The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-09

reason IN saving that, because the free
coinage OF silver was stopped by several
countries including our own, between the
years 1870 and 1913. the prices OF Ameri-
can wheat and breadstuffs have been 90
ing down ever since. No one has ever
established q connecting link between the
two occurrences.
There is one hard fact, which. by it.
self alone upscts the entire falling prices
theory of the free silvertes. II the sus-
pension OF free-silyor coinage depressed
the price OF one American product II
must have depressed equally the prices
OF all American products. But II has not
done so. The price of corn. for example,
which is one OF the leading American
farm staples, has not steadily declined
since 1873 On the contrary, 1t has
strongly advanced m times during that
period. Its export price in New York IN
1873, was 81 cents per bushel In lsN2. II
had risen TO - cents per bushel. In losJ
IL fell 10 a. cent. per bushel. Two years
later in 1891, IL had risen again TO 10
cents per Oushel Last year II fell TO
A. cents per bushel, and thi. week Il
has fallen TO 81 cents per bushel. Dur
Ing the whole OF this time. while corn
was rising over its 1873 price. at times,
and falling far below il al other, the value
OF silver bullion went steadily down. Corn
evidently has been going up and down
without the slightest regard 10 the steady
dropping OF silver. And Just az present,
when silver shows A slight rally towards
better prices, corn takes a more decided
downward plunge. II Is only by taking
wheat and cotton. which have. as II
happens fallen In price along with sill
v.r with less variation. that the POpu-
is, orators are able 10 even seem 10 make
analosical connection between the now
coinage Of silver and the decline on crops
alone. Even as TO wheat aud cotton, how
over the apparent parallel OF failln4
prices with siivers decline Is not con-
piete IL is true. wheat has fallen IN
price more steadily than any otner staple.
except cotton. but u has not kept an even
pace In falling with silver by any means,
though Brysn. Jones. Stewart. & Co, IN
slst thar IL hes For example. wheat sold
a. yl.3l per bushel in 1851 EEL 10 ssc. in
$3.50 and rose 10 fl-O9 in 1881. But inc
prices Of silver bullion did not tany win
those fluctuations at all for we fnd that
silve- sold Tor sll3 per ounce in ISL.
for g9c per ounce In 1885, and for ysc.
per ouncs IN 1891. Again and again.
within the last twenty years silver mas
been going up while wheat mas oee'|
going down. and vice versa
Another conclusive proof Of the utter
fallacy OF the contention that as sllNer
has gone down I'm price. all other Ameri-
can products have gone down likewise: i
found In the fact that while silver nas
declined IN the last ten years from sl.vo
ns~ ounce 70 63c per ounce, or nearly one
half. the price OF bee, has remained al
most stationary, selling Tor 40 per par
rel in 1856. and at about s. per earrel 20 20
day What Is the peculiar quanty, or sii-
YER that A drop IN rs price should nave
sent wheat and cotton price; e CONN much yerS
less severely and left the price OF mess
bsef just about the same
This prices Of al the n zee aI, hi o.
llfe have fallen greatly for ne iast e", N
~ wear. In IN countries. and under Az
none, standards They have been fall,
ing. in fact. for nearly a century ana ana
the prices OF manufactured goods nave
hssn faii,,x also. so that the farmer pays
much less FOR all that he buys 5s as ssl ven IN
800 49, b.. aia In 1913 Everything has
fallen in price except the wages si,y Oh ma "a,
boz Labor alone. Is the commonly Ia "a.
brings more In exchange for itsef to,oay
taaa II ia twenty years ago ana u
this increase Of price The farmer st oein
e-e,,,y uf.1 the CITY wage-earner. Bit
tits brings Us to another side q S6 me som
jet and OF general business aspIess,cn
with which We propose 70 ueAi hsA~
week"