The evening times., 1896-08-18
SILVER THE FARMERS ENEMY.

Editor Times: have read all the articles
that have been published in The Evening
Times since you opened its columns to the
people for short communications on the
money question But 1 have not seen one
that thought was written by farmer,
and with your permission will give the
views OF an old farmer ON that question.
1t is said by the free silveritcs tila. the
farmers will be the first to receive Len
eft by the free coinage of silver (after the
silver mine owncrsl. They say that farm
produce will he the first to rise in value:
that farmers will prosper as soon as frcr
silver is adopted. and a good many farmers
believe 1t and are ready to vote for free
silver. Two-rfirds OF the farms are mort
gagged TO the banks and money lenders,
who are always looking out for their own
interest, and IL they see that free silver
is Coming and they are to be paid in
5O-cent dollars it is reasonable to sur
pose they will dose their II. ortgagcs while
they can get good money. And there is
not one farmer In hundred who could pa y
the mort gage on his farm before the Ith Of
March without borrowing money or selling
the farm.
Free silver will hurt no one more than
the farmer who is in debt, and II 1t Comes
the farmer will bc the first to find that his
house is built on the sand and will fall
down before free silver can tc adopted
There is no process by which We can be
compelled 10 Tart with our gold against
our will nor is there any process by which
silver can be forced uEon us without Our
consent"
If the government aGopts free coinage
of silver, at ] 6 to /, no one would take
his gold 10 the mint and have it coined
when lie could take it 10 a foreign oOun-
try and sell 1t and get two dollars worth
OF silver for one of gold, unless the gov
ernInent tould stop intercourse and trade
with all foreign Countries.
Again, he says: III the double standard
will bring benefits TO our People, who will
fieny them The right to ENJOY those bene-
fits?"
There will be no double standard with
free Coinage or silver at 16 to /. IL will
only change our currency from gold TO
silver standard. II gold is higher iii Europe
and silver higher here, gold will go there
and Everyconlnudity will
seek The best market.
Gov. Stone of Missouri said In his speech:
THE great victory Won III s92 was fought
0n the tariff issues. 1t was a war waged
against the excessive InoIcpOlistic, trust
breeding schedules OF the Mckinley law."
II they did Win victory in 1892 they
lost it in 1894, and were defeated worse
than the Republicans wcrc in 1892. But
IL all shows how the people were deceived
by the promises that Mr. Cleveland and the
Democratic party made them a bout the good
times the country would have W leH the DEM
ecrats come in. Instead they made the
worsttimes thecountry y has ever inexperienced.
The government was. before the election
of1S92, ina prosperous condition. Business
of all kinds was gOnd; people had Ilcnty
OF work and the government had plenty of
money TO pay all obligations as fast as they
came. But us soon as ii was known that the
Democrats had elected the President. and
both branches OF Congress, pledged to carry
out their free trade platform, everything
changed for the worst. Factories stopped.
banks broke, mines closed. merchants and
business men failed and men was thrown
oIt OF work BY the thousands. The govern
ment had to sell bonds to pay its running ex-
pei,ses.
Now Il think the people have got enough OF
the blessings that the Democrats brought
them. and If they let themselves be fooled
again on free silver then they will not de-
serveanypiiy. GEORGE BONIFANT.
Layhill, Md.