Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-08-20

would retard or entirely prevent the estab-
Hshment OF international b1metallism. to
which the efforts OF the government should be
steadily directed" When they asserted that
the efforts OF the government should be stead
lily directed toward the establishment OF inter-
national bimetallism they condemned mono
metallism.
The Gold Standard Found Wanting.
The gold standard has been weighed in the
balance and found wanting Take from it the
powerful support Of the money-owning and
money-changing classes and it cannot stand
for one day in any nation in the world. It was
fastened upon the United States without dis
cussion before the people, and its friends have
never yet been willing to risk verdict before
the voters upon that issue.
There can be no sympathy or cooperation
between the advocates of universal gold
standard and the advocates OF bimetallism.
Between Observation-Disclosures independent
or internatiOnal-and the gold standard there
is an impossible gulf Is this Quadrennial
agitation in favor of international bimetallism
conducted in good faith. or do our opponents
really desire to maintain the gold standard
permanently. Are they willing to confess the
superiority of a double standard, when joined
by the leading nations OF the world or do
they still insist that gold is the only metal
suitable for standard money among civilized
nations? If they are, in fact. DESTROYS of
curing bimetallism we may expect them to
point out the evils of gold standard and de-
fend bimetalliSm as system. II, on the other
hand they are bending their energies toward
the permanent establishment of gold stand
ard under cover of a declaration in favor of in
ternational biuetaliism. am justified in sug-
costing that honest money cannot be expected
at the hands of those who deal dishonesty
with the American people
The Advantages of Bimetallism.
Bimetallism is better than monometallism
not because it gives US perfect dollar-that
is. dollar absolutely unvarying in its general
purchasing power-but because it makes
nearer approach to stability, to honesty, to JUS
tice. than gold standard possibly can. Prior
to 1873, when there were enough open minis to
permit all the gold and silver available for coin
age to find entrance into the worlds volume
of standard money, the United States might
have maintained gold standard with less in
jury to the people of the country but now,
when each step toward a universal gold stand
ard enhances the purchasing power of gold
depresses prices and transfers to the pockets
OF the creditor class an unearned increment
the influence OF this great nation must not be
thrown upon the side of gold unless pre-
pared to accept the natural and legitimate
consequences Of such an act.
Any legislation which lessons the worlds
stock of standard money increases the
changeable value OF the dollar. Therefore. the
crusade against silver must inevitably raise
the purchasing power Of money and lower the
money value of all other forms of money. Our
opponents sometimes admit that it was mis-
take to demonetize silver, but insist that
should submit to present conditions rather than
return to the bimetallic system They err in
supposing that we have reached the end of
the evil results OF gold Standard we
have not reached the end. The injury
is continuing one, and no person can say how
long the world is 10 suffer from the attempt to
make gold the only standard money. The
same influences which operating to
destroy silver in the United States will if sue
ceSSful here. be turned against other silver
using countries. and each new convert to the
gold standard will add to the general distress
So long as the scramble for gold continues,
prices must fall, and general fall in prices is
but another definition of hard times
Whom Free Silver Would Aid.
Our opponents, while claiming entire disin-
terestedness for themselves, have appealed to
the selfishness of nearly every class of society.
Recognizing the disposition of the individual
voter to consider the effect of any proposed
legislation upon himself, present to
the American people the financial pol
believing that it will result in the
greatest good to the greatest number. The
farmers are opposed to the gold standard
because they have felt it's effects. Since
they sell at wholesale and buy at re-
tail they have lost more than they have
gained by falling prices and, besides this, they
have found that certain fixed charges have
not fallen at all Taxes have not Iercep-
tibly decreased although it requires more
farm products now than formerly to secure
the money with which to pay taxes Debts
have not ia lien. Inc farmer VINO owed Sl.OOU
is still compelled to pay $1,000. although it may
be twice difficult as formerly to obtain the
dollars with which to pay the debt. Railroad
rates have not been reduced to keep pace with
falling prices, and besides these items there
are many more. The farmer has thus found
complaint against the gold standard.
Wage Farmers Want Free Silver.
The wage earnerS have been injured by
gold standard and have expressed themselves
upon the subject with great emphasis. In Feb
ruary, 1895, petition asking for the immedf-
ate restoration of the free and unlimited COIN
age of gold aud silver at sixteen to one was
signed by the representatives OF all. or nearly
all. the leading labor organizations and pre-
scented to congress. Wage earners knew that
while gold standard raises the purchasing
power of the dollar, it also makes it more diff
cult obtain possession OF the dollar; they knew
that employment is less permanent, loss of
work more probable and unemployment less
certain. A gold standard encourages the
boarding of money, because money is rising it
also discourages enterprise and paralyzes in
dustry. On the other hand. the restoration of
bimetallism will discourage boarding,
because when prices are steady
or rising money cannot afford
to lie idle in the bank vaults. The farmers
and wage earners together constitute a con-