Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-08-26
Year. Crop--buShels. Population in

1881. .4l6.4Sl, 900 S. 81
1881 .4S8,250,61O ......... 70
1883. 81, 302, 400 ......... 20
1881. 5S3, SIS 900 ~
1888. 629,4 100000 -
1886. 81, 900 ......... u
1887. .659. 61SO00 ......... 10
1888. .701, 735,O00 ......... 10
1887. 500, 61S,OO0 .......... IL
1889. .131, 515OO0 ......... .Io
1890. +. .523, 621 GOO 60, 622.230 80
1891. 73S. 1914 600 ........ n
1892. Sol, 5000 ......... 20
1898. $500. 63S. S54. $50 ......... ID
1894. 66O, 036,92S %
1895. 824, 433. 537 .......... ID
We ask our farmers TO examine these
figures carefully, and candidly answer if
anything more than the natural law of
supply and demand is needed to account
for the fluctuations. The average price
during the fall months was UP to 30
cents but three times. The first time, III
1871, was on the smallest crop of the
period. The second time. in 1881, was
when there was the poorest corn crc1
since 1874, and corn was high, creating
an extra demand for oats. The third
time, in 1890, was on a reduced crop of
both oats and corn. The low prices of
the last few weeks have been on the
prospect of crop larger than last years,
of the period was 1878. That was the
year the Greenback party made such a
sweep. 1t was then said, just as now,
that we could never have good prices
again unless we abandoned the idea of
keeping our money as good as gold. But
we did not abandon it, and glance down
the column shows which was right.
We ask If there is any indication of q
continuous fall in the price of oats since
1872? On the contrary the average price
for the first ten years of the period was
20.4 cents per bushel. while the ayerage
price for the last ten years WAS PHI
cents.
Another thing: Gold is the particular
money which the free silver people claim
has been growing scarcer since 1913.
The hardship they complain of is in being
forced TO sell for prices measured in cur
rency as good as gold But the above
prices from 1872 to 1878 inclusive gre in
greenDackS, and would have been lower
if measured in gold In 1872 it took
from Sl.09 to s1.15 in paper to equal Il
Sl.1212 we must deduct 2 cents from the
price of oats in 1872 to show their value
then in gold. and q similar deduction
should be made for each year up to 1879.
Ibis shows that the price of oats IN gold
has averaged considerably higher TO the
farmer since this country has been doing
business with all its money at par with
gold
Notice the increased production of oats
from 1872 to 1895. as compared with the
increase in population. In 1872 the pro
duction was under seven bushels per
around nine and ten since, and last year
was about twelve. You are asked to
jump into the dark, to expose the cpun-
try to great perils and you are urged to
DO it on the theory that the silver legis-
latIon of 1873 has made oats low. Il is
not party question; it is a business
question. Here are the facts. Make ND
your mind on them calmly as citizen in
whose hands IS great responsibility.
Be sure you are right then go ahead
Settle the oats question III your nind,
once for all.
Again while oats have been doing bet
ter than hold their own, what has hap
pened to the things which the farmer
buys? From 1872 to 1880 a bushel of
oats would average to purchase two
pounds of wire; since 1890 it will aver
age seven pounds. From 1872 to 1880.
Of about III pounds of suger: since 1890
it would buy about 49, pounds In the
first period it required nearly two bushels
of oats to buy gallon of kerosene; since
1890 a bushel of oats has ayerag ed to buy
more than a gallon of OIL In the first
oats to buy a barrel of salt while since
1890 it has required an average Of about
FIVE bushels.
On all agricultural implements it has
required not over half as many oats since
1890 to pay the price as it did from 1872
to 1879. The interest rate on farm
loans has fallen from 10 per cent to Z
per cent. The value of the farm has
doubled. Clothing. dry goods, furniture,
newspapers, etc, all III recent years re-
quired fewer oats to purchase them in re-
cent years than from 1872 to 1879.
1t cost the farmer more money to pro-
duce an oat crop in 1872 than in recent
years. He had to bind it by hand and
six or seven men had to be hired at
day wages to do what one man with a
,aIf II Iars
more then than self-binder does now
The Messenger advocates a dollar of
steady value, not in the interest of any
class, but in the interest of justice and
because all business interests are pro-
NOTED thereby. We do not advocate gold
only as money, but we do believe that
every dollar put out by the United States
should have the pledge of this govern
ment behind it guaranteeing it to be as
good as gold. Then we have a basis on
which business can be conducted.
Senator Stewart, who now represents
the silver mines of Nevada in the United
States Senate, in 1874. before he saw any
necessity for the government to boost sill
yer, in a speech in the Senate advocating
the resumption act, said:
BY this process we shall come to a specie
basis, and when the laboring receives &
dollar it will have the purchasing power Of a
dollar, and he will not be called en- to dc
what is impossible for him or the producing
classes to do, figure upon the exchanges
figure upon the fluctuations figure upon the
gambling in New York; but he will know
what his money is worth. Gold is the uni
Versai standard of the world. Everybody
knows what dollar in gold is worth
There the country has been since 1879.
When the farmer sells his crop for our
present money he knows what he has,
and what he can buy with it. When
one man wants to borrow of another
he can find somebody willing to lend him,
and when q man earns and saves a little
money for old age he knows that it will
support him.
Already under this agitation every loan
company OF any Importance has ceased