The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-01-28
MEXICO and SILVER.
JUSTICE CLARK'S VIEWS ARE
STRENGTHENED BY
HIS VISIT.
Going Forward by Leaps--A Contrast
Favorable to the Republic of Mexico
Individual Ownership Rights

SNSSASS
Editor WeWs and O68erUer:-I am
gratified at receiving the News and
Observer regularly, being thus able to
keep up with the movements of life at
home. l have travelled pretty thor
Oughly through the northern States of
Mexico, meeting people of all ranks as
well as countless numbers of our coun-
trymen. The latter are everywhere,
and in everything, and steadily in
Creasing In numbers, attracted by the
great prosperity here, which is in pain
full contrast with the long continued
depression in the United States.
/ leave today to travel through the
Southern States Of Mexico, and on my
return thence, will leave for home to
be present at the opening Of u spring
term.
The climate is nearly perfect. Straw
berries are ripe, and flowers of all kinds
bring ten cents a basket. They say it
Ia no warmer here in summer, and
never sultry, as these table lands, en-
bracing 500, 600 square miles-two
thirds of Mexico-average 1000 feet
above sea level, over three times as
high as Asheville, and the snow on the
taller mountains v melts.
This country is developing more rap
idly, probably, than any other on the
planet, and could not help being pros
porous as matters stand. The dollar is
exactly the same value it was ten or
fifteen years ago, not having been artl-
fClally doubled in value by legislation,
as has been the case with us. Conse
Quentlys cotton is still Is cents per
pound and wheat 81 per bushel, while
fixed charges, as taxes, passenger and
freight rates, public and private debts,
etc., remain actually las well as nomi
nally) the same. With us in the United
States, by virtue of the legislation in
favor of the bond-holders, these fixed
| charges, while nominallY the same are,
in fact, doubled, as it takes twice the
amount of cotton, corn, wheat, etc, to
pay them. One does not get a full idea
of the enormity of this transaction till
he gets here and sees the prosperity of
this country and sees the very capital
lists who, by securing this legislation,
have doubled the value of their United
States bonds, investing the principal
and interest of their enhanced value in
this country at old prices, thus secur-
ing 81 Of property here for 81 loaned
the United States Government-that is,
they will sell 81, 900 United States bonds
for gold, buy 50. 900 of silver, which
remains at the old value, and invest in
50. 900 of property here.
The looting of Rome by Genseric and
the Vandals of India by Hastings and
Give. of this very Mexico by Cortez
and the Spaniards, or of Peru by
Pizarro, all pale into ineignificance,
compared with the magnitude and in
Justice of this robbery practiced upon
tie seventy five millions Of the Ameri
can people in the interest and by the
procurement of the half million of mil
lionaires and their agents and depend
ents through the simple device of so
controlling legislation that every dollar
of National, State, city and individual
indebtedness is doubled by doubling
the value of the dollar. Genseric, Give,
CorteZ, Pizarro risked their lives and
had brave men behind them, and they
at least pillaged foreign nations. But
this crime has been the manipulation
af the tools of the bond holders; there
has been nothing heroic and the only
greatness in it has been in the magni
tude Of the plumber, which surpassed
all that has ever yet fallen to a con
quering army in the wealthiest country.
There was no excuse for it, since sill
yer, when d9monetized, was worth
more than gold, and there has 0een
nothing since to depreciate it. That
silver, in fact, has not deprecated in
the least may be seen right here in
Mexico, and throughout the 50, 900, 900
of people living on this hemisphere,
south of the Rio Grande, in all which
countries the silver dollar will pay for
as much taxes, as much railroad freight
and passenger fare, as much public and
private Indebtedness as formerly-and
farm products and land bring as much
as ever. Neither has silver deprecated
with US, but it is the gold dollar which
has been doubled in value; hence debts,
public and private, railroad rates, ETC.,
are actually though not nomiD6Ay
doubled, while the produce has t0 be
sold at half price to pay them. Every
farmer who sold a pound of cotton in
the United States last year wasin effect
taxed 6 cents a pound, a $50 a bale, and
so cents in the bushel on wheat. The
robbery perpetuated on the farmers of
the South by this legislation procured
by the Vaccinations of the combined
capital of London and New York, on
the cotton crop alone, of 7, ZOO, 600 bales
at $50 per bale, is 1910. 600, 900 for the
one year of 1895 alone. The profits
reaped by the capitalists by the legis-
latiOn which has doubled the value of
their claims against the public, and in
dividuals, is practically beyond compu-
tation. 1t 'fatigues the i~ndignation'
to consider it. The wonder is not that
there is widespread and incurable de
preston, but that we can continue to
exist under such a state of things.
Were we not the wealthiest and most
energetic and most patient people on
the fac of the globe, we would sink
under
1t is by no means certain we shall
continue always to be the most patient.
| Tbcoa Who boUo TINS niIIapod Is and