Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-09-01
THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.

THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY.
General James b. Weaver, who was the
Populist candidate for President in 1892.
addressed the farmers at Mount Greatna
Park last week on the financial situation.
His whole speech was devoted to an inco-
herent and illogical defense OF the silver
dollar that is today worth IS cents, and he
insisted that the farmers should demand the
free coinage Of such dollars to assure good
markets for their products and general pros
perity to the country.
Why did not the distinguished speaker
tell the whole truth TO the farmers at Mount
Greatnaf Why did he not say to them tina;
his proposition for the free coinage of silver
at the present standard of is TO with gold,
simply means the robbery of the govern.
ment TO the extent Of As cents on every sill.
yer dollar coined, TO be pocketed by the
silver producers. The entire silver pro-
ducing industry of the country does not
exceed 100000 people, including men, " o.
men and children, and those indirectly in
terested in supplying that industry, while
the farmers Of the country represent the
largest single industry of the continent, and
not only the largest but the poorest paid of
all the great industries Of the country. Why
should the farmers of the country be taxed
to the extent Of Is cents on every silver
dollar that is coined for the benefit of the
very few silver producers. That is the
point that Mr.. Weaver seems to have en-.
tirely overlooked, and 1t is the point that
the farmers of the country are now study.
ing with special care.
II there is any one industry in the coun-
try that is the backbone OF national pros
perity more than another 1t is the agricul-
tural industry. 1t can produce wheat with
profit only when it commands 81 per bushel
10 the market. Why should not the gov
ernment pay the farmers Of the country 81
per bushel for wheat instead of paying a
dollar In legal tender coin to the few silver
producers for every So cents worth of silver
bullion they purchaser If one class of the
land is entitled TO have a market furnished
by the government 10 times of depression, II
is the farmers. They give more labor and
produce more wealth to the nation, with
less compensation, than any other of oul
industrial classes, and there can be no gen
eral prosperity liz the country when they
are not prosperous.
In point of fact, free silver coinage at the
present ratio OF Is to l is simply robbery Of
the government to the extent $45 on every
800 of silver coin issued. There can be nc
other name for it than unmixed robbery
and the farmers are compelled TO pay very
large share Of It, Aud where this robbery
has been paid by the government it Is robbed
solely to destroy its credit and dshonor tn,
name of the Republic In every civilized
nation OF the world. Gen. Weaver's assump
ton that the farmers "don't want money tina
will go abroad is an insult TO their intelli
gence. The dollar that will not go in any
country in the world must be dishones
dollar, and when the farmer Is compelled /,
purchase anything from foreign country
as he is compelled 10 do TO very large ex
text, he must suffer second robbery by hi
deprecated money, and the government
must continue to redeem II indefinitely ant
multiply the robbery every time It is re
deemed.
There would be some excuse for free COLI
age If Gen. Weaver had proposed to tn
farmers to give them an honest silver dollar
In other words, had be proposed that tn
silver producers should be upon exact equa
footing with the farmers, and obtain for thei
product just what it is worth in open maj
ket, he would have proposed honest none
and honest dealing with the government, bu
that is just what the silver cranks do no
want They are simply playing the role O
the demagogue, trusting Ia the ignorance q
the people to sustain them 10 destroying
public aud private credit, and taxing thei
victims for their own folly.