The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-08-05
THEY WANT SILVER.
An Urgent Appeal nom tho Miners
Of Montana.
xhe Agricultural Glasses Ara warnsa Of
the Depreciation Of Their Prod
ucts-Ths History Of Silver
Lagislatlon.

The leading citizens of Butte, Mont,
Aeld mass meeting on the evening of
July %, to discuss the silver question.
Prominent free coinage advocates were
present and addressed the assemblage,
and the following address, prepared by
the Free Coinage association, was
unanimously adopted:
"Thc citizens Of the state OF Montana, in |
sending forth to their fellow-citizens through |
,ut the union this appeal against what they |
stncerely believe to be an existing wrong OF |
Wuel proportions, and for redress OF that |
wrong, desire first to extend the assurance to |
Afl who may differ from them in opinion that, |
despite the disastrous conditions which at this |
moment surround them; despite the fact that |
many Of their mines and mills and smelters are |
now idle and labor unemployed; notwithstand- |
Ink that their property values have been largely
destroyed and their credit greatly impaired,
they arc to-day, as they have ever been In the
past loyal citizens Of the republic, devoted to
It, institutions, obedent to its laws, loving ana
eherishing its traditions and history, and proud
OF Its magnificent achievements.
1--WE assert with oil sincerity that although IL
directly and most injuriously affects one OF our
principal industries, and one that has formed
In great part the basis of cur prosperity we
yet would not advocate the full recognition and
restoration Of silver rs money did we not SOL
emnly believe that such o policy would rebound
OF producers and toilers Of tho land and to 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 simple plan OF justice In sup
port Of the plan we assert, and to this asser-
hon We challenge contradiction, that for CEN
turics, and before legislation undertook to con-
troi and direct its action and movementSsilver
maint9incd Its parity with gold with but slight
variation, and despite the wide divergence In
the ratio OF production which frequently exist.
ed In 1915 England demonetized silver. She
was even then the creditor patton Of the world,
and her flnanciers foresaw that this policy
would enhance tho value OF gold end rende:
1t harder for other nations to pay her what
they owed. For nearly sixty years thereafter
France, the Latin union and the United
States maintained the parity OF the two
metals. In 1871 Germany, flushed with
her victory over France and her treasury
alled with Frances ransom of 81 900, ,000,0 900
In gold. determined to demoneuze silver.
Uncle Sam Demonetizcs silver.
I'm 1873 ,he United States, the greatest pro
1ucer Of silver Of all the nations following the
course marked out by Germany, struck tho sill
yer dollar from our coinage laws In 1875. the
Latin union, deprived OF the support OF the
United States and Germany, stopped the coin
age of silver. In 1892 Austria abandoned silver
and Is striving unsuccessfuNy to get upon gold
advantage Of the depression existing oil over
the world has struck silver Q 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 tho history Of silver
legislation during the past seventysev years.
It proves concusively that legislation Is d.
feotly responsible for the destruction Of silver
Is money We therefore ask in the name Of
simple jus tice that legislation now restore 1t to
its rightful place in the currency Of our country
We state, without fear OF contradiction that
the act OF 1873 which struck down silver, was
Vassed without duo deliberation. The record
shows that the great majority Of the members
OF both branches Of congress did not know that
tho bill then under consideration contained
Such q clause. Such statements Of Garfield
Voorhees,. Blaine, andh many others, arc upsn
tho records Of their respective houses emphnt-
lcally denying any knowledge Of that provision
Of the act So that we charge that 1t was done
without discussion or debate either in congress,
through the press, or upon the platform There
fore 1t was great wrong because it was done
without notice and without any demand from
and by the people, and its operation was Injured
only to the profit and benefit of the holders Of
eur bonds and the lenders Of gold.
Appeal to the Agricultural Glasses.
"We most earnestly appeal to the agricul-
tural classes OF ourscountry and beg them TO
look into the history Of silver legislation and
lowed the act Of 1879. We call upon them to
mark the steady and constant decline in price OF
nearly all farm provisions notably wheat and
cotton, which has followed the decentralization OF
silver. We invite them to close inspection OF
the processes through which (by reason OF
the making of silver nero commodity Eng.
land has been able to bring tho farmers of the
United States into direct competition with the
wheat and cotton growers of India. We coll
their attention to the significant fnct TINT the
three. products, viz: silver, wheat and cotton
have about kept pace with each other in their
headlong fall, each touching its highest and
lowest point together We assert that the
falling OF In prices Of farm products is dlrect
result OF the dcmonetization OF silver, and the
consequent contraction OF volume of good me
talltc money. A careful study Of these facts
should. we af1lrm, mako every farmer In this
broad land an ardent advocate Of the cause oi
free silver.
"We charge that the act demonetizing silver
was almost equivalent to an act levying direct
taX upon the wheat and cotton growers and sill
yer miners of the country equal TO from 30 to 8,
per cent Of their product annually for the ben
eat Of the bondholders and money dealers; fol
such an effect has been its unseen and insidioui
operation. We further afiirm that the con
stantly lowering prices OF the staple farm prod
ucts OF the land has IN turn served to curtni
production. TO restrict growth and 70 discour
age new enterprises. thus diminishing the felt
4 and decreasing the demand for labor to the det
fiment of the working classes Of the land Ant
TO these evils, already 30 general and far reach
ing, the enemies of silver money are now seek
ng 70 add the further wrong Of totally destroyinI
.great industry and throwing out OF employ
ment hundreds Of thousands ofmen to whom tn
loss Of work means the destruction OF theil
homes and poverty and suffering for them
selves, their wives and children.
Sherman Law Not Blamed.
1--WE denounce rs wholly absurd and absolute
iy false the charge that the Sherman act is re
spunsible for the present financial difncultie
which overwhem the land. We admit that III
false cry raised against silver by the gold me-
at . time when . panic 'threatened has create
prejudice against the silver among the inter
eyted and uninformed, but we cmphatically AZ
sert that the outflow of gold during the pas
few days is due solely and only to the fact tina
the balance Of trade has during that period bee
against US nearly tI00, 100000 We say that ha
there been no silver law In existence tho gOl
would have loft US just tho same. Any chill
can understand that as gold IL the money wit
which International balances are settled. II W
- 3 nation buy more goods than we sell W
must ship out our gold to pay the difierenc,
Australia IL passing through . panic that o,
ceeds our own In the depression Of values an
the amount of insolvency. but Australia has n
Sherman law. To what then are the tinanci,
dinAculties In that continent to be ascribeds
Cost In Producing silver.
I'VE deny ~ wholly unfounded :he stXtemsr
20 often made that silver car be produced ~
eents or less an ounce. Such assertions prov
uothing except the ignorance OF the person
making them. We make the statement, bsse
upon prscticaf knowledge acquired In gold On
silver mining running over . period OF man
years. thAe every ounce Of silver produced In II
United StnteS has cost more than q. - o.