The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-06-23
silver IN MEXICO.
s6ssFh NJ, Hgswa stsalsa ths Aahtsst %
tho Spot and Now Haa Convictions,

suits i'll Mexico, is not good thing,
failed to discover any evidence of il, ,
said Er. Joseph M. Brown, traffic man
agcr Of the Western and Atlantic rail
road, to an Atlanta Constitution report
or. II am just back from three weeks
Zip to that country. Travelled foi
thousands Of miles all over the country
and in all that time failed to find {
single man, native or from the states
who was not an enthusiastic free silyeI
man"
Mr. Brown had just returned from
Mexico. He travelled all over the coun
try, talked with all classes of citizens
of tho country, and made study of the
business conditions.
II went to Mexico, " said Mr.. Brown,
undecided as to the financial question.
l have returned convinced Of one thing,
and that is that If free silver for the
United States will do for this country
what 1t has done for Mexico, then free
silver is what we neod. / found that
country enjoying the greatest CONNER.
cial prosperity. Everybody is satisfied
with the financial status, business is
prosperous, the mills arc all running on
full time, aud the mark Of good times
is manifest on all sides. 1t seems to me
that what is good for them would be
good for us. There is an old saying that
what is sauce for tho goose is sauce for
the gander, and if FREQ silver in Mexico
means universal business prosperity, !
can't sec why it would not mean the
same thing for the United States.
II was forcibly impressed with some
facts connected with the situation in
financial affairs of Mexico. Little things
show which way the wind is blowing,
and want to show by practical illus
tration how matters stand. These prac-
tical facts count for more than theories.
Now, just before leaving Atlanta I
bought u pair of shoes for SO in Ameri-
can money. When we got to Mexico,
my brother, who accompanied me on
the trip, wanted pair of shoes. We
went into store, and we got pair of
shoes just MS good in every way as the
ones bought in Atlanta. He paid for
them sc i'll Mexican money. They say
that the Mexican silver dollar Is worth
OLlJ u lltllC ONtI w IIut 10 t1O
way financial writer's put it. Yet the
Mexican dollar i'll Mexico buys just the
same rs tho American dollar buys in
tho United States. Theoretically the
latter may be worth two of the former.
Yet what is the difference when both
have the same purchasing power? Money
is medium of exchange, and if Mex
ioa,, o;1,nr 1oIlnr x,il1 Inv In11nr,o
worth what difference does it make
about the theory of tho thing?
Here is another instance: You go
into hotel III Mexico and get dinner
in eight courses. In Atlanta you pay 81
at tho Kimball or the Aragon for such
n dinner. In Mexico you pay a Mexican
dollar for the same dinner. You get just
rs good II dinner i'll Mexico as you do in
Atlanta for your dollar. Yet wo are
told that tho American dollar is worth
twice as much as the Mexican dollar be-
cause it has gold behind it. These are
small matters, but they are practical
facts, and it is these small practical
facts that arc of interest to the great
mass of the people.
IT have seen interviews in the pa
pers," continued Mr.. Brown, "stating
that under free silver Mexico is in bad
fix; that business is shaky and indus
tries languishing. want to say that if
such is the case failed to discover any
evidence whatever of such u state of
affairs, and went all over tho coun-
try. This talk about Mexico not thriv-
ing under free silver regime is, to use
a slang phrase, all rot. In the valley
of Mexico alone found 80 cotton mills,
all running on full time and making
money. If thcro was any business de-
preston, failed to see any signs of it.
As / came back on the Mexican National
railroad / passed an immense establish
ment, which was told was woolcn
mill. 1t employed 4, 800 hands and was
running day aud night. That would
seem to indicate prosperity.
"Thc best evidence that financial
system is success is the ray in which
the people like it. In all my travels in
Mexico failed to find man who was
not an enthusiastic advocate OF free
coinage They all say with one accord
that if the United States and the rest of
the world want the gold standard they
can have it. AS for them, they have
tried free silver, and they want nothing
else. 1t has brought them prosperity,
and 80 long as that Is the case the
world may outlaw their silver as much
rs it pleases. 1t has no effect on them.
Their silver dollar buys dollars worth
just the same as an American dollar |
buys dollars worth in Atlanta So
long as this Is practical fact, what
difference does it make how often thco-
rists provo the contrary on papcr9 Facts
speak for themselves, aud tho Mcxicans
prefer their facts to other peoples
"Now," continued Mr.. Brown, 81
can't sec how il can hurt us to get II |
rents worth of silver for pound Of cot
ton instead of cents worth Of gold if
the II cents In silver has the same pur-
chasing power as tho cents in gold.
And then, in addition to this, if things |
work like they do in Mexico, we have
prosperity, n satisfied people.
mills running on full time, or day and |
night, and money easy. l cannot see
why what is good for Mexico would not
be good for us, and want to say again
that all this talk about free silver hurt
ing business in Mexico is absurd"
Bynum Failed.
Congressman Bynum of Indiana
was in the city during tho early part Of |