Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-14
MONEY IN CIRCULATION.
MIR. Bryan Discussed 1t In One of HI
st. Louis Speeches.


At the three great mass meetings held at
st. Louis Saturday night, Mr.. Bryan adj
dressed between 10000 and $1,000 persons.
At each of the meetings he was greeted
with prolonged cheers, and at frequent in
| tervals during his speeches there was more
applause. The nominee was mat at the
train by large crowd. He was escorted
to the Planters Hotel. where he ate din
ner, and then went to Concordia, Park. The
Auditorium and Sportsman Park We're in
turn visited and he made speech at each
place.
Mr.. Bryan, among other things, discussed
the quantity of money in circulation in the
United States. He said regarding this SUB
ject:
Now. give ME your attention. my
friends. In this government publication
issued by the Treasury Department on the
| first of July, 1885, l find a statement Of the
amount of money of all kinds in circula-
tlen among the people for the various
years Let Inc call your attention to the
amount given here for the years 1894, 20
and 90
In 1894 the amount of money in circula-
licn, according TO this report. sl,Gay,-
Ioo,eoo In 1875 that amount of money had
fallen TO Sl,GDl $4,000. a decrease in one
year of $59,oOoUU. On the BON day of
June, 1886 the amount in circulati ton had
fallen to $1tu6.OOo,UU.
wv nat does IL mean? 1t means that in
two years time, according to the treasury
report, the amount of money N crcula-
ton among the people had fallen about
one hundred and fifty million dollars,
In other words, in two years time there
has been a decrease of about 10 per cent
in tie amount Of money in circulation
amcrg the people. This, my friends, is
the treasury report, and this report shows
that while the per capita circulation in
1894 ras s24.2S. la 1896 1t had fallen to
S2l1o a fall of more than 81 per capita
"a voice. Il haven't got five cents in my
pocket. Laughter)
There is an evidence in the remark of
my friend. Mr.. Bryan continued that
even the decreased per capita is not dis
tributed with absolute equality. laugh
ter)
Quoting Senator sherman.
Now, l have called your attention to
this decrease shown by the treasury re-
rcrt. Let me show you, my friends, that
instead of there being decrease there
ought to have been an increase each year.
Senator John Sherman made a speech on
the 9th CT June, 1890, and in the course of
that speech he used these words:
If our present currency is estimated at
81, foooD.o00 and our population is increas-
ing at the rate of per cent per annum Il
would require $42,WU,oU increased circula-
ton each year to keep pace with the in
crease Of population, but as the increase
OF population is accompanied by still
greater rate of increase of wealth and
business. it was thought that an immedia te
increase In circulation might De obtained
by larger purchases of silver bullion to an
ame unit sufficient to make good the retire
nent OF bank notes and keep pace with
the growth Of population. Assuming that
S24.NO,UO n year of additional circulation
Is needed upon this basis, that amount is
provided for in the bill by the issue of
treasury notes in exchange for bullion at
the ma rket price
My friends. he says that We need an in
crease of something like fifty millions every
year. and yet, instead Of having an annual
Increase of fifty millions year, in the last
two years We have a decrease of about one
hundred and fifty-five million dollars, max
Ing a deficit of about two hundred and
flfty-f1ve millions of dollars in the currency
of the country. Now. if Mr.. Sherman did
right in 1890 in saying that the people
needed new money every year, then, my
friends, l want to ask you why it is that
the republican party, in the face of the
constant decrease in the circulation of
money. has made no provision whatever to
satisfy the needs of an increased popu-
lation?'