New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-11
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAN
THE FARMER AND FREE SILVER
HIS prTrABLE LOT IN THE COUNTRIES on N
PREcIATED CURRENCY.

fRE'lAlbD 'ifhbS'f
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: At FIRST sight there IA something very a..
ductive in the idea OF making dollars AT a oh..
rate. and paying debts with them. Like the fahi.1
arpIes OF Sodom. the plan Is beautiful 10 look :,
that IT, the debtor-but try the seeming fruit ana.
falls to ashes. Three-fourths Of the farms IN IA.
Western and Middle States mortgaged ana
large proportion OF them could be forecossd =.
any time what n tempting bait 70 the farn.,,
Why not pay OFF your mortgage In silver dollar,
Get tine threatening danger Of foreclosure vh<s
haunts you day and night. out Of your way BY M
simple means Elect Bryan and frse-siIysr Ca
gress. and the thing can be done. Can II? gu.
pose the money-endcr won't walt 10 be caurs,
He can forecIose now. II he will Threaten IN
with the virtual reputation Of half your obga
ton to him. and ne will do H.
There Is nothing about this free-silver raov.m-
which appears to mo half 40 cruel the rav.
which II Is continued, whether consciously 10 n.
leaders or not. 10 first ajole and then ruin N.
farmer The by whose industry we are ia
IS entitled TO the best consideration Of every soa
citizen. II plan were proposed 10 benen, N.
farmer at the expense Of other lndustries I N.
ono. should be disposed 10 waive the pom, Of al
stract justice In favor Of the toiler by whom ~
all live And the tendency toward the cen,rallza.
ton OF wealth in great cities at the expens. u Tia
ing loudly for the best wisdom OF our statesmen
Better no remedy, however. than a false Free
silver would be an aggravation Of the trouble not
a cure for H. Proof IS easily profucibe.
| have visited within the last year countries
which the free-coinage Of silver II prac'isef ara
have observed the condition OF the farmer IA
Mexico. Japan. China India. Egypt. and Other
lands. The American farmer IL "A bOa,ed aris,O-
crat compared with him Indeed. compsrs,,
and variety Of food and clothing the comfortass
II humble furniture are palatial to the scan, a.
tire, the same meagre diet. and the hoyel II
the farmer in free-sver countries.
To the wage-earner no less-whateyer his occu.
pation-the adoption Of frec-silyer policy vos4
be a craze indeed II means the payment Of 1a2s
in dollars scarcely worth more than hall the dollar
of the gold standard. b. the change obviously
anybody, the employer would be benefited. rx
the employe ] am thinking Of % conyersatios
held few months ago AT Yokohama with NJ
McIver. United States Consul-General in japan
Speaking Of trade with that country. % was re.
marked that while Japan during the year las, n.
ported had sold $4,000 worth Of goods st,
had spent with US only 100000 a balance Of 81.
10000 against us. ITO compete successfully wu
other countries for Increased trade with Japan
said Mr.. Mclver. we must reduce wages. il would
create something like q revolution 10 propose
general reduction. The adoption o. fres-slye'
would be the scheme. II would lower tho wages q
the la borer nearly One-half. but he would get u.
same number OF dollars Reduced wages by this
means would enable TO compete successfully n
the markets OF the world. Labor must pay n.
bill incurred 10 bring this about. and free silver
would be an effective means Of doing the WORK
without difficulty with the wdge-earners
II any man is Interested In maintaining the use
Of sound money worth its face value e. crywhers
throughout the civilized world-and this Is the only
sound money-it II the man VINO earns his living
by the sweat Of his brow Additional 10 the cgrN
OF small wages in the free-silver countries Is tho
deprecated currency in which they are paid The
child of from six TO twelve years old works IN the
factories of Japan for two cents dag. and tea
cents is large re.enue for his fathers daily wage
fifteen cents most princey while the wife and
mother bends over all day In the Wet rice FED
her baby her back. Next 10 nothing can 10
bought with this hard-earned pittance. paid In d.
preciated currency. diet OF rice and raw fs.
and the simplest and cheapest clothing. the
miserable portion Of the japanese laborer in a free
silver country; but even he Is welto-io compared
with the peasant in Egypt. satisfying his hunger
at irregular times with hard. coarse bread dipped
in the muddy waters OF the Nile
1t behooves the American toer 70 be on guard
for the maintenance OF his rights Of which
sound currency is one Of the dearest Free-slyf
would further enrich millionaire mine-owne-s and
II would enable employers 10 pay their help litA
more than half the wages AT present paid then
Are these reasons why the workngman sho1d
shout for Bryan and free silver
New-York July p, 1896 NlELS GRON.