Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1895-09-12
PRICES WOULD GO UP
EFFECT OF FREE SILVER ON THE
COST OF LIVING.


lstinE Medium Actually Lowered IL
Per Cent-Facts to Ponder.
This whole agitation in behalf Of free
silver is made, it seems to me, honestly
and sincerely BY a large body Of our fell
low citizens in other parts Of the country
and some Of them in this part Of the
country. I desire TO give them the great
est credit for sincerity in their belief. I
wish to testify that from my acquaint-
auce with large number Of these peo-
pie have failed to find that any con-
siderable number wish to do wrong or
10 deal unjustly by any other portion Of
our people. They do feel that there are
certain evils from which they wish to
escape, and it has been suggested to
them that by some legerdemain Of gov
eminent dealing with our currency that
they could escape from the evils Of which
they complain.
Now, the chief evil Of this complaint
is low prices Now, nobody ever really
complains of low prices when he wants
to buy anything, and nobody who has
anything to sell ever complains Of high
prices.
But we find that communities as q
whole combine all their energies to
make prices as whole low. Individual
members Of every community are labor.
ing to make prices Of particular things
they want to sell high, but when COM
munities act together they are trying to
make prices low.
But if this be true If the general effort
Of communities is to make prices low
If that is the reason that we have grant
ed railroad charters in order to bring
the products Of the distant parts OF the
country to our doors at low prices; II
that is the reason we built the Erie
canal; if that is the reason that we have
made transportation on the Erie canal
absolutely free, taxing the people OF the
state in order that it may be free; If that
Is the reason that we have built our
highways and made them free II that is
the reason that we are doing q thousand
and one other things-then why in the
name Of reason should government be
appealed to to do something about one
thing in order TO make prices high?
Why, in regard to this one thing,
should there be grand exception to all
the other things that government does
in and about our affairs and our products
and the things that we buy and SELF
do not concede that it would be to
our advantage as whole that govern
ment could double the price Of our bread
tomorrow. And yet this is the PROPOSE
ton that is made. I doubt If in this
city You could find dozen votes outside
Of the bakers shops in favor Of doubling
the price Of bread tomorrow. And yet
that Is the great thing that underGes
this argument Why, see that Senator
Stewart said the other day that young
men were not marrying 30 much now as
they used to because we did not have
frec silver.
Free Eilyer-what viii it do, accord
ing TO Senator Stewart: Why, it will
make tina. young man II he Contemplated
matrimony expect 70 have all the ex.
penses Of his household, from his brides
outfit and the new coat be bought for
the ceremony and 80 On through all his
domestic arrangements even TO the
baby's cradle, made more dear. Do you
think that would b an inducement %
matrimony: Then they say that the
amount Of money regulates prices DOES
it have any great effect upon prices il it
is good money:
AL the time we hear, and / believe
that il Is uncontradicted, that about 8
per cent IT all the transactions If the
people Of this country are made in mon
ey. All the rest Of the transactions are
made with the other media-checks,
notes and all kinds Of things II this is
true, suppose We could double the amount
Of money in an instant, what would We
have done? We would have doubled 5
per cent Of the whole. What would We
hare added! We would have added per
cent 70 the whole. In 81 900 what would
We have added: We would have added
80. But suppose in adding that go
that the other 50 per cent was diminish
ed, as has been done from time TO time
during the las, few year,. Suppose you
apply your percentage u $3.50, 900 and
cut that in two, owing To the uncertain
ty you have created in the minds Of men
as 70 the quality of their money; sup
pose you have only affected it by 10 per
cent-whas is the result: Why, you have
diminizhed that by tS5, and wh&p you
come 70 add the $50 that you have cred
tied by doubling your money and deduct
your ts5 you will find that you are as
worse Of than when you started. You
are - per cent worse of 50 far ~ the
circulating medium that really transacts
your affairs ig concerned. That liz one Of
the great reasons why we find these
great disturbances in business when men
tamper with the currency.
I have given this illustration in an
sweY u the assertion tina. the amount of
money regulated prices becxuse some
money il Necessary in our transactions.
True some money il necessary still, be-
cause We have not yet reduced our meth.
DDS II business 70 such complete sys-
TEN that we settle everything by ac-
cJunta.
Yes, 80 is some grease On the axle d
a wagon necessary in order 70 move II
any grea, distance at any speed, because
man has not yet succeeded in making an
axle On which the wheel will revolSe
entirely without friction. l say, We can
sag with equal truth az 70 my wagon
that beScause some grease IL necessary
On the e:le. therefore the amount Of
grease fxes the coet Of moving ton Of
freight. You ray that it il an absurdity
/ IL Ii not tr1e.
The more have thought upon this
! question the more urofoundly IMPRESSED