Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-08-03
THEY WANT SILVER.
An Urgent Appeal nom the Minors
Of Montana


The leading citizens Of rutte, Mont,
held n mass meeting on the evening Of
July %, to discuss the silver question.
Prominent free coinage advocates were
present and addressed the nsscmblage.
and the following address, prepared by
the Free Coinage association, was
unanimously adopted:
"The citizens Of the state Of Montana, in
sending forth 10 their fcllow-ctixcns through
out the union this appeal against what they
sincerely believe to be an existing wrongof
cruel proportions, and Tor q redress Of that
wrong. desire first 10 extend the assurance TO
oil who may difer from them IN opinion that
despite 'he disastrous conditions which at this
moment surround them. despite tho fact that
now idle and labor unemployed notwlthstand-
ing that ther property values hav0 been largely
destroyed and their credit greatly impaired,
they are to-day, as they have ever been in Mo
past loyal citizens OF the republic, devoted to
its institutions, obedicnt 10 It's laws, loving and
cherlshing its traditions and history, and proud
OF It's magnificent achievements.
''Wc assert with all sincerity that although ~
directly aud most iniuriously nnecta one OF our
principal industries. and one that has formed
In q great part tho basis Of our prosperity, we
yet would not advocate the full recognition and
ItuAVIhNlou VI hAlNtI AH luNutN NAQ We lOA SUI
emnly believe that such policy would rebound
% the happiness and welfare OF the great mass
OF producers and toilerg OF tho land, and 10 the
Increased prosperity OF the nation We place
our demand for the free coinage OF silver at the
ratio OF sixteen to one OF gold audits full equip.
ment with all money functions equally with
gold, upon the sifnp.s plan OF Justice. In sup
port OF the plan we assert, and to this assor-
tion We challenge contradiction, that Tor cen
turics, and before legislation undertook TO con
troll and direct its action and movement silver
maintained It's parity with gold with but slight
variation, and despite the wide divergence in
the ratio OF production which frequently exist.
ed In 1910 England demoneuzcd silver She
was even then the creditor nation Of the world,
and her financlers forcsaw that this policy
would enhance the value OF gold and rendeS
Il harder for other nations to pay her what
they owed For nearly sixty years thereafter
France, the Latin union ard tho United
States maintained the parity OF the two
metals. In 1871 Germany, flushed with
her victory over France and her treasury
fiied with Frances ransom OF ti.0000Oo,oJ
In gold. determined TO demonetize silver.
Uncle sam Demonetizes silver.
I'm 1879 the United States, the greatest pro
ducer Of silver OF all tho nations following the
course marked out by Germany, struck the sil
yer dollar from our coinage laws In 1873, tho
Latin union, deprived OF the support OF the
United States and Germany, stopped the coin.
ago OF silver In 1872 Austria abandoned silver
and f. striving unsucccssfully 10 get upon gold
basis Within the past month England, taxing
advantage Of the depression existing all over
the world, has struck silver last savage blow
by closing the mints OF India TO the coinage OF
silver on private account
Demands OF the West.
This briefly told, Is the history OF silver
legislation during the past seventy-soven years.
II proves couclusiyciy that legislation Is d.
recuy responsible for the destruction OF silver
rs money. We therefore ask in the name OF
simple justice that legislation now restore 10 Ia
its rightful place IN the currency Of our country
We state, without fear OF contradiction, that
the oct OF 1873 which struck down silver, was
passed without due deliberation. The record
shows tAat the great majority Of the members
OF both branches Of congress did NJ: know that
the bill thon under consideration contained
such clause. Such statements Of Garfield,
Voorhees,. Blaine, and many others, are upon
the records OF their respective houses emphat-
icaIly denying any knowledge OF that provision
OF the act SO that we charge that II was Cons
without discussion or debate either IN congress
through the press, or upon the platform There
fore IL was a great wrong because Il was done
without notice and without any demand from
and by the people, and its operation was Injured
only 70 the nroht and benefit Of the holders Of
our bonds and the lenders OF gold.
Appeal to the Agricultural Glasses.
1--WE most earnestly appeal TO the agrcul
tural classes OF our country and beg them "a
look into the history Of silver legislation and
the frightfui consequences which have fol
lowed the a Jf 1874 We call upon Ia. N 10
mark the STEADY and constant decline IN price OF
nearly all farm provisions, notably wheat and
cotton, which has followed the characterization II
silver. We invite them 10 close inspection u
the processes through which (by reason oi
the making OF silver a mere commodity Eng
land has been able TO bring the farmers Of ihs
United states into direct competition with n,
wheat and cotton growers Of India We cal
their attention 10 the significant fact that ihi
three. products, viz. silver, wheat and cotton
have about kept pace with each other In thei
headlong fell, each touching its highest ans
lowest point together. We assert that u,
falling on In prices of farm products IS a direc
result Of the characterization Of silver, and IN
consequent contraction OF volume Of good me
tallic money. A careful study OF these fact
should. VT aflrm, mako every farmer In thi
broad land an ardent advocate Of the cause o
free silver.
ave charge that the act demoneuziag silve
was almost equivalent TO an aetlcyying a direc
tax upon the wheat and cotton growers and sil
yer miners Cf the country equal 70 from 20 70 5
per cent Of their product annually for the ben
eff OF the bondho.ders and money dealers; 10
such an effect has been It's unseen and insdiou
operation We further affirm ;haf the coz
.INntiy lowering prices OF the staple farm prod
= OF the land has IN turn served 10 curiai
r ducuon, 70 restrict growth and 70 discour
age new enterprises, thus diminishing tho hei
and decreasing the demand for labor 70 the dei
riment OF the working classes OF the land An
10 these evils, already so general and far reach
| Ing, the enemies Of silver money are now seek
ing 70 add the further wrong Of totally desiroyin
| great industry and throwing out OF employ
ment hundreds Of thousands OF men 10 whom III
loss Of work means the destruction Of thei
homes and poverty and suffering for them
selves. their wives and children-
sherman Law Not blamed.
~we donounce as wholly absurd and absolute
| ly false the charge that the Sherman act Is re
/ sponsible for the present financial dificultie
which oyerwhelm the land We admit that IA
false cry raised against silver by the gold me
al time when panic threatened has create
prejudice against the silver among the intei
/ ested and uniformed, bur we emphatically al
sert that the outflow Of gold during the pas
few days is due solely and only 20 the fact tha
/ the balance Of trade has during tina period bee
/ against US nearly 800, ,000OO0 We say that ha
there been no silver law In existence the gO
would have left us just the same Any chill
can understand that as gold Is the money wit
/ which international balances are settled, II NJ
as nation buy more goods than we sell "
must ship out our gold 10 pay the dinerenes
| Australia rs passing through a panic that cJ
eocds our own in the depression OF values on
the amount Of insolvency. bui Australia has n
sherman law. To what then are the fnancin
dinicuities in that continent 70 be ascrlbedf
Cost In Producing Silver.
"We deny as wholly unfoundod the statsmen
so often made that silver can be produced al 4
cents or less an ounce Such assertions prov
nothing except the ignorance Of the person
making them We make the statement, base
upon practical knowledge acquired In gold an