Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-07-22

tention has not hitherto been attract
ed to these essentials and much of the
preliminary debate has been over their
heads. They are eager to learn the
facts and as the facts of history are
on the side of sound money it is espe-
granted, and without delay. Already
they have been told through the medi-
UNI of the free silver literature circu-
lated by the mine owners bureau that
gold has appreciated in value, that the
low price of many farm products is
due 10 rise of gold, that the farmer,
who mortgaged his farm 20 years ago
must cancel it in better dollars than
those he borrowed. Now this can be
disproved. 1t has no foundation in
fact. The good sense of the people
will see the absurdity of it all when
once they can have called to their at
tention and carefully explained to
their reason the real conditions and
causes
II people who have borrowed money
believe combinations of capitalists
have increased the value of that money
the temptation to repudiate the debt
will be a powerful incentive: but if
throughout every school district in the
State. through the medium of able
speakers and the circulation of repu-
ia BILE literature it shall be conclusively
demonstrated. as it can be and must
be, that the debtor is simply expected
to pay as good money as he borrowed.
he will resent with Indignation any
suggestion that he does not wish to
honor his obligations. Show to him
that the price of wheat is and will CON
tinue to be regulated in foreign mar
ket. for the reason that we produce a
with India and Russia. Now that
others have told him that the descend
ing scale of prices since 1873 is due to
decentralization of silver he must have
his attention called to the fact that
though there was little fluctuation in
the price of silver prior to 1873 because
there had been little or no improve
ment in the facilities for mining
prices of silver commodities iluctuated
yxif hon 10 hn ti,a tt,,, ,f
silver; that sixty years prior to 1873
prices of leading commodities were
nearly double what they We're in 70:
and that they descended, until in 1916
they We're about 90 per cent less than
they were in 1873. and that silver va
red but little amid all those fuctu-
atoms. The Aroostook potato grower
knows that ii was the relation of sup
ply and demand and not the relation
tubers that brought the price down
with a crash last season. The Maine
farmer knows, but he should have his
attention called to it forcibly, that the
price of his staple products and the
consequent price of his land went
down because new land was opened up
in the great West so fast. and every
inducement was offered to EVERYONE
whether he knew the rudiments OF
agriculture or not, to come in and take
it up. The rank growth was UNI
healthy; men ran in debt to those
foolish enough to lend, overproduction
came with attendant evils, the West
ern debtor is in bad way, and for
that matter so are many of his cred
itors, ana is bewidered, ready to
grasp at anything recommended as
cure-all He is rushing into the free
silver craze blindly. In some instances
he may already be too far under the
influence of the frenzy to be recalled
to his senses. 1t is not so in the East
1t is not so in Maine. In Maine the
people are to speak to the country in