The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-08-22
FIsK'S ADVICE TO TEXAS AND
OTHER SOUTHERN STATES.
DENVER, Col.

MY DEAR SIR:-I have noticed your
call for State convention for the pur
pose OF taking action to influence farm
less cotton the coming season, and also
to vary their crops. Diversified crops
would undoubtedly be of great advan
tage not only to Texas, but all portions
of the South. But it seems to me that
you have not struck the real cause of
the decline in cotton. In my judg-
ment it is not overproduction. In fact
overproduction has nothing whatever
to do with it.
In 1873, when silver was demone
tized, cotton ranged. and had for years
previous thereto, from Is to 20 cents
per pound. With silver restored to its
ancient right Of coinage, cotton would
go to 16 cents a pound, even if we
raised twelve million bales instead of
nine million. Let me see if I cannot
demonstrate that fact. Silver was de
monetized at the instigation of the gold
lords of the Old World, for the purpose
of running the farming interests of
America; that was their avowed pur-
pose and all the leading European
statesmen have so declared on various
occasions since, so there can be no
doubt Of the opinion of the statesmen
and fnanciers of the Old World, that
this is correct. That certainly is the
judgment of every we'll informed man
in the United States as we'll as Europe
The gold lords have juggled this money
question until they are now robbing
the producers of this nation of 81 ,25O,-
100000 every year. That was made
possible by the act of that arch-traitor,
John Sherman. He smuggled through
Congress the bill which demOnetized
silver, and it was never known in this
country until Gen. A. J. Warner, who
happened to be in London two years
later, in )nversation with the officers
of the Bank Of England, they men
toned the fact that silver had been
demonetiz9d in the United States :
Alarmed at this statement, he asked if
it were true and they informed him
that such was the case.
By bribery and corrupt practices, by
a subsidy of the metropolitan papers
in the United States, they have pre-
vented the people from restoring silver
ever since. Silver is purchased in New
York or London at 83 cents, coined
into rupees at ratio of Is to 1, and it
Immediately receives a purchasing
power of 81 81, with which they buy
wheat, corn and cotton in India. The
difference between IS cents and ST. 81
is the difference in price on all the
products Of this country. With silver
restored, the Indian rupee would cost
The British merchant Al and 4 9ths
cents instead Of 281 cents And India
would cost ] times A and 9ths cents
bushel, or 50 would be the cost of
wheat laid down in Liverpool. This
applies to cotton and all other products
exported from this country.
Before the demonstration of silver,
India was not competitor in the
wheat trade, but as silver bullion de-
clined, the trade of India increased,
until it now exports nearly eighty mil
lion bushels Of wheat each year.
Neither was India a factor in the cot
ton trade, but she now practically con
trolls the China market, and enough
cotton goes to London to force down
the price of our cotton. India now
supplies more than 800, 900, 900 worth
of cotton annually, more than one
third of the value of the cotton crop
of the United States in 1892. There
fore, it is morally certain that with
silver restored, the United States
could produce nine million, four
hundred thousand bales Of cot
ton at a market price of not
less than 16 cents per pound.
Therefore, it seems to me that what
should engage the attention of the peo-
pie of Texas, is the restoration of silver.
The force bill or the bloody shirt is not
going to hurt you; they are simply
scare crows put forth by the gold trust,
with the avowed purpose of enslaving
you.
Both of the old parties belong abso
lutely to the gold trust, and you want
to say to them that if they expect your
support hereafter, they must come out
fairly and squarely on the free coinage
platform, otherwise you will vote for
some candidate who stands on such a
platform. That is the position that
the producers of the nation must take,
Il