The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-25
DUE TO FALLING PRICES,
Senator Stewart Says Men of
No Income Dare Not Be-
come Benedicts.
FACTS TO PROVE THE CLAIM.
A Steady Decrease in the Number
of Marriages In Late
Years.

WASHINGTON. D. c., June 24.-Sen-
ator Stewart of Nevada advances the pro-
position that the decentralization of silver
will not only reduce the number of MARI
ages in the future, but that it has already
done so to an alarming extent. He pro-
duces statistics to support the truth OF this
utterance.
''The reason" the Senator continued,
us obvious. From the landing at James
town until fifteen years ago, the only ques-
tons asked OF young man proposing mar
riage were: Is he honest, industrious, intel
ligent and of good character? If these were
afirmatively answered the consent of the
parents was ordinarily given. The ques-
ton now is, Has the young man fixed
income? The possibility of his making
living for himself and family by his in
dustry is regarded as too remote for con-
sideration.
"Why is this? Are not young men sue
ceedlng to-day in business enterprises as
well as in the past? Not at all; there is
not one succeeding to-day where 100 sue
ceeded half a century ago. You ask the
cause; it is due to falling prices. If man
is in business he is unable to dispose of the
fruits of his labor to an advantage. On the
contrary, the more he struggles and en-
cages in business the more continually do
prices fall. Thousands of men are renting
farms to-day who were owners some years
ago, and who were forced to abandon the
position of owners because of their in
ability to pay the taxes.
"From 1910 to 1850 the Spanish-Ameri-
can wars bad reduced the output of pre-
cious metals to $4,000, 900 annually. The
United States was peculiarly situated.
The Mississippi Valley offered opportuni-
ties for making homes which did not exist
elsewhere. immigration from Europe built
up this country while the public lands
were being distributed so that the United
States did not feel the partial money
famine in the first half of the century, as
other countries did. AS the public lands
became scarcer, gold from California
and Australia kept up prices and en-
abled young men to buy lands or establish
business enterprises by their integrity.
Now the lands are gone and contraction
has come and falling prices have cut off
the opportunity of the masses. The few
who deal in money are the only ones who
are now able to support their wives.''
w it1 OSCOLACS VI tuOSc WHO CdIUOU
afford to marry 2" he was asked
''They live," replied the Senator, "on
their parents or go into servitude. Women
are seeking employment in stores as type
writer's and as upper servants. They must
do something; they can't afford to marry"
"What will be the effect of this upon
our population?"
1.-THE effect will be to reduce the popula-
ton. The census of 1890 showed falling
off in the increase OF our population and
the census of 1900 will accentuate this de-
crease. The number of marriages have de-
creased from IS to 40 per cent during the
last five years. These figures may not be
exactly correct, as | am speaking from
memory, but they are approximately So"
The conversation from this point drifted
from sociology to politics, and Mr.. Stew
art, asked if he would hazard an opinion
as to the probable action of the Kentucky
convention tomorrow upon the money
question, replied:
Il would rather not express an opinion.
Senator Blackburn is very popular in
Kentucky, and three-fourths of the people
are with him. l know personally
that some of the gold delegates desire
his reelection. The money power in
Kentucky, as elsewhere, is so strong that
it makes the result in that State doubtful.
The press, the banks and the railways have
a combination in support of gold dollar.
1t Is, l admit, great power.
The press will only publish the golden
side OF the question, the banks furnishing
the money to assist them and the RAILWAYS
carry their people to conventions free of
charge. Our fight, in the face of such op-
position is fearfully one-sided one."
What action will the Republican Ma
tional Convention next year take upon the
money question:"
1.-THE position OF that party was clearly
outlined at Cleveland last week. They will
I'LL their platform with juggling phrases
calculated to befog and deceive the
people and nominate straight-out gold
candidate. The Democratic Convention
of next year will not be so easily. con-
trolled by the gold men. The ma
jority of Democrats are bimetallists,
which is another term for free coinage.
The Southern people are overwhelmingly
favorable to the white metal. Yes, already
the influence of the gold standard is seen
in that section. Quite recently they have
Sdilcu COilIEOl VI Glic NtSuNllIc american,
the Birmingham Age Herald and ten or a
dozen other papers. This shows that they
are beginning an active propaganda III the
South, the end of which no man can fore
see'
''Why don't the silver people commence
a similar propaganda in the East?"
"To do this requires time and money
and a friendly press. Unfortunately we