The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-05-15
SHELTON WASHINGTON. FRIDAY, NAY Is 1885.
In Support Of Free Silver. !.

| The following address was read b,
/. w. Woods, at he Republican COUNTY
convention last Saturday:
| Persistent and determined efforts
have been made at various periods in
our National existence to regulat,
our important duties SO as to favor
and conform to the ideas of foreign
producers.
The democratic party has usually
been the medium through which this
interference with our domestic con
Germs has been wrought. In every
campaign when there was any possible
show for success the hand of the
foreign factor has been manifested
Foreign money has been lavishly ex.
pended to promote the success of free
trade sentiment. And when a demo-
cratic Congress, which had been
pledged to free trade, and assisted by
foreign contributions, was about to
pass revenue bill, modelled somewhat
on protection lines, the President was
was so indignant, that he denounced
it as "party perfidy." Perfdy to those
| foreign factors who had contributed
so literally to the democratic success.
Had the administration shown the
same perfdy to the supporters of his
foreign financial policy his party
would not now be in such a hopeless
minority. And Cleveland himself
would hold higher place in the af-
fections of the American people.
Happily the great masses of the
Republican party are unit on the
tariff, as we'll as most other issues now
before the people. Unfortunately,
there is division of sentiment, in
regard to the treatment of silver. On
this issue like baleful foreign influence
are at work, endeavoring to shape the
financial policy to suit their own pur-
pose. And thatpurpose is to subject the
the whole world to monetary surveil-
ance. And in fact they have well
nigh succeeded already. It must be
admitted, that that this unhappy con-
dition, was precipitated upon this
country by a republican administra-
tion, and was largely the work of Re-
publican leaders.
Whether this was from an honest,
though, mistaken idea that it would
benefit the country, and in ignorance
of its disastrous results upon the peo-
pie, it is not not now my purpose to
discuss. It is enough to know that
the ultimate result of demonetization
of silver was disastrous to the people
of this country; though bonanza to
the bond holder and the the money
lenders. / believe the insidious hand
of foreign influence was at the bottom
of it all.
The result of this demonetization
was not as some suppose to depreciate
the value of silver but to appreciate
or greately increase the value of gold.
The value of silver bullion bears about
the same relation to real estate and
all other property, and commodities,
it always did.
It would just be as correct to say
that land, town lots, homes and every
other imaginable species of property
had deprecated. The average decline
of all other property, is just about the
same as silver. The real truth is that
gold being made the only money basis
has greatly enhanced in value and
purchasing power. That is, it has
nearly doubled; with the result that
the debtor who thought he retained a
half or two thirds interest in hisprop-
erty when he placed mortgage upon
it found his interest had nearly OF
quite disappeared, and the money
lender owned all. It is an undeniable
fact that our national debt as measured
by all other values except gold is al
high as it was 25 years ago though
said to be reduced about one half.
And at the rate we are now going il
will soon be higher than it ever was
before. That this state of affairs has
largely been brought about by cunning
| foreign creditors of our government
and people, combined with q few home
conspirators, is too palpable a fact te
need proof and that it is mainly "the
insideous wiles of foreign influence
against which the great Washington
so earnestly extracted US to beware
that is endeayoring to hold this coun'
try to the single gold standard, must
be apparant to al. For since demon
etization had the effect to enhance
the value Of their gold bonds and
credits demonstration must have the
efsect Of reducing them back to theil
former value. The national debts o
all Christian countries is said to b
nearly so billion dollars 10000, mil