The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-09-04
IMPORTANT.
CHAIRMAN Fl. e. TAUBENECK
REPLIES TO COL. NORTON.

Continued from First Paxe0
which represents the loss in debt and
tax paying power suffered by the cotton
planters by reason of the demonstration
of silver
"a Ike computation with re-
gard to wheat will show a loss in debt
paying and tax paying power Of not less
than $100,000,00 year to the farmers
of the northwest, by reason of the de-
monetization of silver-a total of 81, 700,-
900 900 in the article of wheat alone in
seventeen years"
Again in his speech delivered during
the extra session of congress, in 1898, he
further sustained that the loss sustained
by the wheat and cotton growers Of this
country for the eight years preceding
1893 averaged for wheat 2OO,0OO,O0O and
for cotton 500, 100000 per year, making
total loss of 1,200, 100000 for the four
years following 1889. If we add to this
amount the So, Ill 100000 loss sustained
for the seventeen years previous to 1889,
we have the enormous sum of $4,311 ,O00-
900 which the decentralization of silver
has cost the American farmer on wheat
and cotton only.
Since the minis of India have been
erful competitor as in the past; but this
will not do us any good; South America,
Mexico and other agricultural countries,
with free coinage of silver, will receive
the benefit that India enjoyed up to 1893.
This is strik:ngly illustrated by the in
creased expectation of wheat of Argentine
as stated in report No. 122, pages 759 and
760, of the Department of Agriculture.
In 1893 Argentine exported 502,189 tons
of wheat and for the first seven months
of 1894 673, 573 tons. This is remark
able increase for such a short period
The report continues: Argentine is
attracting great attention in London, and
reports as to the wheat crop are eagerly
scanned It is understood that the crop
just about to be harvested covers an area
exceeding that of last year by GAP, 400
acres"
1t is evident that the silver to be
taken from the American mines will de-
velop the wheat, cotton, wool, beef and
hide industries of Mexico and South
America in the future as it has India's iy
the past Nothing but free and unlimited
coinage of silver in this country will pre-
vent South America, Mexico, China,
Japan and other free coinage nations
from developing their agricultural re-
sources at the expense of the farmers of
the United States.
So long as there is difference between
the coin and bullion value of silver and
the minis of other'uations are open to thd
white metal while ours are closed, our
farmers will be laboring under this dis
advantage.
Don't say that favor banks of issue,
because am opposed to the idea Of
abandoning our silver plank. No one
has better record, than mine, for de-
handing that all the paper money needed
in addition to gold and silver shall be
issued by the government and made a.
full legal tender.
From a political standpoint there isn't
anything we could do (unless it would
be to follow Mr.. Loucks, DR.. McCallin
and others in advocating socialism and
the platform adopted atthe Staten Island
conference), which would more effectively
destroy the Peoples party than to follow
your policy.
Let us look at the situation that con-
fronts us square in the face. We need
at least 100000 more votes to elect
president and congress in 1896. This is
a cold fact. Ask yourself, colonel
Where are they to come from? You
know that we must have them. Are they
to come from those who believe in
Scientific Money!" No. From the So
cialists? No. From those who believe
in the naturalization of all monopoles?
No. From those who believe in the land
question? No. All|these questions COM
bined will not add more than 100000 new
recruits to our ranks.
Where then must we look for the nee
essary 100000 votes? There is but one
place, colonel, and that is the silver Re-
publicans and the silver Democrats, who
at the present time are making the fight
for free coinage inside the old parties and
are going to be whipped.
Deny and disguise it as you may, but
this fact will always remain. The silver
force outside of the Peoples Party is our
only base of supply, our only hope to get
enough recruits to win this fight. We
must either absorb the silver votes of the
South and West or abandon the field to
some other organization.
How can we win their support, colonel?
By bandoning the contest for silver? No.
By advocating measures which are of no
consequence whatever until the money
question is settled? No. This will only
drive them further from us. We must in
vite them to join our ranks on the silver
issue alone, and trust them to agree with
us on@the balance of our platform after
we become better acquainted. We be-
come political factor in proportion to the
number of votes we poll and not in pro-
portion to the number of planks each vo-
ter believes in.
You know how difficult it is to con-
vince the average voter that we are right
while he belongs to either of the old par
ties and you also know how easy it is to
convince him otherwise after he has left
them You can make twenty five con-
verts to the theory of Scientific Money"
after they join our ranks, where you can
make but one while they belong to the
old parties Our silver plank will bring
ten new recruits to our ranks, where the
balance of our platform will bring but
one Whenever we abandon the contest
for silver we also abandon all hope of ever
winning a victory 1t would not only
take thousands and tens of thousands of
voters out of our ranks, but it would close
the door in the face of every silver voter
who is not yet with us. No, colonel, l
cannot agree with you. Although know
you are honest in what you advocate and
would not Intentionally injure our cause,
yet this move would result to the benefit
of "Wall street." because it would cut off
our only base of supply, to ever get
enough votes to win this fight and makes
it impossible for our party to even be a
factor in the campaign Of 1896. The diff
ference between you and me seems to be
this: You wish to make it as difficult as
possible for any one to get into our ranks
L. L. IL H.