The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1896-04-17


Thus at the top Of the field appears a
row Of eight stars, below that ros of
seven stars, and below that a row of
eight stars, and so on.
zzzzzzszz@
APPRECIATION OF THE GOLD DOLLAR.
One of the boasts of the the ahonest"
money advocates is: There never was
a time when a dollar would buy as
much as now" In other words they
not only affirm the appreciation of the
gold dollar but they vaunt themselves
because of this achievement of what
they call the "hOnest" money party.
Now what these Swans u call "hon-
est' money is dishonest money and
their "honest" dollar is a robber dollar,
and the advocates of this scheme to
enhance the purchasing power of the
unit of value are thieves and robbers.
Accessory, many of them, before the
fact, and all of them after the fact to
the most gigantic scheme of robbery,
under the form and color of law, that
has ever been perpetrated against the
American people.
Perhaps this does not Immediately
appear to the vision of our readers.
Suppose that % years ago you had
purchased farm for $4,000 and had
paid $1,000 down and given a mortgage
for the balance at 6 per cent payable
in % years. Remember the unit of
value is the "dollar." You contracted
this debt in 1873, six years before the
resumption Of specie payment and just
before the standard was changed from
silver to gold, and just before the silver
dollar was dropped from the list of
coins, and just before the taking away
of the free coinage Of silver and the
limitation of the legal tender Of silver
payment. Now at that time silver was
sl29 per ounce, wheat S1.3O per bushel,
cotton 10 cents per pound, good horses
s125, COWS $40. Now wheat is Is cents,
cotton 7 cents, horses $50, COWS $40,
silver 68 cents.
Now take the statement so Wanting
lymade about the purchasing power of
the dollar and the consequent fall in
the price of commodities and you will
see that to the same extent the dollar
has appreciated your debt has increased
and your real estate has fallen in value.
The farm you paid $4,000 for is worth
now only $1,000, you have laid aside
during this time $1,000, you still have
81 900 more to raise. Now to raise the
$1,000 it will take just double the
amount of produce it did % years ago.
You have paid the owner of the mort
gage 8, 100 interest, not reckoning in
terest on interest. The farm is now
worth only $1,000. You have lost what
you have paid in, and to pay the $1,000
you have yet to raise will equal in pro-
duce the amount Of the original mort
gage. Probably you appreciate the
"honest dollar" You are that much
poorer and the one that holds the
mortgage that much richer solely
through the legerdemain of financial
legislation.
Let US loOkOvera broader field. First
there is the national debt, then there
are state debts, city debts, county debts,
township debts, and school district
debts, beside debts Of account of cor
pOratiOns and business firms. A large
proportion of these debts we're con
tracted % years ago and are still run
ming, They have already been paid in
interest and the debt is now double be-
cause of the doubling of the purchas-
ing power of the dollar. In other words
these debts, including interest, must
be paid three times over.
While you have been toiling against
such tremendous odds colossal fortunes
have been heaped up. Don't you see
how it is that the wealth of the country
is being concentrated in the hands of
the few? You probably vote for the
grand old party as Of yore, and glory
in its record. You kiss the hand that
smites you and give to the one that
robs you further power to rob. You
have hoped to educate you children,
but that time is past. You hoped for a
competence in your old age and de-
clining years, but behold penury for
yourself and hopsiessness for your
children.
rs-s--s-s.s