The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-09-25

INTO the eyes OIL SIIN0H
silver Democrats to blind them suH'
GENTLY long to permit a particular cleo
ton to be held and to secure their votes
for that election. If those conventions
favored the free coinage of silver by
the United States at the ratio of 16 to ]
without regard to the policies of foreign
governments, the English language is
sufficiently copious to enable them to
say so. The repeal of the act of 1890
for the purchase clause was all there
was of .it-demonstrates more plainly
the position of the Republican as well
as of the Democratic party on the silver
question than any "plank" verinserted
in a platform.
"And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou
in health, my brother9 and he smote
him in the fifth rib"
Those Republicans who still entertain
the idea that their party may take up
the silver cause do not fully under
stand the idea of it's leaders. With the
exceptions which l have noted, all
those leaders are proud to be known
not as national, but as international
hi metalIists. No ''pentup Utica" con
tracts their powers. They propose to
enter into partnership with the govern
ments of Europe in respect to a matter
which the Constitution places solely in
the keeping of our own national legis
lature. The idea they implicitly hold
forth is that the process is very simple;
that nothing is needed but to call con-
ference Of the nations and have the
whole matter arranged to the satisfac-
ton Of the American people. They
are willing to concede that we in this
country may have free coinage of silver
provided we can induce European
money lenders to forego the unjust and
unearned increment which they are
deriving by the persistently appreciat-
ing value of gold.
The leaders of both parties very well
know that there will be no further in
ternational conferences for many a
day that no person in authority here
or else where wishes one called, and
that, if called, such a conference would
accomplish nothing whatever.
Great Britain has had a single gold
standard law on its statute books for
nearly 80 years and does not propose to
adopt bi metallism, though if it did it
would be at a ratio which the silver
using countries would accept-a
ratio not far removed from 80 to 1. Ac-
cording to all political economists Of
repute, the value possessed by any
unit, such as a dollar, will
other things being the same,
upon the number of units or dollars
out. Now, a quantity of silver which
at the present American ratio of Is to
1 would produce $50, OOO, 900 would un-
der the other ratio produce but $685.
900, 600. So that, even leaving out of
account the necessary closing of the
vast majority of silver mines, the
change would enable the creditor classes
the world to accomplish a monetary
contraction greater than was ever
known in the history of time.
A M OF THE BRITISH FRIENDS OF
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT"
The money lenders of Great Britain
DO not propose to concern themselves
in any way with bi, metallism. They
are doing much better under the pres
9nt arrangement. Yet our Republican
leaders pretend to suppose that, al
the b~ondholders and national
bankers Of this country will not permit
Dur government to go to free coinage,
The bondholders and bankers of Great
Britain will permit their government
10 do so. How do the banking classes
IF Great Britain look on the questions
Let me quote from the testimony of
Mr.. Bertram Currie, who is at the head
IF one of the greatest banking houses
ST London, given before the British
'oyal commission on gold and silver
Second Report of Royal Commission,
pages A and 49,:
Question-Do you think that a fall of
prices due to an appreciation of the
,tandard is no evil7
Answer think that a fall of prices
8 no evil.
GA fall of prices due to a cheaper
of commodities would be a
Al ask no questions as a consumer.
4 fall in prices benefits me.
Q-Is it not a fact that, owing to the
ow prices, large tracts of country that
we're formerly p~roftably cultivated in
have 0one ont of o~I1Itiuotion /