Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-09-09
4 CONTEMPORARIES QUERIES AN
This is magnificent

a
SWERED.
The esteemed Intelligencer asks some
questions on the campaign. We can
readily understand our neighbor's de-
sire TO be enlightened. 1, needs it. We
say this in all kindness. Col. Hart is
somewhere down in the State making
political speeches, while our esteemed
contemporary goes marching on asking
questions. While it would take about
thousand times as much space as the
REGISTER has at its disposal to thorough
liz enlighten the esteemed Intelligencer
on the currency question, we will en-
deavor TO do the best we can to let-a few
shafts Of light into that abyss Of intel
lec.uaI darkness with the limited space
o. command. We DO not do this volun-
.arily. but simply at the request Of our
esteemed neighbor. 1t is a work Of
charity. under present conditions. Our
neighbor asks first if it is:
/ taken business and industry here are a di-
rect result of every attack upon our silver
currency.
The quoted portion OF the above was
uttered by the Register and our esteem
ed but occasionally tricky, neighbor
twists i. a ,rihe. All of our business
disasters have not been due to attacks
mon our silver currency, but every at
tack u7on our silver currency has been
followed as sure as fate by disasters
,aat have overtaken business and indus
: Try. Mex; query:
WHY is it that the most prosperous years
ir ths history Of the country have been
since the so-called decentralization Oh Sill
Yer?
outside Of goldbug political documents
We have never heard this ASSERTION made
as il applies 10 the people in general.
We know that since 1878 the country
has been afflicted with periodical bus
mess panics. and these have required ct
very short and constantly shortening
intervals. We know that the farmers,
tae producers of the land, are the only
real producers of wealth, as they are
,bs only real basis of our prosperity
individual or national. we know, fur
.bermore. as our esteemed neighbor
does. or ought 20. that every product OF
the earth. excep. gold, has been steadily
falling in value since the demonetiza-
ton Of silver in 1873. Wheat corn, oats,
pork. cotton. every farm product has
been falling almost cent for cent with
the bullion price Of silver since the de-
monetizaion Of that metal by the Grim
inal trick of 1873. Now we come to the
next query:
is it not true that there were no silver
, dollars I'm circulation previous 10 the al
. legged crime of 1873?
Exactly. and if there is any argument,
whatever. in this query it can only be
that what has baen will be again and
that if we nave free coinage we will
have no more silver dollars in circula-
ton than we have now, or very
few more. II our esteemed contempt
rary has any other object in asking this
question we would like to know what
tits. And we would like to know, also,
what. in view Of this free coinage show
! ing. becomes Of the favorite Republi-
/ can argument that free coinage would
"d=luge" this country with the worlds
( silver and 'nood"'it with cheap money?
+ There is a screw loose there, somewhere
Mex:
And is 1t not also true that since that
I act. since free coinage was stopped, We
! have coined Gn round numberS) 490o0o 4
silver dollars. whereas before that we haC
/ coined but $500 00Q-in other words, that
/ W. have coined dfty-three times as many
/ silver dollars in the twenty-three years
: following sO-called decentralization as ",
/ coined in the whole history OF the govern
| mert previous TO 1873?
This is all gospel truth, strange to
+ say. And /, knocks the bottom out OF
the whole gol1bUs argument, as the truth
has never YET failed 10 do. If, as the
/ goldbugs say, adding 70 our silver cir