed upon tin, pearl buttons and other arti- I cles by the McKinley bill, and omit altogether | any reference to the great and beneficial en- ! largement of the free list. During the last ; fiscal year $458,000,772 worth of merchandise, or 55.35 per cent, of our total importations came . in free (the largest percentage in our history'. ; while in 1889 the per cent, of free importations was only 34.42 per cent. The placing of sugar upon the free list has saved to the consumer in duties in fifteen months, after paying the : bounties provided for, $87,0C0,000. This relief has ' been substantially felt in every household | upon every Saturday's purchase of the workingman. One of the favorite arguments against a pro- ■ tective tariff is that it shuts us out from a par- I ticipation in what is called, with swelling em- I phasis, "the markets of the world." If this view is not a false one, how does it happen that . our commercial competitors are not able to : bear with more serenity our supposed surren- 1 der to them of the "markets of the world,” and 1 how does it happen that the partial loss of our market closes foreign tin-plate mills and plush , factories thatl still have all other markets? Our natural advantages, our protective tariff j and the reciprocity policy make it possible for I us to have a large participation in the •'markets । of the world” without opening our own to a I competition that would destroy the comfort ; j and independence of our people. Os bimetallism he says: The resolution of the convention in favor of bimetallism declares, I think, the true and necessary conditions of a niovenient that has, I upon these lines, my cordial adherence and i support, 1 am thoroughly convinced that the ! free coinage of silver at such a ratio to gold as I will maintain the equality in their commercial ! uses of the two coined dollars, would conduce i to the prosperity of all the great producing and ; commercial nations of the world. The one es- , sential condition is that these dollars shall j have and retain an equal acceptability and ; value in all commercial transactions. His further remarks upon this head are , but illustrative. . j Concerning regulations of elections: In my last annual message to Congress, I ; ; said: “I must yet entertain the hope that It is

possible to secure a calm, patriotic consideration of such constitutional or statutory changes as may be necessary to secure the choice of the officers of the Government to the people by fair apportionments and free elections. I believe it would be possible to constitute a commission, non-partisan in its membership, and composed of patriotic, wise, and impartial men, to whom a consideration of the questions of evils connected with our election systems and methods might be committed with a good prospect of securing unanimity in some plan for removing or mitigating those evils. The constitution would permit the selection of the commission to be vested In the Supreme Court if that method would give the best guaranty of Impartiality. This commission should be charged with the duty of inquiring into the whole subject of the law of elections as related to the choice of officers of the National , Government, with a view to securing to every elector a tree and unmolested exercise of the suffrage and as near an approach to an equality of value in each ballot cast as is attainable. The demand that the limitations of suffrage shall be found in the ballot, and only there, is a just demand and no just man should resent or resist it. It seemed to me tha t an appeal to our people to consider the question of readjusting our legislation upon absolutely fair non-partisan lines might find some effective response. Many times I have had occasion to say that laws and election methods, designed to give unfair advantages to the party making them, would some time be used to perpetuate In power a faction of a party against a will of the majority of the people. Os this we seem to have an illustration in the recent State election in Alabama. The situation in Alabama is revewied at length, and the President says: I I shall again urge upon Congress that pro- ; vision be made for the appointment of a nonpartisan commission to consider the subject of apportionments and elections in their relation to the choice of federal officers. Mr. Harrison expresses himself as thoroughly satislied with the civil service system. Upon the education question he .says: I The approval so heartily given by the conI vention to all those agencies which contribute to the education of the children of the land was worthily bestowed and meets my hearty approval, as does also'the declaration as to liberty of thought and conscience and the separation of church and state. The safety of a republic is an intelligent citizenship and the increased interest manifested in the States in education. The public-school system, howi ever, was not intended to restrain the natural right of the parent, after contributing to the public-school fund, to choose other educai tional agencies for his children. I favored aid by the general government to the publio schools, with a special view to the necessities of some of the Southern States. But it is gratifying to notice that many of these States are, with commendable liberality, developing their school systems and increasing their school revenues to the great advantage of the children of both races. The considerate attention of the farmers of the whole country is invited to the work done through the State and Agricultural Departments in the interest of agriculture. Then is shown how, by inspection of our meats, the markets of several European countries were opened to our products. The President strongly advocates the Nicaragua Canal. Os the foreign policy, he says: It has been the purpose of the administration to make Its foreign policy not a matter of partisan politics but of patriotism and naMonal honor; and l have very great gratification in being able to state that the Democratic members of the Committee^on Foreign Affairs responded In a true American spirit, and I frankly confess my obligation for needed cooperation. They did not regard a patient but firm insistance upon American rights and upon Immunity from Insult and injury for our clti zens and sailors in foreign ports as a policy of ■irritation and bluster. They did not believe as some others seem to believe, that to be a Democrat one must take the foreign side of every internation question if a Republican. I do not believe that a tame submission to insult and outrage by any nation at the hands of any other can ever form the basis of a lasting friendship—the necessary element of mu* tual respect will be wanting. The Chilian incident, now so happily and honorably adjusted, will I do not doubt, place i brave peonle upon a more friendly basw than ever bef6re. Tn our relations with the er-p.it H^MroTltTitSKTrnallko perloa h»ve • imporant treaties and commercial agreements I been concluded, and never before, I am sure, ' have the honor and Influence, national and I commerial. of the United States been held in 1 higher estimation in both hemispheres. The Union soldiers and sailors are now veterans of time as well as of war. The parallels of age have apppoached close to the citadels of life, and the end, for each, of a brave and honI orable struggle is not remote. Increasing in- ; firmity and years give the minor tones of sadness and pathos to the mighty appeals of seri vice and suffering. The ear that does not 11si ten with sympathy and the heart that does i not respond with generosity axe the ear and heart of an alien and not of an American. , Now, soon again the surviving veterans are to parade upon the great avenues of the national i capital, and every tribute of honor and love ! should attend the march, A comrade In the i column of the victors’ parade in 1865, I am not I less a comrade now. The necessity for a careful discrimination ' among the immigrants seeking our shores be- • comes every day more apparent. We don’t want and should not receive those who by reason of bad character or habit are not wanted at home. The industrious and self-respecting, the lovers of law and liberty, should be discriminated from the pauper, the criminal, and the anarchist, who come only to burden and i disturb our communities. Every effort lias been made to enforce the laws and some convictions have been secured under the contract--- ! labor law. The general condition of our country is one of great prosperity. The blessing of God has ' rested upon our fields and upon our people. The annual value of our foreign commerce has i increased more than S4CO,OOO,t'X) over the aver- , I age for the preceding ten years, and more than $21u,000,000 over 18£.O, the last year unaffected ■ j by the new tariff. Our exports In 1892 exceed- । ed those of 18!;0 by more than $172,000,000 and the annual average for ten years by $265,- : €OO,OOO. Our exports of breadstuffs increased over those of 1890 more than 1 ■ $144,W0,000, of provisions over $4,000,C00, and of * manufactures over $8,900.0) 0. The merchandise I balance of trade in our favor in 1892 was $202,I 944,342. No other nation can match the comi mercial progress which those figures disclose. Our compassion may well co out to these I whose party necessities and habits still compel them to declare that our people are op- ' j pressed and our trade restricted by a protective tariff. ’ j In closing, the President decries the

All V 4. V/ JL X V o ICI V 11 U V 4 V V 1 I LXI ’J policy of change advocated by the Democrats. He says: A change in the personnel of a national administration is of comparatively little moment. If those exercising public functions are able, honest, diligent, and faithful, others possessing all these qualities may be found to take their places. But changes in the laws and in administrative policies are of great moment. When public affairs have been given a direction and business has adjusted itself to those lines any sudden change involves a stoppage and new business adjusti ments. If the change of direction is so radical as to bring the commercial turn-table into use thebuiness changes involved are not readi justments, but reconstructions. The Demo- ’ cratic party offers a programme of demolition. The protective policy, to which all i business, even that of the importer, is now adj justed: the reciprocity policy, the new merI chant marine, are all to be demolished—not ’ gradually, not taken down, but blown up. To ! this programme of destruction it has added i one constructive feature, the re-establishment of State banks of issue. The policy of the Republican party is dis- ’ tinctively a policy of safe progression and de- ! velopment—or new factories, new markets and • new ships. It will subject business to no perilous changes, but offers attractive oppor- । tunities for expansion upon familiar lines. Something About Gingerbread. We should be greatly surprised to i see our everyday bread come to our tables tied with yellow and green i ribbons or decorated with golden j stars, but there was a time in England when so simple a thing as i gingerbread was treated in a much : more extraordinary way. In its earlier form gingerbread was simply a bread paste, with ginger and sweeteninff added. A very crude imagination went to work at it, and the market-places were crowded with i gingerbread kings and queens, saints | and roosters, adorned with gilt crowns and scepters, with halos, । i wings, and tails-