Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-03
Year. Crop-busheIs. Population in

1880. ....... All .SSJ.3S0. 80, 100. IS3 10
1881. ....... .416.4S1.0OO .......... ~
1882. ....... Ass, 25O61O .......... 80
1883. ....... oil .302. 400 .afr--.. ~
1881. $500. 5S3, Cos, 900 .......... .ls
1885. G29, 40g.0O0 ih. II. 49,. y!
1856. q. .G2i, l3t 00O. '....."... ~
1883. 1900. .101 .I3oOOO .......... 10
1881 1854 .9gfS s1s"oS ........ 4.
1890. ....... .523,G21.0OO G2,622,2JO ~
lS9l ....... .a5S,Sst,UW ...,..''.' a.
1892. ....... 1851 .0S5,0O0 .......... -
1893. $500. .G3S, SD, so .......... -
1894. ...... .6G0, 036. OBS s.......... -
1898. ....... SD, 43353I ......... Id
We ask our farmers to examine these
figures carefully. and candidly answer II
anything more than the natural law OF
supply and demand is needed to account
for the fluctuations. The average price
during the fall months was up to 30
cents but three times. The first time, in
1874, was on the smallest crop, Of the
period The second time, in 1881, was
when there was the poorest corn crCT'
since 1874, and corn was high. creating
an extra demand for oats. The third
both oats and corn. The low prices of
the last few weeks have been on the
prospect of crop larger than last years.
1t will be seen that the~lowest price
of the period was 1878. That was the
year the Grcenback party made such Il
sweep. 1t was then said just as now,
that we could never have good prices
again unless we abandoned the idea of
keeping our money us good as gold. But
we did not abandon it, and a glance down
the column shows which wassright.
We ask il there is any indication of n
continuous fall in the price Of oats since
1872? On the contrary the average price
for the first ten years of the period was
20.4 cents per bushel, while the average
nrlCn for tho last ten III
cents.
Another thing: Gold is the particular
money which the free silver people ci1im
has been growing scarcer since 1873.
The hardship they complain of is in being
forced to sell for prices measured in cur
prices from 1872 to 1878 inclusive ere in
greenbacks and would have been lower
If measured in gold. In 1872 it took
from $1.09 to SLID in paper to equal Il
dollar in gold. Calling the average
81. 12l5. we must deduct 2 cents from the
then in gold. and a similar deduction
should be made for each year up to 1879.
This shows that the price of oats in gold
has averaged considerably higher 10 the
farmer since this country has been doing
business with all its money at par with
gold.
Notice the increased production of oats
increase in population. In 1872 the pro-
duction was under seven bushels per
capita, in 1850 about eight, has been
around nine and ten since, and last year
was about twelve. You are asked to
jump into the dark. TO expose the coun-
try to great perils, and you are urged to
do it on the theory that the silver lcgis-
lation of 1873 has made oats low. 1t is
not q party question; it is business
question. Here are the facts. Make up
your mind on them calmly as a citizen in
whose hands is great responsibility
BE sure you are right then go ahead.
Settle the oats question in your iuind,
once for all.
Again while oats have been doing bet
ter than hold their own. what has hap
pened to the things which the farmer
buys? From 1872 to 1880 bushel of
oats would average to purchase two
pounds of WIRE. since 1890 it will aver
bushel of oats would buy an average
of about III pounds of suger; since 1890
it would buy about 3la pounds. In the
first period it required nearly tN0 bushels
of oats to buy n gallon of Kerosene; since
1890 bushel of oats has hveragedstos buy
more than gallon OF oih In the first
period il took more than ten bushels of
oats to buy Il barrel of salt. while since
1890 it has required an average of about
five bushels.
On all agricultural implements it has
required not over half as many oats since
1890 to pay the price as it did from 1872
to 1879. The interest rate on farm
loans has fallen from 10 per cent to Z
per cent. The value Of the farh has
doubled. Clothing. dry goods. furniture,
newspapers, etc., all IN recent years re-
quired fewer oats topurchase them in re-
cent years than from 1872 to 1872
1t cost the farmer e.; i Rose asaoney to pro,
years. He had to bind Il by hand and
six or seven man, had TO be hired al
day wages To do what one man with q
self-binder does now The reaper cost
more then than u self-binder does now
The Messenger advocates a dollar OF
steady value, not in the interest of any
class. but in the interest of justice and
because all business interests are pro
noted thereby. We do not advocate GOLD
only as money, but we do believe thai
| every dollar put out by the United State:
should have the pledge of this govern
ment behind.it guaranteeing it to be AZ
| good as gold. Then we have a basis OF
which business can be conducted.
Senator Stewart, who now represent,
| the silver mines of Nevada in the United
| States Senate, in 1874, before he saw an,
necessity for the government to boost sill
| yer, in a speech i'm the Senate advocating
the resumption act, said: ,a/
BY this process we shall come to a speci
| basis. and when the, laboring man receives
| dollar 1t Will have the purchasing power OF
dollar, and he will not be called on TO q
| what Is impossible for him or the pr6ducin
| classes to do, figure upon the exchanges
| figure upon the fluctuations. figure upon tn
| gambling In New York: but he VIII knoy
| what his money Is worth. Gold " the. uni
| versal standard OF the world. Everybod
knows what a dollar In gold Is worth.
| There the country has been since 1919
When the farmer sells his crop for on
| present money he knows what he has
and what he can buy with IT. WheI
| one man wants to borrow of anothe
he can find somebody willing to lend him
and when man earns and saves a littl
money for old age he knows that 1t will
support him.
! Already under this agitation every LOAF
company of any importance has ceases
business unless its notes are made spe
| officially payable in gold. 80 that ell ris
from the free silver experiment Is n.
sumcd by the borrower. Enterprise !
dead. The energies of the whole pcopl
are paralyzcd by this raid on our credi
and on the stability Of onr money.
| Silver, Wheat and Coffce.