Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-10-13
PATRIOTIC FARMERS.
Whenever Danger Threatened the
Country They Have Rallied
to Its Support.
HARD TIMES AND THE CAUSE.
Employment Of Labor in Mechanical
= Industries and Not DECEASED
a Money is Needed.

Whenever danger threatened our insti-
tuition the farmer has always rallied to
the support of his country. There is
good reason in this, in the fact that he
owns the broad acres of our territory and
is so identified with our institutions. that
protect him in this ownership that his in
tarest is necessarily of a character to
make him the safe conservator of our
governments perpetuity, prosperity and
honor.
In the present campaign we are con-
fronted by an issue that affects every
class of our citizens, hence, there is an
interest in the outcome more intense than
in any campaign since 1860. One reason
for the manifestation for so much inter-
est is the fact that the country has been
suffering from an unprecedented period
of depression and is earnest in its intent
10 secure relief. Among those who la
Dor none have more reason for COM
plant than the farmer. Prices of his
products have been low. values of land
and stock have continued to decline,
until discouraged and disheartened,
. demagogues seem to believe him ready to
accept any promise that they make, but
y,
review and discuss fully the merits of the
nropositions offered. The proposition
that has been urged paramount to all
others, is the free and unlimited coinage
of silver.
There never was q more deceptive
proposition, one more startling IN It's
effects and results and one that would
be more disappointing should it become
a practical fact. 1t is advocated by
men having a pecuniary interest at stake,
backed by a combination of capital I'M
equaled by any that has ever attempted
10 control our government since the day
of the slave power. The silver mine
owners Of the United States, skilled in
political maneuvering, have organized
themselves into syndicate for the pur-
pose of forcing upon the country. with
out regard to consequences, the free and
unlimited coinage of silver.
The magnificent scheme was outlined
by Mr.. Bryan in his Madison square
speech when he said: "At the present
time and under the present law, silver
dollar when melted loses nearly one-half
its value, but that will not be true when
we can establish a mint price of silver
and leave no surplus silver upon the
market to drag down the price OF sill
yer bullion" and then to show the pos
sibility of cornering silver and forcing
il to a price satisfactory to mine owners,
I'VE cannot even expect all of the an
nual product of silver because India,
China, Japan, Mexico and other silver
using countries must satisfy their annual
need from the annual product; the arts
will require large amount and the gold
standard countries will need consider
able quantity for subsidiary COINAGE
we will be required to coin only that
which is not needed elsewhere, but If we
stand ready to take and utilize all of it,
other nations will be ready to buy at
the price we fix"
This is the silver miners scheme as
outlined by Mr.. Bryan. The people are
invited to loan the resources of this gov
ernment to silver syndicate in order
that it may be able by taking MI the
silver that is offered to the world 10
fix the price and compel other nations
10 pay that price. This is worse than
free and unlimited coinage, yet it is the
only way Mr.. Bryan says whereby the
price of silver can be maintained at
parity with gold. The magnitude Of the
scheme and their audacity in attempt
ing it's execution challenges admiration.
but the American people are accustomed
to investigate the claims Of parties and
men. They want to know for themselves
the why and wherefores, If some great
radical change is proposed. That they
will thus investigate and judge for them
fed for self-government.
That present conditions are hard, es-
pecially among the farming class, every
one admits. There is undoubtedly a
cause for this abnormal condition. The
silver advocates attribute the existing
depression TO the decentralization Of sill
yer, 'the crime of 1873" as they desig-
nate the suspension OF coinage of silver
dollars in 1873.
They fail to show how that legislation
reduced prices; they simply assert that it
did. They fail also to show why prices
continued to decline after coinage of sill
yer was resumed i'm 1873. They ignore
all the facts Of development, the large
and unprecendented production of farm
division of labor. The building of new
railroads and the opening Of vast terri
tories for cultivation are entirely ignored.
During the years 1SIS-79 and so it is
known that ever 100000 mechanics left
the factories and shops of New England
and the middle and older Western states
10 locate on the lands in Kansas and Ne
lbraska and the Dakotas. These all be-
came active producers instead of consum-
ers of farm products.
What We now need is to reverse this
condition of affairs and secure less pro-
ducers and more consumers of farm pro.
duets; If by any way We can do this, we
tical in correcting the ills our farmers
have, to bear. There is method by
which this may be accomplished, reme-
dy that II not only practical but per.
manent and far reaching in its effects
There is well established principle in
political economy often referred TO Inv
writer's that ''the greatest creator ~
wealth is the greatest possible division of
labor" Previous to the election of 1902
under the operation of the Republican
policy of protection, we were struggling
10 realize our benefits of this principle and
we were rapidly overcoming our adverse
conditions by increasing the demand for
farm products. The interest which the
movement of labor has in protective. drl,
ties lies in the effect which the movement
of labor has upon the supply and demand
of agricultural products. 1t is impossible
to maintain proper division of labor,
except we produce the largest amount of
manufactured goods possible within our
own territory. Open our ports free and
allow our markets to he supplied by the
manufacturers of Europe and the effect
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