The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-09-24
AT ST. LOUIS.

| assume, in the first place, that
every citizen is competent to form an
opinion upon this issue. Our oppO-
nents tell us that the money question
IS complicated question, and that
only few are able to master it, There
the American people which is too deep
for the American people themselves.
(Applause.) There is no question
which must be submitted to a particu-
lar class Of people. (Applause.) The
Creator did not make any class Of pco-
pie to think for the rest of the people.
(Applause.l If he had He would have
given extra brains to those who were
to do the thinking and simply have
given backs to all the rest that they
might carry the burdens Of life. ZAP
plause.l The constitution did not sug-
gcst that any class of people was to
act for any other class. If the found
crs OF the constitution had ever sup
posed that a question would arise like
the money question, and had thought
that it could be only settled by finan-
cicrs, then our forcfathers would have
written in the constitution that while
on most subjects all the people might
| vote, on the money question only the
nanciers could vote. Applause and
| laughtcr) When tho ballot was given
to you it was given upon the assump.
tion that you had the Intelligence and
patriotism necessary to use it right,
and | believe, my friends that you
have.
In this government publication, is-
sued by the treasury department on
the first Of July, 1896, ind statement
of the amount OF money of all kinds in
circulation among the people for the
various years. Let me call your atten-
tion to the amount given here for the
years 1894, 95 and '0G. In 1894 the
amount Of money in circulation, ac-
co ding to this report, was 81 $50, 7OC,
600. IN 1898 that amount of'mOney had
fallen to 81 ,56l 900. 0.00O-a deer. ase in
one year of $50, ,000,00O On the 3Oth
day Of June, 1896, the amount in cir
culation had fallen to 81 ,506, 900, ,OOo
What does it mean? 1t means that in
two years time, according to the
treasury report, the amount of money
fallen about one hundred and fifty
million dollars in amount. In other
words, in two years time there has beon
a decrease Of about 10 per cent. in the
amount Of money in circulation among
the people. This, my friends, is the
Treasury report, and this report shows
that while the per capita circulation
in 1894 was $2l.2S per capita, in 1896 II
had fallen to b2l. 10, Il fall Of moro than
$3 per capita. a voice: . | haven't
got five cents in my pockct.O There
Is evidence in the remark OF my friend
that even decrease per capita Is moi
distributed with absolute equality
(LaughtcrC
Now ! have called your attention tC
this decrease shown by the Treasury
report. Let me show you, my friends
that instead of there being q decrease
, thero ought to have been an increase
each year. Senator John Sherman
made speech on the 9th OF June, 1870
and in the course Of that speech he
used these words: "li our prcacn
currency is estimated at 81 400. ooo, OO'
and our population is ncrcaslng at tn'
rate Of three per cont. per annnm, i
would require &42 OOOOoO increased
3 circulation each year to keep pace
With the increase OF popuation; bu
. as Inc Increase Of population Is &C
; fompanied by a still greater rate o
1 .hcreaso OF wealth and business, 1T VA
ehought that an immmcdiate increas
IN circulation might be obtained b.