People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-08-04
1.-THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY"
A ROusing Populist Editorial Under
the Above Caption from the
San Francisco Chronicle.

The VOICE is in receipt Of copy
of the San Francisco Chronicle of
July >, sent by Charley Welch, con-
tanning an editorial that would do
credit to thorough POpulist paper.
Let it be understood by the reader
that this paper is the leading Repub-
lican paper on the Pacific coast. It
is edited by VI. T. DeYoung, who
was prominently mentioned as the
successor Of Senator Leland Stand
ford, and who doubtless would have
been appointed had the people been
consulted instead Of the corporations.
rs it was the governor appointed one
Perkins, member Of the firm of
GOodal, Perkins & Co., corporation
which controls the transportation
along the coast. He has no requisites
for the place, so the press dispatches
inform us, save that he is a million
aire and can contribute 100000 to
to the campaign fund when it is
wanted, When such lights in the
Republican party are speaking cut in
such thunder tones would it not be
well for the many patriotic, liberty
loving people who still adhere to the
Old party, to pause and consider well
the issues that confront us as a ma
tion? We wish that everyone might
read this in full and give it the study
that it should command. Certainly
such concession from individuals in
the belligerent camp ought to have
weight with all reasoning men:
The act of congress which surrepti-
tiOuSly demonetized silver has been
aptly called the crime of 1873" The
broader conspiracy of which that in
famous measure was an incident.
might be properly termed the crime
of the century. When considered
with reference to its influence upon
the commerce and production of the
world, no event has been so impor-
tant, so far reaching or so disastrous
IN It's consequences as the mOnOmetal-
llc movement. We Gall it conspir-
acy and a crime, but leaving such
terms aside, il was, at all events. and
Is, a bold and deliberate scheme of
the bankers and of the creditor class
of England, aided by their service
able agents in New York to force the
world to pay all debts and to measure
all values in gold alone. The result
has been the most StupendouS robbery
ever affected: it has brought the peo.
pie OF several of the nations to the
verge OF universal bankruptcy.
Whatever may be the true scien-
titic monetary system of the future.
the practical and actual medium of
exchange throughout the civilized
world has been and is coin of the
precious or monetary metals. that is
gold and silver. For centuries and
ages the commerce and industries of
the world have been controlled and
directed by means Of such money.
1t has been the ultimate measure or
meaSurer of all values. All final bal.
anceS in international commerce
have been adjusted and settled in
coin metal; not in gold, as the adyO-
Gates of the single standard insist.
out IN the coin metals. gold and sill
yer. This has been and still is So
simply because these two preciOus
substances have a universal value SO
that all people in all lands have been
willing to take them at fixed rate.
such rate or value has been deter
mined by the volume or amount of
the monetary systems in existence as
compared to the aggregate wealth
Of the world. When these metals
from one cause or another. have de-
creased, their purchasing power has
increased and vice versa. The de-
StructiOn of One-half of the money
metal of the world would mean the
reduction by one-half of the price or
value, when measured by the money
metals, of the accumulated
wealth of the world. Hence the
movement Of the bankers and credit
or class, of which we are speaking. 10
force the nations to the single stan.
dard Of gold. The metallic money of
the world is about half gold and half
silver. By demOnetizing Silyer-retir-
ing 1t as a money metal-they hone
to double the relative exchange value
or purchasing power of the gold. in
which the debts held by them must
be paid. The scheme has succeeded
so far that prices, in all countries
where gold is the standard. have
shrunk by more than thirty-six per
cent. This means simply that cold
has appreciated that much. for the
Iali OF prices and the appreciation of
the standard for the measurement of
prices are precisely the same thing.
The movement for the general de-
mOnetiZati0n OF silver has actually
increased the relative value of the
debts held in England against the
rest of the world by thousands Of mil
lions of dollars. 1t has been eSti-
mated hat the income derived by the
British holders Of foreign securities
and debts is in excess of 500. .OOO 900
annually. This represents capital
iZation Of $4,000, 100000. The appre-
citation Of,gold by 30 per cent has in.
creased the relative value Of these
debts tOthat extent and impoverished
the debtor class throughout the world
in the same proportion.
But this is not the worst OF the
evil. While the securities and debts.
which represent just 50 much gold
have vastly appreciated 10 value as
compared 10 ali other things Of value
except gold or its equivalent, the 9th
on mo- . 4. g a.. ,~-aI.IE H.