The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-22
THE GENERAL DEPRESSION.
Facts and Figures Proving That 1t is Due
to the Decentralization of Silver


to the Decentralization of Silver
find scattered over this country an
eight page pamphlet headed, "A FewFacts
For the Consideration of the People of the
South and West by Richard II. Ed
monds, editor of the Manufacturers
Record, Baltimore. This pamphlet is
repete with statistics and statements
which are so arranged and doctOred as to
greatly deceive the people. It's intention
is to make it appear that the demonctza-
ton of silver is not the cause of the gen
eral depression, and specially that the de-
cline in the price OF wheat and cotton
cannot he properly attributed thereto,
but he attributes the low prices of these
articles of consumption to over produc-
ton.
Now, the Record has not an enviable
reputation for correctness, and has for
many years been compiling it's reports lin
the interests of trusts, combines and
large corporations. In this article can
only notice what it says about the wheat
crops, and, think, sscan prove that it's
statements regarding the wheat crops of
the United States is positively incorrect
and misleading. On'page of the pamph
let we find the following: "When'Europe
ceased to draw so heavily upon us and
our exports of wheat dropped from 1885,
100000 bushels in 1881 to 81, 900, 600
bushels in 1856. there necessarily came
low prices" The above quotation is cal
culated to Indicate forcibly that our ex-
ports of wheat has undergone II wonder
full diminution. This is not true. On
the contrary, 1 have before me the statis-
teal abstract of the United States up to
1894, and Oh page 26S find that exports
of wheat from the United States in 1892
amounted to 225, 6G5, S12 bushels; in 1893
to 191, 912, Go bushels; in 1894 to 1874,
2S3, 800 bushels, the latter Years decline
in exports being due to Il small crop, only
39G, 131 ,725 misunderstanding been harvested.
Now, why was it that we only export.
ed in 1856 "a. 600, 900 bushels, less than
one-h half what we exported in 1882 1t
was because we did not have the wheat
to export In 1886 we r..only measured
35i, IL, GOO bushels, and it takes for CON
sumption at home about 215, 000, 900 bush
els annually.
NO REPRODUCTION OF WHEAT.
in 1879 our wheat crop measured 309,-
1D2, 100 bushels. We exported % per
cent. of it, which left us 236, 600, 900 bush
els for home consumption, equal to ) 1.2
bushels per capita. In 1894 we harvested
391, l3l, 30 bushels of wheat, exported II
per cent of it, which left us only 231.-
S4S, o96 bushels for consumption ut home
with % coo, 600 more people to feed equal
to only B bushels per capita. Was
this reproduction? .,'
Wheat in 1879 sold for 81, in 1891 for
A cents Was this on account of over
production? No. no. the Record knows
it is not So but it is hired to say So
Then, why is wheat selling lower in 1894
by one half than in 1915? 1t is on nc
count of tile low price of silver, brought
~, Inv. IL
demoneti2ed India did not ship annually
one million of bushels of wheat. Now
she exports $4,000, 600 bushels, for which
size is paid one ounce of silver for every
bushel, worth in London 60 cents: in
Calcutta, India, S1.37; hence the |
India farmer sells wheat in Liverpool for |
TO cents, buys an ounce of silver and sells |
the silver for Sl.37 Mt home, which pays |
ST. 81 in taxes and Sl.31 in debts
Now, if silver was remonetized and free |
coinage restored silver bullion would be |
worth Sl.29 at home, $1.35 in England, |
Sl.3I III India, and our wheat would bring |
in Europe S1.35, less cost of transporta- |
tion, which is about - or II cents per |
bushel. This price would build up our |
farmers. Farmers would build up our |
manufacturers, pay our merchants, doc
tors and preachers, and general content
ment would prevail all over the land
Farmers, you have been grossly legis-
lated agninst You have been slaughter
ell III your own fathers house Simply |
look mt the history of the past Remcm. |
her England demonetiZed silver in 1916, |
and Allison, the great historian, tells us !
that Gin less than eight years thereafter
four-iifths of the farmers of England lost |
their Estates You have followed the
gold bugs for twenty three years. Your
farms have lost half their former value,
aud you are to-day producing your crops
ut IL greater cost than you can sell them
for. Let us have Il change. Vote for
Bryan. He ia the tribune of the people,
and will distribute justice to ALL to the
poor man as well as the rich Vote for
Bryan. He will break down trusts and
combines and put the people to work.
Vote for Bryan, and the American labor
ing-man will be himself again. c. w.
b. HALE.
REFUSED TO BE "WRITFEN UP.n
y great amount of people noted with
surprise the small amount of biographi-