People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-09-10

resolution on January q, 1891 by a
vote of 81 to 3 favored free coinage of
silver aud calling upon congress to
pass the Plumb measure.
The Topeka Daily Capital has given
US editorials favoring free silver
especially in June II, 1888, and CD
January 1, 1891.
The National platform Of 1892 says:
THE American people from tradi-
tlon and interest favor bimetallism,
and the Republican party demands
the use of both gold and silver as
standard money"
1t is aromatic that scarce money
makes dear money. That dear
money makes low prices, and that
good prices mean more money and
cheaper money.
Legislation can and does contract
the money.
Plumb said: decrease the money 5
per cent and you decrease values
s3,OOO,OOO, OOO." What gives value to
gold? l answer legislation. There
has been $500, 100000 worth of gold
coined in the world; $4,000, 900 annual.
ly goes into industry. The rest goes
to the minis for coinage. Suppose
gold should be demOnetized as Ger
many did in 1852, there would be gold
enough On hand to last seventy years.
Take such stock as that coupled
with what the mines afford in new
productions would reduce gold to fae
less than silver is now. 1t would 10
all reason drop below 10 cents an
ounce.
They say $50 pass a free coinage
measure would drive gold out of the
country" This sounds funny as
there is no gold 10 circulation now.
They said the same in 1878 during
the pending of the Bland-AlliSOn
act.
During the operation of that law
we gained in gold shipments to this
country first year 4 millions, second
10 millions, third year 90 millions, and
during the continuance of that law we
gained in gold shipments 22l million.
Not only did we increase our gold,
but our securities advanced from 1Ol
to 40 the first year, and during the
operation of that law our securities
arUSe to 100 at home and abroad.
Again they say "silver from all over
the world will come here"
This is unreasonable. Silver is COIN
ed in Europe at 10 to l and ISL to as
subsidiary coin.
A man in Birmingham, England,
wants to trade with US. He wants to
pay his balance in silver. But when
he is told that his silver must become
bullion in America, he says and it is
l6 to ! there, while it is 10 to l here.
No will pay in gold and keep the
margin here. Free coinage will not
food our country with silver but it
will do as it did in 1878, start the gold
this way.
The question is asked: Can we 20
it alone? They say we must have an
international agreement.
To make their charges seemingly
good they point to Mexico. We ans
wer it is unfair to compare the Uni
ted States with Mexico. Our nation
with its 7O,OOO,OOO people and great
wealth being an exporting nation, is
not TO be compared with Mexico.
But they fail to tell the facts in re.
gard to Mexico and say that it is the
most prosperous period Of her history.
Let US compare wages in Mexico with
the gold standard nations of Europe,
and our gold standard advocates will
not want to pursue the subject very
far. In Spain the laborer receives 20
cents per day; Portugal II cents;
Egypt 5 cents; Turkey 4 cents. Some
time ago P. D. Armour offered so
cents worth Of meat and a Mexican
dollar for az American dollar as an
object lesson. A short grass butcher
offered Mr.. Armour so cents worth Of
meat and $3.50 worth of Portuguese
gold bonds for an American dollar.
He said he would make his offer good
after McKinley's election, II he should
be elected, would Mr.. Armour make
his offer good II Bryan should be elect
ed? Mr.. Armour has not responded.
They claim that free coinage would
give US a fifty cent dollar, and that
this would be reputation. This is
their stock argument. This we deny.
The bonds and notes of this country
are all made payable in coin. And
coin means gold and silver unless
otherwise expressed in their contract.
In 1877 John Sherman, secretary Of
the treasury, desired to issue bonds of
the United States. Desiring the law
on the subject he addressed a letter
to Atty. Gen. Devens, the reply is
ho.o x;uon.