The advocate., 1891-07-29

products in India for the use OF England,
while it liberated the people Of Great Brit
ain from paying tribute TO the farmers of
tho United States, You might be better
able to appreciate the desire Of the farmers
to raise the price Of silver IL you had taken
into consideration the fact chat the surplus
product which they cell to Europe deter
mines the price Of all they produce, and
that they are compelled 80 sell in the Euro
pean market in competition with the Asiat-
los, who produce on a silver basis, while
they are required to use gold in their pro-
duCtion. The Asiatics receive the same
amount Of their money, and little more,
than they did before the demonstration Of
silver, while the American farmer receives
about 30 per cent. less of the money Of the
United States than he did while both gold
and silver were coined without disCrimina-
tion against either.
Are the farmers unreasonable in ObjeCting
TO the demonstration of silver which placed
them at 80 great a disadvantage in COmpe-
tition with the cheap labor of Asia2 Why
should they be compelled to compete under
such circumstances with the cheap labor Of
Asiatics, while the manufacturer is pro-
tected from competition with the labor Of
Europe2 Why should the farmers be COM
PEELED TO sell in a foreign market, made
cheap by legislation Of Congress, and at the
same time compelled TO buy in market
protected from competition by a high
tariff.
Do you see nothing unfair in stating that
the producers Of silver bullion demand that
the United States shall buy silver at $1.29
per ounce when its market price is only
about 81? Are you ignorant of the fact
that no such demand was ever made, but,
ON the contrary, that the silver miners pro-
test against the purchase Of silver as COM
modify at any priCe9 II you are, will in
form you that the demand is that silver
shall DO coined at the mints of the United
States upon the same terms and conditions
which apply to the coinage Of gold. The
government does not buy gold. It..COins it
for the owner of the bullion TO furnish
money for the reople. The constitution
makes no distinction between gold and sill
yer in that respect. II authorizes Congress
to coin money. Gold and silver had been
coined as money without restriction for
thousands of years before the constitution
was adopted. The United States followed
the immemorial usage and coined both gold
and silver as money until the passage Of the
mint act in 1873. The demand is that the
coinage of silver shall be resumed, and shat
silver shall no longer be treated as a COM
modify or purchased by the government.
II silver is TO be purchased and coined and
its value is to depend upon promise of re-
demption in gold coin, am unable to ap-
preciate what right the government has to
90 to that expense. If silver is only credit
money, requiring redemption in gold, why
is il better than paper9 It is certainly
more expensive and not more convenient.
Your letter indicates that you have some
feeling or prejudice against the producers
of silver. Why is that2 What injury have
they done you or the government They
are daring and enterprising American citi-
zens from every state in the union. By
their courage, perseverance and sacrifices
they have developed the resources Of vast
region formerly regarded as an inhOSpitable
and uninhRbitable waste. They have made
it possible for numerous railroads 70 traverse
the continent. They have furnished en-
ployment to hundreds Of thousands Of hon.
est laborers. They have furnished market
for the product of the skill and industry of
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