Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-10-09

coming out for gold, on the grounds
that free silver was detrimental TO the
banker. Harry VALIDITY of this firm,
was formerly an Alma man, and one OF
the most earnest workers in the demo
crat ranks here Below we give his
letter TO the Times:
EDITOR TIMEs-While / very much
dislike to be drawn into political con-
test, your putting question point blank
to me, such as appears in your Issue of
yesterday, necessitates some kind of
reply and | say, both for Mr.. Clay and
myself, that the story referred TO is abso-
lutely false i'll every particular.
Any question of legislation that affects
the money of an entire country like the
| United States, does not operate locally,
but is either a good thing or "A bad thing
| for all alike. Those who are deluding
| themselves with the idea that i'll voting
for free and unlimited coinage of silver,
they are dealing a body blow to those
arch en- emies of the people, the Capt.
talists, the Bankers, the Manufacturers
and the Railways, will wake to the bit
ter fact, should their votes turn the
scale and elect Mr.. Bryan, that they
must suffer with all the rest. They will
find too late that they occupy the posi-
ton of sailor, who through envy or
insanity thrusts torch into the powder
magazine of the vessel He will indeed
have blown up the ship, but himself
along with the rest.
| When a man gives as h is only reason
for wanting free silver, because the
banks don't" it naturally carries the
idea that financial institutions are a bad
thing for the community.
Let us localize this question. Are
| the Banks of Adrian bad thing for the
| merchant, the farmer and mechanic Of
! this vicinity?'' The first named does
not question their utility so we will
leave him out of the argument? How
would the farmer market any of the pro-
ducts of his farm if it were not for the
|
Butter and cheese are made and sold on
time. Stock is bought and shipped east
| for IA market Grain is stored sometimes
a wear at a time in the local elevators.
Vegetables are canned and held, or sold
on long time, but the farmer always
sells for cash and takes no chances:
Who carries these goods, furnishes the
cash, and in some cases takes the
chances? The Banks.
If the farmer wishes TO make improve
ments of any kind, or buy more land, he
naturally borrows the money of the
bank. Now, by what process of reason
ing does he look upon the banker as
friend and good fellow until he makes
the loan, and afterwards as blood
sucker, Shylock and robber: Did the
| banker 90 to him and force him to Dor
row the money? Did he slyly insert
some clause that the borrower did not
know of wasn't everything clear, plain
and above board in every particular:
But" says the silver orator. You
loaned him silver and now want your
pay in gold Absolute rot. No Dor
rover in the United States, who has
| borrowed money since 1873, has been
loaned deprecated dollar. Every dol
lar, metal or paper, has been gold dol
lar since that date. If by chance there
is still loan out that ante-dates that
time, hasn't there been fifteen years of
good times up to 1898, in which to pay
it: Were not prices good? Was not
wheat of the celebrated dollar variety,
and better:
Ny farmer friend, sit down and think
this matter over seriously. Ask your
self the question: Is the banker my
enemy? Is it a sure guide for me TO fol-
low, in casting my vote, this opposition
of his to unlimited silver? Or are his
best interests as well as mine conserved,
when the whole country is prosperous
with currency that will not fuctuate
in value:
As to the mechanic and laboring man,
and the question of the banker being
help or a hindrance to the earning of his
daily bread, the question can be disposed
of in nutshell. Let him step up to his
employer tomorrow morning and ask
him this one plain question: "How
many days work would | have had in
this factory in the past three years, If
there had been no banks in the city of
Adrian" He will get plain straight
forward answer, which will in my opin-
ion, set at rest all doubts he may have
on the SUBJECT.
One of the queerest aspects OF this
whole agitation is the trying to make
the workingman believe that he will be
richer happier, and have fuller stom-
ach, if the dollar he works for only buys
half as much as it now does. This Is
explained by saying that when the mine
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