The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-10-03
THE DEBTOR FARMER.

If the improbable should come to pass,
and Mr.. Bryan he elected our next Presi-
dent, what would the effect be on the
debtor farmer? 1t is the debtor farmers
Mr. Bryan is particularly anxious to
round up" and set apart as class-a
dishonest class, instead of honest indvid-
uals as they are. Would the debtor farmer
become creditor capitalist on November
4, 1896, if Mr. Bryan, should be elected on
November 3? The first effect of the cleo
ton of Mr.. Bryan, with its guarantee of a
deprecated currency and its sympathy with
all of the dsorderly elements in the country,
would be the immediate creation of a
widespread and reasonable distrust The
creditor OF the debtor farmer would at once
endeavor either to secure the payment of
part or all of his debt, or he would demand
advanced rates of interest. The debtor
farmer would be at the mercy of his alarmed
creditor and would be forced to do the best
he could to satisfy his creditor, even to the
extent OF surrendering his farm, if need be-
and thereafter holding it, if at all, as Il
tenant on rent. 1t is as certain now as it
can be on November 1, 1896, this would be
the first experience of the debtor farmer
Creditors loan at low rates of interest when
satisfied with their security and assured
that they will he paid in good money.
They will not loan on low rates, if at ALL
when in doubt either as to the security or
as to the kind of money in which they will
be paid.
The next experience of the debtor farmer
will be that while the silver mine owner
will promptly present his 30 cents worth
of silver at the minis and receive a coin
stamped zone dollar or paper certificate
called dollar this coin or certificate will
remain the property of the mine-owner and
will not by any mysterious process find its
way into the pockets of the debtor farmer
This political dollar will not at once de.
prec.ate to the mere market value of the
silver it contains. 1t will take the people
some time to learn that this is all such a
dollar is worth. The depreciation will be
gradual, and it will afford the mine owner
time to unload his dollars upon his inno-
cent dupes at the handsome profit Mr..
Bryan and he see there is in this political
speculation. The debtor farmer will find
the appreciation in value of his wheat
will he as gradual as the deprecia-
ton in the dollars The wheat he
sells will appear to be worth little more
after Bryans election because he will get
few more so-calcd dollars for, but he will
find these dollars depreciating on his hands.
Dollars that may be worth 80 cents when
he sells his wheat will not be worth IS
cents when he wants to use them to pur-
chase his clothes, machinery or food II he
keeps them on hand too long they will
not be worth so cents. There will be two
active causes at work to deprecate his sill
yer dollar in value. The first will be the
entire destruction of trust and confidence
in the financial policy of the country on
the adoption of the riot and ruin princi-
pies for which Mr.. Bryan now stands The
second cause will be found in the rapid and
increasing volume of the currency, which
will be swollen to an extent limited only
by the capacity of the minis TO coin the So
called dollars, and the Treasury printing
presses to issue legal tender certificates for
silver the minis have not the capacity to
coin.
The debtor farmers experience, there
fore, would be:
First. Creditors will press for payment
and demand higher rates OF interest
Second. Silver owners and not debtor