The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-08-05
Free Silver in America
Would Kill England.
SEE WHERE THE FOL-
LOWING Is FROM.
Read What it Says, and as an
American Citizen Make
up Your Mind
What is Best for Americans to Do.
From the London Financial News, March
10th, 1896

The financial situation in the
United States is very serious The
Senate has blocked all relief meas
ures proposed by President Cleveland.
and Congress is at dead standsti|l
on the money question. The free
coinage Senators are masters OF the
situation
The condition of affairs in the
United States Congress demands the
immediate attention of British fnan.
ciers and statesmen. The trade of
the world is now in our hands, but it
will not long remain there if the
United States goes to a blmetalilc
basis with free and unlimited coinage
of silver.
With the addition of silver to the
value of money everything in Amer
ica would take on a new face labor
and industry would gain new life.
The grip of the gold standard on the
products of the world would be
loosened and prices would rise.
Great Britain would lose her
markets in South America, Asia and
England, and American bottoms
would not be long in capturing the
carrying trade of the world
British creditors must now apply
themselves quickly to the American
money problem The sound money
men and banking interests, led by
Senator Sherman, Cleveland and Car
Isle, with plentiful supply Of
means, have been beaten. The
American people are now thoroughly
aroused and educated on the power
and use of money, and made des-
perate by debt and business depres-
sion they are forcing free silver oa
the main issue
Great Britain need fear nc injury
to her trade or investments if the Re
publican party can force protective
tariff as the main issue in the com.
ing presidential campaign. but if free
silver dominates the American mind
and carries at the polls it will bring
about change in England that will
be ruinous from its suddenness and
severity. The damage that can be
done British manufacturers by pro-
tective tariff is slight compared with
the Disasters that would be entailed
by change from single gold to q
complete bimetallic standard
Il is evident that the Democratic
party will not re-nominate man
who holds to President Cleveland's
ideas on money. and the only hope
for continuation of Mr. Cleveland's
financial policy will be in the success
of the Republicans i'll the next cleo
tion
The success of free coinage will
bring down the rate OF interest Oh
money, aud cause an. immediate rise
in the price Of all commodities.
When silver becomes primary money
the American mines will pour their
products into tile miuts, and a new
era similar to that produced by the
issue of greenbacks during the civil
war will begin. Gold will leave the
banks aad enter into competition
with silver In the avenues Of trade.
and the manufactures Of the United
States, which have been Shut down Or
crippled since 1892. will again re-
sumo their fight fox the English
markets
1t is doubtful whether the Republl-
can party can be held much longer IN
check by sound money statesmen, as
its adherents are divided by powerful
factions The Democratic party is
also breaking up under the weight OF
the free silver agitation. 1t matters
not to Great Britain which party sue
ceeds if the gold standard is main
tanned, but either Of the old parties