Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1896-08-20

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land 1t is $9.97; in the United States it is
III. 10. Are prices any lower In Switzer-
land with 50 per capita than they are in
France with $35? BY merely crossing
boundary line, do you make the difference?
Is not this conclusive proof that there Is
some mistake somewhere in the assertion
that you will be lie to raise prices by q
legislative fat?
There are two sides to this question of
prices. Low prices, in some respects, wo
mas been the Republican theory OF protec-
lion! Have not /, for the last twenty five
years, and speakers Of the most distin-
gulshed character, In other parts Of the
Union, been telling the American people
that Is they would introduce the system Of
iaDoring men higher wages, but that from
the effect Of domestic competition, they
would get lower prices than when our
market was ut the mercy of the foreign
producer2 And did it not come out just
that way? Did not prices Of all manufac-
tured articles sink under the influence
OF protection, from year to year, and
did not the wages Of the labOring man
rise from year to year? Did not the value
OF farming lands in Minnesota rise from
year to year? And yet. If the idea of the
Tree coiners Is correct, that higher prices
Is the thing, then I ask: Has this policy
OF the Republican party, upon which presi-
dents were elected and senates and houses
OF representatives have been chosen; been
delusion and snare? Is it wrong that
from month to month, and year to year,
Tor nearly thirty years, a days wages
should. as they increased, buy more and
more, and that money should do the same
thing?
Let me put another instance. Wages.
the cost OF production, is the measure of
the cost of production. Now, what is the
prime article that mankind sells to man?
1t is labor. And what Is the price of that
prime article which mankind sells to man?
1t Is vases, Has the price fallen In the
last thirty years? No. Larger days wages
are paid than; prior to that time. Wages
have been steadily growing e. do not speak
OF periods. Of temporary distress), and at
the same time that mans wages would buy
more for his family and for his support
and for his home as year after year went
by. So there is sone prime article Of price
that has not fallen with the decentralization
of silver
Let US turn this question and look at 1t
from the other end. Our declamatory an
tagonists call gold, money, tyrant;
they are seeking to array the people against
1t. But If money is tyrant what is Its
power? What does money get for ex-
ercise Of this tyrannical function? It gets
Interest; that Is the wages Of money. And
yet. my fellow citizens, interest has fall
len within"the last, thirty years; fallen on
the statute; books, fallen In the markets,
fallen in the banks. fallen everywhere. And
yet If money is this tyrannical power and
has these powers which. people attribute to
tiff it is true that it controls the destinies
of nations and brushes and Expresses men
how is it that in the course of thirty years
this power has suffered It's wages, namely,
interest, to fall while the wages. Of those
whom it Expresses, as they say, namely the
wages Of the laborer, have continually
risen?
wish to say "a word to our farm
ers about the price Of wheat. It is nee
essary to say a few plain words about it.
They may not be entirely gratifying to all
for the decline of wheat has been over.
production. In 1873 the United States had
no exporting competitor; in 1873 Russia ex-
ported only about 2O,OOO,OOO bushels; in
1891 it exported $4,000, 600; in 1894 it's pro-
duction was 297, 600 bushels. In 1873
India exported only $4,000 hundredweight.
In 1892, 100000 900 hundred weight, or eighty
times more than in 1873. In 1894 her pro-
duction was 237,875,OOO bushels. The
worlds production in 1894 was 1853 $50,
600 bushels. of which the United States pro-
duced 453, $50 600 bushels. So you see the
enormous mass against which the Mime
sofa farmer has to contend. The fact is,
my fellow citizens, the best consumer and
customer Of the Minnesota farmer is the
people Of the United States. (Applause)
so conducted that the rest of all the people
of the United States should be kept en-
ployed, the farmer Of the United States
would have a certain market II men are
thrown out of employment, as they have
been to large degree since. $685. conditions
now happily lettering, however. the. power
of the American laborer or wage Garner
or salaried mar to buy of the farmer. is
diminished; and the farmer. suffers by it
with all the rest. II you have a currency
under which wages will grow no better, so
that men cannot buy where they buy now.
it strikes the American farmer more,
deadly blow than could possibly be aimed
at him from any other source.
Let me give you some statistics as to the
growth Of the United States, to- meet this
calamity cry, to set off something against
these charts Of misery and diagrams of dis
tress, set up on walls to delude the eyes
and judgmen' of men. Statistics show
that in 1888 the total steam: power of the.
world. estimat ted In horse power, SO, lao, 900.
The United States had IL, 400. OO0, or 20 per:
cent of this. In 1870 the steam power of
the world was only 1890, 900. I would like
to ask our .adversar'es where Is the founda-
tion for this growth in actual power of
production, In the face Of this cry that we
have been descending on the plane of mis-
cry since 1873?
In 1860 the total worlds manufacture
was 10000, 900, 600. In 1888 1t was $685.
600, OOO, 600; Of which the United States pro-
duced 81, boo; product far exceed
ing the increase III population Does any,
one say that the human race rs whole
has been growing poorer; especially in thes
United States Of America, In the face Of
that increase Of production, which. means
employment to millions Of men, and the
expenditure Of thousands of millions Of dol
lars. 81
Here are some figures in regard to the
increase of wealth in me United States,
since 1870, to meet this. talk that the ma
ton and the, people have yearly been grow
ing poorer and poor,r have divided them
into groups Of states. The New, England