The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-03-02
AND CROPS.
ARGUMENTS OF THE EMONOMET-
ALLiSTS REPUTED.
Omcial Figures Which Show That the
RECOMMENDATION Of silver Is in the In
ferest of the Farmcr-let Politicians
Talk, Here Arc the Facts.
Figures That Speak.


Silver was demonetizel in 1873.
Monometallists argue that this could
not seriously affect our money circu-
lation because silver was not being
very extensively coined at that time
But silver was one of the standard,
legal money metals, equal before the
law with gold at the ratio of Is to l.
Indeed, it was our legal standard of
value, and Mt the above ratio was at
premium over gold. Thus the amount
of gold and the amount of silver con-
stltuted the country's available money
OF final redemption, whether the
metals were being actually coined or
not.
The act of 1873 left gold only rs the
measure Of the amount of our money of
final redemption. This could not but
increase the Importance and advance
the value of gold. As the value of gold
advanced, the value of everything
measured by gold mus, of course. cor
respondingly diminish. In TIE latter
respect alone was where the change
was seen, for business still called the
given gold coin dollar, but ceased to
call the given quantity of everything
else o dollars worth, but from year to
year added more and more to that
given quantity of products and prop
erty to make it dollars worth. Or,
as was done in trade. gave less and less
than dollar for what had formerly
been dollars worth.
Thus transactions continued until
1878, when silver vas partially remon-
etized by what was known as the
Bland bill. This, says the Progressive
Farmer, partially restored silver to is
former position Us n metal for money of
final redemption. Almost Immediately
the products Of labor advanced in
money value, only to recede again as
the partial restoration reached its
limit.
I'm proof Of the above we refer to the
report of the United States Commis-
sioner of Agriculture for 1879, the
year after the partial restoration. See
page 1913. The average price of wheat
for 1873 was 7S cents per bnshel; for
1879 it was Sill, gain of 33 cents on
the bushel. The total wheat crop of
1879 was 44S, 1856, 900 bushels. The
partial remonetization of silver in 1873
was therefore worth to the wheat
growers in 1879, s14S, ,Os9. .4SO.
We are aware this increase of price
is not thus accounted for by the gold
bugs. They would have the farmers
believe there was a less production or
a greater demand for wheat in 1879
than in 1878. Neither is true. The
wheat crop of 1878 was 42O. 122, 400
T. @f
448 756, 900 bushels. an excess over
1873 of of %, 633. 600 bushels. And
there was greater demand.
The price of corn in 1878 before the
remonetization of silver was 31.S cents
per bushcl. In 1879, the next year
after the reconciliation, it was 3?.5
cents per bushel, all increase of 81
cents.
The total corn crop of 1879 was
1,547, ,9O1,OO bushels. Hence the
partial reconciliation of silver in 1878,
was worth to the corn growers in the
United States in 1879, sSS, 23O, ,357. It
cannot be claimed that there was an
underproduction in 1879 to enhance
the price, for the commissioners re-
port at the top of page 12S says: "The
out-turn of the crop, however, showed
it to be the largest ever produced y
And vet 1t was worth 81 cents more
on the bushel because gold had been
knocked down point by the partial
reconciliation OF silver.
Oats in 1873, before it was time to
feel the effect of the Bland Bill, was
worth "a cents per bushel. In 1879,
after the Bland law had gone into
operation, the average price of oats was
33 cents per bushel, gain of 9 cents
on each bushel. The total crop OF
1879 was 1863, 761, 900 bushels. The
oat growers, therefore, gained in 1879,
s32, 73S, 400 by the enactment Of the
Bland law only partially remonetizing
silver.
Here on three products in one year
we fnd to the farmers by the partial
RECOMMENDATION of silver, as follows:
Wheat. VI " Oa9. 46(
Torn Corn ss3S - ~ 70;
Total sI9 0 g 81,
These are official figures from the
book and page above quoted, and with
them before him, We do not see how
Soh oPt'O''Cs VI NC Ai"AhCA
ent to the remonetiza ion Of silver
Farmers, let politicians say what they
please, let presidents say what the,
please, here is your interest. Dare
you stand up for it?
But some may ask, why did price.
again turn downward with the Blanc
law still in force? Because the au
thorities at Washington, after the tirs
year, dishohOred silver in every wa,
and held gold to he supreme, ever
paying silver obligation in gold, thus
nullifying the legal tender quality O
silver and again enhancing the value
of gold.
On these propositions We defy th'
goldite world.
People, honest, between God ant
man and home, Which side are You on
Uncle Sans Debts.
The information relative to the stat
of the treasury called for by Chairman
Springer on behalf of the Sub-com
mittee on Ways and Means, appointe,
to investigate the national finances
woc cont IN Mr. SnrinVor An oyami