Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-13
NATIONAL lLLSAND REMEDIES
Plain, Palpable and Unmistakable Cause
of DisoonteAt,t
CLANoR FOR CHEAP MONEY A SYMPTOM
Distinct nnd Positive Evils which Az
feet Both Producff hnd coa-
sumcr-RcpubIican Party
Opporturtitys

Crat, are willing to Concede that the Clamor
for cheap money was a symptom, and that
the disease thus indicated still remains to
be dealt with as a difficult problem, or series
of problems.
1t is not conceivable that over 5000 600
men, representing all classes, more or less,
went to the polls and voted a given ticket
simply because they liked silver better than
gold or because they were eager to cheat
somebody, to destroy values, and to pre-
vent general prosperity. Very few of them,
comparatively, rad am personal interest in
the silver mining industry; the most OF
them were residents OF states in which
that inducement did not exist. They were
Of the opinion that an increase OF the cur
rency would be an advantage to the whole
nation, and would serve particularly to re-
lieve their own misfortunes. That Is to say,
they were dissatisfied with prevailing condi-
tions. and they were willing to try thls
plan of improvement. Those OF us VINO held
the contrary opinion happened to be more
numerous than they were. and so the plan
wac not adopted. In a fair and square trial
1t was decided that free silver was not a
safe and proper remedy for the Ills OF which
these people complained. But the discomfort
which caused so many votes TO be polled FOR
1t was not thereby changed to content. The
ills in question have not been removed, and
il Is not to be expected that the victims are
going to keep quiet about them, now that the
gold standard is to be maintained.
THE CAUSE REMAINS.
This aspect of the political situation is
the one of greatest present Importance, as
several prominent public men perceive and
declare and as more of them will see in the
near future. We have settled the free sii-
yer controversy, but we have not settled the
things that caused it, and that are sure
to remain disturbing force in our politics
There x honest
belief, as Postmaster General Wilson sayc,
that the government is so administered
and laws so framed as to make unjust dis
tribution of social benefits" Secretary Fran
els asserts that, ''if some legislation is not
enacted to check the growing influence of
wealth and circumscribe the power of trusts
and monopolies there will be an uprising of
the people before the century closes, which
will endanger our very institutions Sena-
tor Hoar affirms that "it Is not strange that
discomfort exists among the people of the
new states" "who see colossal fortunes
acquired in forbidden ways, by the fraudu-
lent management of great railroads, by the
pervcrsion OF corporate powers bestowed by
the government for public use and for public
ends, or by gambling in stocks or in the
neccssaries of life" Similar expressions
come from other political leaders, from die
tinguished clergymen and from influential
newspapers; and the significance of such talk
from such sources is not to be misunder
stood $1,000.
LOFTY INDIFFERENCE.
There are those to be sure. who assume
an air OF lofty indifference with regard to
these alleged wrongs and, dangers. They
belong to the alive want.is- Ito he let-alone
class of observers, and are fond of calling
for specific instances OF said evils, which is
equivalent to saying that there are none
such. Even as wise and,agenerally candid
man as ex-Presidept Harrison permits
himself to play part OF this kind. 81 have
M hota ~ afI nshn
day to a convention OF farmers, with people
who are always fighting fire. If you have
anything to antagonize, out with 1t and
specify it; make your attack directly. II
there are abuses OF any kind in legislation
or In the business OF the country, let us fix
the public eye on them. and then we can
trust the country to make 1t right" This
is merely shirking OF the issue, of course.
Mr.. Harrison Is not ignorant of at least some
of the causes of discomfort. They have them
in his own state, well as in others. He
knows that the Indiana producers are not
proSperous-he talked about II in every
speech that he made during the recent cam
paign; and he knows Just as well that they
never can be prosperous so long certain
manifest forms of injustice continue in the
circumstances by which they are surrounded
1t is not at all difficult to point out dis
tinct and positive evils in the case of the
farmer, and to show how they can be re-
moved. Any man who has an intelligent
blinded by bigotry or prejudice, knows pre-
cisely where TO look for such things There
can be no dispute about the low prices of
agricultural products, and that is the basis
of most of the complaints. Why are they
so low? When this question Is asked the
usual answer is cverproduction; but that is
net true in general sense.
PRODUCER AND CONSUMER SQUEEZED.
The prices that the producer receives for
his grain, as compared with those which
the consumer has to pay, show n wide gap,
which represents the tribute levied by those
who handle it, These intermediate charges
come out OF the value OF the product, and
the owner gets what is left. He is not con-
suited in the making of them, but is re-
quired to pay them as he pays taxes to the
state. When he hears about low freight
rates, and concludes to do his own shipping
he discovers that they do not apply to his
grain until after it passes into the hands OF
the large buyers. These are the rates that
look so well in the statistics of cheap trans
but the producer does not get the
benefit of them. The farmers of the Mis-
souri, valley are now getting Is cents a
bushel for their corn, whereas the market
price at the southern point of export Is "a
cents: and there is difference of about %
cents per bushel between the price that they
receive for their wheat and the price at the
point OF export. II they think they see a
chance to do better by shipping to st. Louis
for instance, they find that the rates are
so arranged. regardless OF the difference in |
distance, that nothing can be gained In |
that way. The prices are arbitrarily fixed |
'or them, not entirely by the law OF demand |
and supply, but largely by influences that |
relate ito the matter of placing the product |
within reach of the consumer.
ARTIFICIAL REGULATION.
It 10 easy to say that the natural law OF |
supply and demand operates in an absolute |
way and can not be affected by any other |
'orce; but the farmer knows by experience |
hat this familiar proposition is often prac-
ically refuted. There IS such thing as
artificial regulation or the demand on the |
me hand or the supply on the other to the |
advantage or disadvantage of given inter
,sts. This is what the trusts and monopo-
les are constantly doing; this is what can
De done, and has been done, by an act of
congress, For example,, under the reci-
,rocity treaties, the farmers OF the Mis-
ouri valley secured market in Cuba alone
or about $500, 900 buplels OF wheat In the
orm OF flour. and 100000 bushels of corn
,er year, besides large quantities of oats
,ran and baled hay; and when the reciproc-
ty policy was discontinued, this market
vas destroyed. The demand still exists
here and the supply here, but they can
ot be brought together, because OF pre-
entlve legislation. The same is true as to
he effect OF the present tarlff law in our
ome markets. 1t has Increased the supply
4 certain agricultural products, through
ermitted foreign competition, to such an
xtent that there Is no longer any profit In
alsing them, whereas, under former con-
itions, they were all remuneratiye.
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