The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1896-09-24
Citizen Gets Back at Williams On
the Money Question.

dll lLS l0dCuluR5 WITHOUT using my Drain
or judging for mysolt. You must admit,
friend Williams, that that party never
existed in this, or any other country,
that was always right, and never made
mistake.
Had our forefathers in 1776 been 50
dyed in the WOOL" where would we be
today? In 1860 this dyed in the WOOL
business was scattered to the four winds
of heaven. and the American people
roes in their might, and put down slavery
nobel deeds, and no American citizen
in the words Of Horace Greeley 1--WE
an iniquitous monetary system we have
refined, but none the less cruel, than the
old system of chattel slavery"
Now word in answer to my friends
first reason, "because all of the great and
most enlightened nations OF the world
have adopted the gold standard as bas.
is of their finances" Did you ever look
up the history of these nations and try
to ascertain for yourself whether in
single instance the adoption of the single
gold standard was done by the choice of
the people, or whether by their national
legislators they were tricked into adopt
ing it?
Then there is another fact. There was
| time when in all civilized nations slavery
| cry existed, and the Shareholders argued
that it was right, because all civilized
nations had slaves. And another thing,
Rome at one time rose to very high
state of civilization, and at that time her
strength lay in her farmers. Her ycom-
anry was out of debt and prosperous.
What followed? Lest you might doubt
my word, read what the monetary COM
mission, appointed by congress in 1876,
said in their report: AT tho christian
era the metallic money of the Roman
Empire amounted to 81 80O,000O0O. By
the end of the fifteenth century it had
shrunk to loss than $2O0,OOO,OO0. Dur
this period the people were reduced by
poverty and misery. to the most degrad.
ed conditions of serfdom and slavery,
xxx 1t needed the heroic treatment
of rising prices to enable society to re-
unite the scattered links, to shake off
tho shackles of fendalism, to rclight and
uplift the torch of civilization" Now
listen, my friend. "The disasters of the
dark ages were caused by decreasing
money and falling prices, and the recov-
cry therefrom and the compartivo pros
perity, which followed tho discovery Of
America. we're due to an increasing
supply of the precious metals, and rising
prices will not seem surprising or unrea
sonable when the noble functions OF
money are considered" Yes Mr. Will.
ans, it was the shylocks of Rome and
Athens, who in short period had so
manipulated the money of that Empire
the measure of values, by which those
honest and unsuspecting people con
tracted debts in one measure and had tc
pay them in dearer measure, that they
ruined that great civilization. which is
commemorated today practically only by
: the italian hand organ.
I am right here to tell you, frient
Williams, that because WE have attained
, to high degree of civilization in oul
beloved America, is no argument tina
, the change in our monetary system wa'
, right.
Now for the second reason. DO 20,
really think that, if the party that favor!
the single gold standard is successful il
November, THAT will settle this impor
tant question? You may be very 'con
seious" about il, but your consciousness
; will be a snare and dcluson. For you
admit yourself, that the people arc
pretty evenly divided on this question
and, if by the use of millions OF gold. ant
} intimidation and false statements abou
the value of our money under free coin
, age etc. etc. the gold standard shoult
8 win, it would not make it right, and th'
, American people will EVENTUALLY hav'
what is right.
, Reason No. 3. I am glad you onl.
"think" it would be a retrogression Il
} "fall from a gold to silver standard.
) You have no doubt read some stuml
t speech in favor of the gold standard. TO
J.. no party that am familiar with ask
/, for anything more than reconciliation
of silver as we had it from 1892 to 1875
3 viz: Scientific bimetallism, whore golt
l and silver, at given vatio. are LINKED
3 together by law, both being money OF re
J. demption.
, If the adoption of bimotallism is sucl
7 a tremendous fall in your estimation
l how can you swallow tho plank in you
platform both Of 1892 and 1886, wher
your party pledges itself to use ever.
. effort to bring about international bim
r etallism? AS you say, "our illustcioG
I ancestors laid the foundations for one O
Q the greatest nations on the earth bu
!: did they lay that foundation upon gol
D standard? Never! Bimetallism wa
/ the foundation, upon which the super
Q structure of our nation prospered for 3
D long years. And since tricky leglslatio
T has undermined our foundation, we hav
q experienced @ a fall in prices such as n
I other period of our history can parable
If YOU don't believe me upon this poin
n can refer you to an address made b
, John G. Carlisle before congress in 1877
= (see appeadix congressional record Il t
v 44) :the conspiracy, which seems to hav
r been formed here and in Europe to dis
) troy. by legislation. Or otherwise, frol
a three-sevenths to one-half of the meta
a lie money Of the world is the most g
a gantlc crime of this or any other ag'
/. xxx The absolute and instantaneou
r obstruction of half the entire moyabl
a property of the world. including house
a ships, railroads etc., while it would b
4 felt more sensibly at the moment, woul
l. not produce anything like the pro}onge
!. distress and disorganization OF societ
a that must inevitably result from tn
"A permanent annihilation of half the me
}. allie money of the world And yet 70
# are afraid Of a terrible fall. if this natic
# should try to avoid such disasters ;
predicted by Carlisle and dozens (
others of the best statesmen this natic
has ever produced.
One thing more. and I am done, f
D. this time. You like myself, are interes
ed in raising wheat. DO you know tn;
10 within the LAST TWO YEARS England b;
g coined abont fifty million dollars of silv
Il in rupees which are sent TO India ar
A exchanged for wheat, cotton etc? ST
Il buys this silver from OUR silver mine
,3 at about 60 cents an ounce. When col
ID cd into I'll 1lnes on tho ratio of Is 10 | 81