The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-06-21

though want any more of it, for the
following reasons:
When prices began to advance. the
prices of the articles we consumed
went up a great deal faster than tho
prices of our produce and labor, and
when prices began to go down pro-
duce aud labor were the first to fall
Consequently the poor man was left
behind each time.
This is the history Of all the fluctu-
atoms in the markets. The poor man
catches the hardest end every time.
When a merchant having a stock of
goods on hand finds there is a raise
in prices, as a rule he marks up all
his goods, but on the other baud
when there is fall, he holds up the
prices of bis goods as long as he can.
Not so with labor, for it comes up last
and goes down first.
1 meant to have said that hands, at
the time spoke of, were very scarce
and work was plenty, and you can
see, by comparing the prices of to-day
with those 1 have given you, that the
laboring men at present can buy
much more with his labor than he
could then.
Aagain. During such times as 1
speak of there is enjendered, among
all parties, spirit of speculation.
Every farmer wants all the steers he
can see and all the land that joins
him. Consequently he goes in debt
freely and when prices recede. which
they must ultimately do. he is caught
in the squeeze and goes under and
then he hOwls Calamity, and wants
more money, and no wonder he does.
During flush times men are eneour-
aged to run in debt, but, on the con-
trary, when hard times strike them
they begin to struggle to get out.
Since the hard times there has been
more debts paid, more mortgages re-
deem ed and the farmers are in bet
ter condition today than they have
ever been before, and feel like MAX
ing the assertion that the present
hard times have been a blessing to
many of us, for they have taught us
VIII ere we were and opened our eyes
to the fact that we were trying to do
toe much business on borrowed mon-
ey, and also that the laboring man of
today, who has steady employment
can live better, have more of the lux
uries and comforts of life and work
fewer hours than he could during the
goOG times at the close of the war.
Then again they say, ave need |
more money" Did we have more |
money in '64 and 5, or not? My reco-
lection was that there was about SO
per capita which was only worth |
about 40 or 80 cents on the dollar
which, reducing it to present values,
would be only about $3.50 to So.
Gold and silver were entirely I'M
known and out of circulation, so they
did not count anything and all the
medium was greenbacks
and fractional currency. OF the frac-
tional currency 1t was reported that
a bout ] was counterfeit. After silver
and before the govern
ment issued the fractional currency
all the chrnge we had was postage
stamps and individual shin-plasser,
that would not circulate only at home.
If you wanted to travel you had to
stop every little while and exchange
those you had for those farther ahead
or loose them entirely.
The Republican party has given US
the best money, the safest money and
the most complete financial system of
any in the world, and why can we
not be satisfied with 1t?
1t is my humble opinion that if we
as people would let well enough
alone and quit tinkering with the tar
iff and finance, so that the people
would know just what to depend up
Oh, there would be no reason to com
plain. There is one thing very evil
dent and that is that all the late
changes in our laws on this subject
have been detrimental.
What would like, Mr.. Editor, and
what care most for is not any more
money in circulation, but more to sell
hat will bring me the money, and a
pocket book that will not leak so
readily at the top.
In conclusion let me say to the
young men of today that the world
yves you living but you must get
Up and rustic for it or you won't get :
your share. Yours Truly,
G. II. OSBORN.