Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1896-03-27
4 REPUBL1cAN OPINION.


A REPUBLICAN, OPINION.
The Denison, QowO Review. one Of
the leading republican papers Of that
state, thus pays its Respects to the gold
bug delegation in congress from that
state:
''Our friends in Washington are not so
near these facts as those who are at home
With salary, including clerk hire, mile
age and ,perquisites. OF 81, 900 per year
and sure pay even if the money is bor-
rowed-they cannot realize that while it
formerly took 1000 bushels Of wheat to
pay their salarles-it takes 200 bushels
at this time; and while it formerly took
less than 81, ,OOO bushels of corn, it now
takes over $4,000 bushels, This illus.
tration shows that while all productions
have deprecated by the adoption OF the
new, exclusively gold valuation, those
things like fixed charges in the line of
taxes, interest and salaries adjusted by
law have remained stationary, and there.
fore it takes a greater amount Of toi! and
Of faim products to meet these.
While writing this the sherif's ham
mer sounds in our ear. Fifty auctions
have been held this spring in this county.
A hundred renters Of farms have had
their chattle mortgages foreclosed and
are becoming helpless tramps Very
soon this will reach mortgaged farms
and hundreds will lose their equity in the
land 1t is this cry Of distress and the
constant increase Of poverty. destitution,
enforced and afterwards willing idleness,
and consequent crime, which appals us,
and causes US to plead so earnestly with
our friends charged with legislative re-
sponsibility. Have not you gentlemen
become .deluded by the plausible sophism
that the universal shrinkage in prices has
not been caused by the appreciation Of
gold, but by over production? Has
there been over-productloo? Has there
been over production of horses, cattle and
that these have diminished by millions?
Has there been an over-production Of
sheep? Does not the record show that
these have diminished also about Is per
cent? Has there been any over-produc-
tion of land7 Yet the record shows
diminishing prices. Can you
make yourself believe that one half is
equal to two halves?
Twenty years ago the world was using
B, 500 millions of dollars Of silver and
3. 500 millions of dollars Of gold Of pri.
mary money rs the combined basis Of
Of values. Did not the
abolition Of silver as full legal tender
money enhance the value of gold? Do
you not know that even the optimistic
estimate of the director Of the mint
places the gold production at only $50
millions Of dollars per year? Losses and
the arts will take 100 millions and the
balance will be boarded.
There is no hope for an appreciating
market and of better times in this direc-
=
ton.
But gentlemen what remedies have you
in store? The people care no more about
silver than they do about nickles or
copper What they seek is work. op-
oortunity and liberal reward for labor.
What are your plans? The country in
lines of peace has increased its indebted
1css 2GO millions of dollars which, before
t is repaid, will cost 500 millions. Do
you try to stopt? No. You did not
'epeal the permission to sell bonds. for |
you simply modified the interest on the |
ponds to be sold. You did not say,
stop selling bonds. We will give you
increased revenue, but no more bonds"
You said 1--WE will change the existing
aw so that you can sell all the three per
'ent. bonds you desire without permis-
ion from congress"
Let us remind you of a historic event.
When Cleveland called the extra
ession to repeal the silver purchasing
clause of the Sherman act, he and his
riends ascrbed the bankers panic and
IL the ills of the country 10 the fact that
our millions Of silver per month were
purchased. He suspended the law-as
lorton did the seed distribution-by
process.
But gentlemen, what are your plans?
Fake the people into your confidence.
lave you any? A party without mis-
ion cannot live. Cleveland has a we'll
efned financial policy. What is it?
'he sale OF 500 millions of gold bonds TO