Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-10-15
THE FARMERS FRIEND.
Free Silver Would Help the Farmer By
Reducing the Wages of His Help.


Free Silver Would Help the Farmer BY
Reducing the Wages of His Help.
Farmer-I reckon this, free silver's
about the best friend of US farmers
that's come our way since the war. Al
lowing Bryan's elected all right this
year, I calc'late I'll be worth nearly
$4,000 more next year than now.
Farmers Wife--Nonsense, Harve!
don't believe silver's going to make
folks rich. Onell have to work for
living if Bryan's elected just as hard as
if he isn't.
FL don't deny but what your heads
level there, Jane. Some folks will have
to work harder. but it won't be us farm
lers. Well come out on top with free
silver. That's sure's shooter.
!; F. W.-What crazy notions in your
head now, anyhow? D'you think farm
ers are smart enough to make laws
lthat'll take money out of other folks
pockets and put it into theirs?
F.-P'raps not, but they're going to
try it. I s'pose you don't see how free
silver'll help us, but do.
F. W.T. you'll take my advice you'll
not bother yourself to death trying &c
get rich by free silver. I'll warrant it
won't work as you calc'late.
FIJI tell you one way it'll help
me, Jane. You know that if we got
free coinage we will have silver dollars
worth bout so cents--same's Mexican
dollars now.
F. WI thought Bryan said that sill
ver'll be worth just as much as gold
when we get free silver.
F.-Yes, that's what he says in the
east. SOS he won't scare the mill hands
and savings banks folks too much. But
he don't talk that way out here, because
he knows that amt what we're after
We want cheap money. SOS prices OF
wheat, corn and pork'll be twice as high,
same as in Mexico.
+. W.-Supp's'n' they are? Wouldn't
you have to pay twice as much for
clothes and groceries and everything
else you'd have to buy? If you got
two dollars instead of one dollar, you'd
have to spend two dollars instead OF
one dollar. It'd be as broad as it is long
If that's the way silver's going to make
you rich, you'll never get rich.
F.-But I wouldn't have to spend two
dollars for every dollar I spend now
You know. we have at least two hired
men the whole year, and three to five
more from April to November, besides
the hired girl for most of the year. DO
you reckon I'm going to raise their pay
when we get free silver?
f. WI s'pose so. Why shouldn't
you?
F.-Just because I wouldn't have to.
P'raps afteray year or so I'd give 'em two
orthree dollars more month, but moth
ing like double what they're getting
now. I calc'late I'd save between $500
and $1,000 in wages-not quite SO much
on John and Dave, because they board
with us, and of course the price of some
of the things they eat would go up, but
I'd save bout half on my day hands
who live and board at home. That's
how igger it, and it's 'cording to the
opinion of Gov. Boies and other big
silver people. They say farm wages is
too high for profits and that silver'll
bring 'em down.
T. Wand SO that's why you're for
free silver, Harve Grimes; want to cheat
your poor hired hands out Of half their.
wages, men who now can hardly keep
their families out Of the poorhouse!
thought it was them Wall street shy
locks and goldbugs you're after with
your free silver stick and that you're
trying to square accounts with them
rich fellers, but it seems
F.-Hold up there, Jane! Free sill
ver's going to save us bout 81 900 on
what I still owe on that $4,000 mort
gage. Who d'you think'll lose that?
F. WI don't care who'd lose it.
'Tain't right to cheat anybody, but I
wouldn't say word Sc longs it's some
body who could afford to lose it. but
when it comes to cheating your poor
neighbors it's time to put a stop to it.
! don't care if you never get that other
farm paid for. guess we won't starve
on this old farm. I'm going to tell
John and Dave and all the others just
how free silver will hurt them, and
I'll get them all to vote against Bryan.
The idea of such farmers as you trying
to elect Bryan to cut down the wages
of your hired men! I'm ashamed OF
you, am!