The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1892-06-11
banker ana Farmer

The Leader, Belmont, N. Y:-National
Banker Ito FarmerELook here, John,
what do you mean by this free coinage
of silver? Don't you know that it
would be to your disadvantage? Don't
you know that it will make cheap
money, and the man that rs owing you
can pay you with it?
Farmer-Well, yes. but this cheap
money will pay his debts, won't it?
Banker-Why, yes, certainly.
Farmer-Then it will pay my debt to
you, won't it?
Banker-Yes, of course.
Farmer-Ifit is cheaper, can get
more dollars for load of wheat, can't [?
Banker-Yes, Of course, but YOU
Farmer-Well, if this is so, can get
more money for the same amount of
labor, and thus be able to pay more of
my debts with the same amount of
labor. Isn't that so?
Banker-Yes, but don't you see that it
is going to make the bonds payable in
silver or gold, instead Of in gold alone,
and this will depreciatc the value of the
bonds, and thus work great injury to
us capitalists? In fact it would be
robbery!
Farmer-Did not these bonds used to
be payable in silver or gold?
Banker-Y-y-e-s; they-they did before
silver was demonetized.
Farmer-After silver was tlemonetized
they increased in value, didn't they?
Banker-Yes, they were then payable
in gold.
Farmer-How much did it increase
them?
Banker-O, perhaps 25 per cent; and
now don't you see how wrong it would
be to steal our values away from the
bonds by this tomfoolefy about silver?
Farmer-What's the reason for the
decentralization of silver?
Banker-Well. you see we bankers,
that is capi-or, oh, the spectators
wanted-that is we-or, rather they
understand-well. er the fact of the
business is, l really never knew what il
was done for.
Farmer-Well, when it was done it
made dear money, didn't it?
misunderstanding is. yes, I pre-.
sumo it did.
Farmer-Well. if it made dear money
didn't it depreciate the value of my
wheat and corn, and thus depreciate NY
labor2
Banker-Y-y-e-s, b-b-but don't you sec
you could b-b-buy more with the dollar
Farmer-Yes. old boss, but here's whar
I've got We. Hain't got ter get up a
heap earlier in the morning, and plow
and hoe, and drag. and SOW, and dig and
scrape darned sight harder and longer
to git that ar dollar. than do for the
cheap one? And when git my old dew
claws on TO it, b'gosh, l find it won't pay
only about half as many debts as the
cheap one. You see, we hayseeds have
tumbled to your little schemes. VIZ
have found some mighty funny things to
this ere same silver question. VIZ
notice one thing: You old, big, fat, well
dressed fellows can't give us any reason
why silver was demonetized. We kinder
hitch OTTER another snap: That wher
silver was demOnetized it increased the
value Of your bonds about $3OO,OOO,OOO
While it increased the value of all tn,
national securities in proportion, i,
decreased my ability to pay my debts
just one-half, and, of course, as pay my
debts by my labor on my farm, and value
my farm by what it brings me, it de
creased in value in proportion. Mr.. Ban
ker, your scheme of demonetizat
stole $1,500 out of the value of my IS, 5,OO
farm. You don't care who was robbed
on our side of the fence, did youp Ant
you and your kind have been lying t,
and deceiving us critters, and keeping
us blinded to our own interests for fifteel
years. But you can't do it any longer
Good day, sir.