The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-17

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administration o. Pres den. Jackson 20
remove the evils from which the country
suffered from al unstable currency due 10
the cisappsarance OF go.c through free
coinage OF sllyer a. . fictitious ratio I.
IL OF interest 20 note the condition Of TIE
country under that system
The advocates o. silver naoro-me .aIi,srn
have wrought upon the c-e1ultry of he
people until they have come 70 believe
that IRE. coinage Of silver brings with 10
Al assursd prosperity. A reference 10 his
tory SHOWS that prior TO the tine when
the people demanded a return TO gold cur
rency the country had been suffering very
severely from depression and consequent
. hard times. There Is no room for doubt on
he subject. because SO many authorities
be cited and, indeed. ths historical &C
curacy Of reports on this condition has
never beer questioned. How genera was
this distress may D. seen by a contrast be-
tween reports made from Rhode Island.
ViFgiHia and Pennsylvania. and thai they
we're true /, further confirmed by the al
fusion IN Andrew Jackson's message 20
congress 81 the opening Of the second ses-
sion Of MS term.
Daniel Webster. In presenting a memorial
from Franklin county, sAie IL was one Of
the most respec table ard wealthy IN the
state. and although the majority OF the IN
habitants we're ti!lers or their own land a
very large number were dependent for
their daily bread upon their employment;
In manufactures. Mr.. Webster said these
manufactures had been depressed from
causes 90 well explained and 50 well IN
ders,ood that nobody could now doubt
them. OF which the chief was the 0eranxe-
ment OF the currency.
There were other manufactures N that
county" said Mr. Webster. which had
felt the pressure. employees had been dis
charged. and the farmers had in eonse-
quenes suffered. Tbs prices OF produce
great product ot the county, was thirty
cents Clover seed. another great product.
had fallen from s. per bushel 70 s. Corn
and rye we're hardly 10 be got rid or 81
any price"
II seems TO have been very much worse
IN Rhode Island. for there II is said that
"one-haif Of the hundred thousand spin
dies In the state are already stopped and
the other half. although still continued,
are run at a loss 10 the owners and purely
from charity to the laoorers."
The scene in Philadelphia. as depicted by
the memorial OF an organization consisting
OF young men. was probably exaggerated,
bat It shows the general feeling Their
whole country. IL is said. was changed:
they witnessed fortunes failing. home
s,eads ruined. merchants falling. artisans
broken. mechanics Impoverished all the
employnents on which those young men
were about 10 enter paralyzed. losses OF
millions OF property.
In Maryland IL Is said that wheat the
staple of that region OF the country. was
never much lower. Il as low. From the
farmers OF Kentucky and the mill hands
of Massachusetts, the same complaints
were heard. ard Il was this condition that
moved Henry Clay 10 that imprisoned
apostrophe 10 Van Buren,. IN which be
adjuret him 20 go 20 thu president and
tell him. without sxaggerauon, but IN the
language OF truth and sincerity. the actual
condition OF his bleeding country: depiot
to him. II you can fnd language TO por-
tray. ;he hesrt-renslng wretchedness OF
thousands OF the working classes cas-; out
OF employ ment"
OF course this not an dlse iTnrne-
Stately 20 tire mistake IN re ratio; Il
VAS ne elimination % ar agitation which.
had been growing In favor o. a batter
money system and resulted tn The sdop-
ion OF true ratio % geld 10 silver.
has~s upon thu sommersA value As
now. the chief trouble was ths uncer-
'a!nty ana want OF eonatsncA, Senator
rauton described 4 as condition n
which "consdsnoe wns destroyed manu-
fa-torses stopped, workTnen dismissed. ana
ths ruin ~ The country confidently pre-
iicted." B~nton was among those who
thought that the alarm was more INA GA
sry rssn resi-. but as re explains. ~ false
alarm n rs money market produces all
,hs >Tects x real danger" ana nobody
darss 20 deny thsi business was eneoAr~
ra>se1 ans that distress prevailed Il wac
- 70 gurroee. 0or is & now. II Try 20
explain ,hess Effects away by Altr. e1tsns
,hsrr % moray powers and Banks and
svnsicnses. TAe ooa5itloas existed ans
when the coatifian ~ aa,e~tatrty was
eccaght 70 cos. ~ eAs adoption q
ratierki because scourssa, ratte q II.
r~o rl@tsls ;hers Vas an tr,rnctiat.
r-sro-stscr 81 prosperity
Pr~ss'ont Jackson. m - srws ns~~~srs