Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-10-16
PATRIOTIC FARMERS.
Whenever Danger Threatened the
Country They Have Rallied
to Its Support.
HARD TIMES AND THE CAUSE.
Employment Of Labor in Mechanical
Industries and Not Debased
Money is Needed.

- Whenever danger threatened our insti-
tuition the farmer has always rallied to
the support of his country. There is
good reason in this, in the fact that he
owns the broad acres of our territory and
is so identified with our institutions that
protect him in this ownership that his in
make him the safe conservator of our,
governments perpetuity, prosperity and
honor.
In the present campaign we are con-
fronted by IN issue that affects every
class of our citizens, hence. there is an
interest in the outcome more intense than
in any campaign since 1860. One reason
for the manifestation for so much inter-
est is the fact that the country mas been
suffering from an unprecedented period
of depression and is earnest i'll its intent
to secure relief. Among those who la
Dor none have more reason for COM
plant than the farmer. Prices of his
products have been low. values of land
and stock have continued to decline,
until discouraged and dishcartened.
demagogues seem to believe him ready to
accept any promise that they make. but
the fact is. and better still, he is ready to
review and discuss fully M the merits OF the
that has been. urged paramount to all
others, is the free and unlimited coinage
of silver.
There never was more deceptive
proposition. one more startling i'll its
effects and results and one that would
be more disappointing should it become
a practical fact. 1t is advocated by
men having pecuniary interest at stake.
backed by u combination of capital un-
equaled by any that has ever attempted
to control our government since the day
of the slave power. The silver mine
owners of the United States, skilled III
political maneuverins,. have organized
themselves into syndicate for the pur.
pose of forcing upon the country. with
out regard to consequences, the free and
unlimited coinage of silver.
The magnificent scheme was outlined
by Mr.. Bryan i'll his Madison square
speech when he said: "lAt the present
time and under the present law, silver
it's value but that will not be true when
we can establish n mint price of silver
and leave no surplus silver upon the
market to drag down the price of sill
yer bullion" and then to show the pos
sibility of cornering silver and forcing
it to price satisfactory to mine owners.
tive cannot even expect all of the an
China, Japan, Mexico and other silver
using countries must satisfy their annual
need from the annual product: the arts
will require large amount and the gold
standard countries will need consider
able quantity for subsidiary coinage:
we will be required to coin only that
which is not needed elsewhere. hut if we
OF VoOIx, f0 foln nfiiiyn 0Il Of If
other nations will be ready to buy ut
the price we fix"
This is the silver miners scheme as
outlined by Mr.. Bryan. The people are
invited to loan the resources of this gov
ernment to a silver syndicate in order
silver that is offered to the world 10
fix the price and compel other nations
to pay that price. This is worse than
free and unlimited coinage, vet it is the
only way Mr.. Bryan says whereby the
price of silver can be maintained at
parity with gold. The magnitude nf the
scheme and their audacity in attempt
ing its execution challenges admiration.
but the American people are accustomed
to investigate the claims of parties and
men. They want to know for themselves
the why and wherefores. if some great
radical change is proposed. That they
will thus investigate and judge for them
selves is evidence that they are quail
fed for self-government.
pecially among the farming class. every
one admits. There is undoubtedly a
cause for this abnormal condition. The
silver advocates attribute the existing
depression to the decentralization Of Sill
yer, "the crime of 1873" as they desig-
nate the suspension of coinage of silver
dollars in 1873.
They fail to show how that legislation
reduced prices: they simply assert that it
did. They fail also to show why prices
continued to decline after coinage of sill
yer was resumed in 1873. They ignore
all the facts of development, the large
ona rr ena lSe Of farm
division of labor. The building Of new
railroads and the opening of vast terri
tories for cultivation are entirely ignored.
During the years 1878-79 and so it Is
known that over 600, 900 mechanics left
the factories n and shops of New England
to locate on the lands in Kansas and Ne
braska and the Dakotas. These all be-
came active producers instead of consum.
ers Of farm products.
What we now need Is to reverse this
condition Of affairs and secure less pro-
ducers and more consumers of farm pro.
ducts; II by any way we can do this, we
all have accomplished something prac-
Y yal in correcting the ills our farmers
I've to bear. There is method by
(hfch this may be accomplished, a reme-
~ that it not only practical but per.
tanent and far reaching in its effects.
There is well established principle in
\ litical economy often referred to by 81,
Fiters that .'the greatest creator Of
eslealth is the greatest possible division Of
ubor." Previous to the election Of 1899
olH lHder h the Operation operation of Of the Republican
to realize our benefits of this principle and
we were rapidly overcoming our adverse
conditions by increasing the demand for
farm products. The interest which the
movement of labor has in protective du.
ties lies in the effect which the movement
of labor has upon the supply and demand
Of agricultural products: It is impossible
: to maintain a proper division of labor.
except we produce the largest amount Of
manufactured goods possible within our
own territory. Open our ports free and
allow our markets to be supplied by the
manufacturers of Europe and the effect
would be to compel our wage earning