Middletown transcript., 1896-08-22

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PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY MORNING
Middletown. New Castle County, Delaware.
rIcKENDREE DOWNiAr1.
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
Catered at The Post Office as second-class matter
MIDDLETOWN, DEL, AUG. 20, 1886
DO NOT EAT.
While in conversation this week with
a-well-informedfree silver man he drew
q little note book on us from his pocket
from which heread some figures relative
to the prices Of wheat, the crop, etc, to
prove that supply and demand does not
regulate the price hut the inference is
that the.price rises and falls with silver,
or that is the standing argument given
to farmers to convert. them to the free
and unlimited coinage of silverideas. We
have never heard any argument to prove
this, except a few co-incidents as to
prices and the were assertion. No one
can meet silver arguments like that
mere assertion, but our friends figures
interested us and We went back 10
verify them and to get further in
formation from that note book. Here
are his figures:
i Wheat consumed here 2s2sI2 80 ss 5a % bushels
lsH, lsa average price received, si.E per bushel
lsT7. eaten by every citizen sol hundred
1871. each citizen Maid for bread. $3.50
1894, 22l
1s 5sa U. $. paid for -FOUR ~ sss go ss9 sssss s
The difference, sI15,sls, ,622.A
Can any farmer contemplate the
above figures and see an argument for
free silver in them? May they not be
contemplated with different idea and
may not they teacha valuable lesson2 w
contend that at the present time it is
the duty of every voter, irrespective Of
politics, to manfuley face the serious
situation that confronts us and to cast
his ballot in an intelligent manner.
The figures above are given by free
silver advocate and we suppose they
are correct for the gentleman is one
who deals in figures and understands
them. To us they speak forcible les
SON one meaning SO very much-the
people do roteat.
These figures tell US that the average
citizen has eaten during these hard
times only two thirds as as much he
ate in 1877, at least only that much
of the "staff of life." The actual
percentage Of consumption is 6S.1 as
much in 1894 as it 1877 to each individ-
ual. But they tell us more. The aver
age citizen Of the United States paid
In 1894 for the wheat that he consumed
as bread stuff but 3S per cent. of the
average price paid by the people in 1877.
What does this mean to the farmers
of the country2 It means the differ
ence between living prices and prices
that ruin. The actual loss to the farmers
on the wheat sold and consumed in this
country, comparing 1877 with 1894, is
$115, 5,819. 622.41. But this is when the
people were consuming only two-thirds
as much and when wheat was selling
at about one-half its former price.
Suppose the average man, woman and
child had eaten as much in 1894 as in
1877 and the price had been the same
per bushel, less having been exported
since in both years the surp lus was ex-
ported of course, the farmers would
have received S20O,OO0, 100000 more
than they did receive or some three
hundred and fifty millions for their
wheat crop. 1t must be remembered that
the population of the country had in
creased some eighteen or twenty mil
lions in the seventeen years and that
Increase is considered in our figures. Do
not these statements appealto the far
mer and explain to him in part, in great
measure, the cause for the low price of
his wheatp They are figures furnished
by the free silver advocates and we
have dealt with them fairly and can
didly. If an error has been made it
has been unintentional and any advocat
of the free and unlimited coinage of
silver is welcome t., the use of our
columns to correct us. But what is
the result to the farmer2
We have shown that the people are
not eating as they we're, evidently be-
cause they are not able to buy. But
why are they not able to buy? Because
they are thrown out of employment by
the closing Of the factories of the |
country, the general stagnation in
business in all directions. What has
caused thisp We think it is the mis-
take made four years ago in attacking |
the Protective policy of the country
under which 1t has grown as has no |
other nation on the face Of the globe.
The s'robber manufacturers 'have been |
robbed of their ability to employ labor;
labor has been robbed of large share
of its daily bread; the farmef has been
robbed of fair price for his grain.
This is our view and the figures of our
silver friend attest to the facts. We
ask only an honest consideration of tbi
matter, one that should answer at the
polls.
We tried hard to get another peep at
that very interesting memorandum
book but failed. If there are any free
silver arguments in it we shall try to
draw them out, for'certainly the figures
above given are against, not in favor
Of. the free and unlimited coinage of