Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-10-08

planning OF general business stn,naton ~,
OF n scarcity OF money In soma narts - III ~
country, especially tho south and west Their
arc many people complaining OF want a
oAp'.ai ana a too high rate Of interest TN,
cry ior more money is the favorito cry. Tbes.
are 'ne principal and the most definite com.
plants Beyond them, however, an impres.
sion mas peen spread by agitators that an or.
eahised conspiracy OF moneyod men mainly
great bankers, In America and In Euronc
hacked ny tho monarchs and aristocracies ~
'he o'u world, Is seeking the general establish.
ment OF the gold standard OF value In moronn
NE or corner the worlds money to tina vsn.
eral detriment w WIN gen
Al ,hls mas found definite expression in tbe
,vnowihs declaration Of the Chicago platform.
We ueclhre That the act OF 1873 demonetiziry
SILVER without the knowledge or approval If
ene american people has resulted in Tho nm.
probation OF gold and corresponding fall L,
'he prices OF commodities produced hv t,,a
people heavy increase in tho burj.r ~
taxation and Of nil debts, public and Sriv",o.
the enrichment Of the money lending class ~
nome and abroad, prostration of industry an ",
,,npovurlshment or the people," Mark well
wa, az THESE evi consequences are ascribed
~ .he oemonctlzation Of silver In the united
os''es alone'-not to its decentralization anv.
who'o olse' ms Is to Justify tho presento.
'ion az sufficient remedy of the free coinage
Vi silver IN The United States alone, "witbont
Waitlng for tho aid or consent of any othor
nation" ""' o''or
rms platform is ampiaed by free copa,s
orators, who tell us that the act of ls7R ca,lod
'the crime OF 1873, has surreptitiouslv ,s,v,n
ed out'' onehalf Of the peoples money-name
~, SILVER, that IN consequence the romaininy
nan VI our metallic monoy-namely, gold-as
OASIS OF tho whole financial structure. has IN
~, w 'ne same business that formerly was done
W goa ana silver together; that thereby pold
mas risen to about double Its former purcbas.
'ne power the gold dollar being virtually o,D
sene dollar, That the man who produces thinos
,or si'ie Is thus being robbed OF half the nrirs
whit uvDts payable on the gold basis hnyo bo'
voIlo twice az heavy, and that this fall ~
prices ana increase Of burdens il enrichinv tha
'"o"ey changers and expressing the people
What Are the Facts?
Aro These complaints well founded, too,,
~ iac's which nobody disputes. That there
nas Dozen u considerable fall in tho nr,cas -,
many articles since 1873 ~ certainly true put
was .his 'all caused by the SO called domnro
ization Of silver through the net of ls7as Wnn'
lot TO speak Of other periods Of our bis,orr l
uo, 10 .ne period from 1910 to 1851, everybody !
'nows 'hat There was considerable fall N !
'i,ces' not only as to agricultural products ,
o' ,oa ior instance, dropped from 81 pound a
!, ioo' TO u cents in lS7l-but in many Kinds :
industrial products before 1873. what han. Q
ehed before 1878 cannot have been caused bv |
NAT happened in 1873 This is clear, Tbe 81
ii,nsaRe ater 1873 may, therefore, have bean d
Aused by something else '''''' n
Another thing Is equally clear, Whensvor N
mango IN the prices OF commodities il caussd 7
change In supply or demand, or both N
'en !. may affect different articles different In
. inus wheat may rise In price, the SUNNY VI
',ns proportonately short, while at the same b
'ne cotton may decline in price, the SUNNY q
ing proporEionatey abundant. But when &c
aug VI prices takes place in consequence OF ey
srea' ohange in the purchasing power of tho cd
oney VI the country, especially when that 81
ange is sudden, then the effect must bo I'D
uai' or at least approximately So as 10 all su
'lcies That are bought or sold with that ha
'ney' II by the so called decentralization ~ mi
yer In 1873 the gold dollar or the dollar on re
gold basis became a 100 cent dollar al III 10,
- ~ became |O cent dollar at once and r ~,
everything. II could not possibiv ba a. ~
same time 40 cent dollar for what snS gu
~ cent dollar Tor coal, and $50 cent dollar so,
Sutton, and 100 cent dollar for corn or WV
. snoVeis' challenge any one 10 gainssy
Prices and the Act Of 1878. W..
ow Tor the facts. The act of le7s In ora.. titl