Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-24
FARMERS COMING BACK
Those in Indiana Who We're Disposed to
Favor Free Silver.
One Large Live Stock Dealer Gives
His Views ON the Situation
In That State.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.


INDIANAPOLIS, September o. 1896.
The disturbing element in the republican
calculations as to the result of the APP
preaching election has been the attitude
of the farming classes. Two years ago
the free silver advocates began active mis-
sionary work among the farmers Of this
state, and ever since then have been fur
nishing them with literature 10y the ton.
Personal work has also been going on,
and every little settlement has had its
school Of finance in active progress. In
former campaigns the farmers have been
the first to take their party stand, but
this year it has been noticed that while
they would attend meetings and listen TO
discussions they remained silent as to
their own convictions. This condition Of
affairs has made the republicans very TN
easy, and many efforts have been made
TO draw them out, and speakers have been
sent among them to specially discuss the
financial question as to it's relation to the
agricultural classes.
The democrats have banked largely On
the presumed disaftection of the farmers
and have claimed they would make great
gains in the agricultural counties. The
business men of the cities. especially those
who deal largely with the farmers, have
interested themselves in this matter. and
nave canvassed the situation pretty thor
oughly. The reports they make of their
observations have measurabiy treasured
the republicans and show that the great
Claims made by the democrats are without
material foundation. T. r. Shiel of this
city is perhaps the largest individual dealer
IN 1--we stock in the country. He is large
iy engaged in buying hogs cattle and
sheep for export, and it is probable there is
not farmer in central or southern In
diaEa or Illinois that is not personally
acquainted with him. He IS an active
supporter of Mckinley. although he bitter
ly opposed his nomination. having offered
to give $4,000 to the Campaign fund in
case Harrison was the nominee. For some
weeks he has been making Il careful study
or the situation among The farmers, and
today said
One Stock Dealers Views.
Major Mckinley will be elected. He will
| carry Indiana by a larger plurality than
has ever been given to a presidential can
d-date in the state. For thirty years
have been a stock buyer, and in that time
Fave hardled more than S60OOOO0O of stock
Purchased from farmers of Indiana and
Illinois. l have no fears of the farmer go
ing for free silver. They are as intelligent
aid honest body of men as can be found
anywhere. They are reading people and
perfectly competent to form an intelligent
opinion upon any question of public policy.
| They are not to be caught by the clap-trap
\ OF Mr. Bryan. They know, from their own
| experience. that many of his statements
] are rot true. Let me point out few He
| has repeatedly said that the prices of farm
prodEcts have steadily declined since the
| Crime of '73, and that the only things
which have remained stationary are rail-
road rates, etc. Now. 1 buy more than S.
| 'w.tn annually from the farmers, all of
which l ship. l ought then, to know
| something of the prices and the cost of
| traEsE CITATION. The first stock / bought
| for shipment was in 1865. 1 paid for hogs
hve cents, and for cattle four. 1t cost me
| W. Fer car TO ship the hogs to Cincinnati
| Now can ship for SO. 1 then paid SIS per
| car fer cattle to Buffalo. and $40 to Me-.
| York. Now l ship to New York for S.,
and SGD. In 1863 hogs went up to ten cents
| cattle to seven and sheep to six. In 1872
| the year before the crime l bought hogs
| for four. cattle for the same, and sheep for
| three, and that in a deprecated currency
| In 1879 and 1876 after the crime 1 paid
| seven for hogs. and five for cattle and sheep
| Cattle are higher now than in 1861 when
| hrst began to buy. and several times
since the crime all kinds of stock have
| sold higher than they did before, thus
showing that AIr. Bryan is all wrong in his
| statements.
| Mr.. Bryan's Misstatements.
Farmers who were engaged in raising
| stock prior to 1873: and are still in that
| business. know all these facts, and they
cannot be deceived by Mr.. Bryan. 1 would
Ike to have Mr.. Bryan explain why, in
| 1892, under the Mckinley law, 1 paid for
export sheep . cents. and two years later.
| under the Wilson law, bought the same
1
| republicans will make more gains this year
| among the farmers than they will among
| any other class of citizens. When the agi-
| tation was first started there was a turning
| to free silver. An attempt was made to
| convince them that if free silver was adopt
| ed they could pay their debts with J0-cent
| dollars, but that only caught certain class
| OF farmers. l know of one farmer who
| owns 1000 acres of land in one county, for
! which he paid from $50 to $50 per acre, who
| row is trying to borrow on it $50 per acre
| In another county he has ], 100 acres, which
| cost him 81 per acre. and he wants to Dor
| row on 1t So. In Louisiana he owns a 1000
| acre plantation, which cost him from s. tC
| s. per acre, and he wants to mortgage thai
| for $40. That kind of a farmer would be
| glad to free silver. Let me give you an
| instance of how 1t works. / have a friend
| who formerly worked for me. He saved
| his money and bought him a little forty
| acre farm this city. He afterward
| found ne could buy the adjoining forty Col
| $1,000, which was cheap; but he only hal
rowed sl.S00, giving a mortgage on the
whole eighty. The money will soon be due
| He came to me in great distress and tolG
| me the lender demanding his money
and he did not have 1t. 1 told him If Nc
Kinley was elected the lender would no
| would He was a Bryan man, but Is nov
| for Mckinley.
THE farmers want protection agains
| Canada. and reciprocity to open market:
for their surplus. They can get neithe
| under Bryan. and they know it. I am sat
isfied that McKinley's plurality in thi
| state will reach JO,OW."
| What Judge Weed Said.
Judge John J. Weed, who spoke at tn
| meeting held under the auspices of tn
| MCKINLEY and Hobart Campaign Clul