Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-09-12
Spelling eRyANs ASSERTIONS.
Mr.. Bryan's Weak Point Is Ills Inability
to Prove Els Statements.

Mr.. BryanFs weak Eoint Is lis inability
to Prove Ills Statements.
In his speech before the Democratic
sound money convention at Syracuse
Mr. Daniel G.. Griffin handled Bryan
without gloves. The following are some
of his best hits:
The exactions of the capitalists to
which the farmer is subjected under our
present monetary systems are a theme
in which Mr.. Bryan especially reyels,
and to remedy which he proposes to
waken ali the slumbering passions Of
mankind. So far as the farmer has q
grievance--and his lot is u hard one
he is entitled to the relief and to the
sympathy of his fellow workers. But in
seeking a remedy let him be careful he
does not pursue a phantom and bring
down ON his own head worse ills than
he now suffers. It can be readily veri-
fed by a consultation of authentic sta
tistics that there never WAS q time I'M
der the free coinage of silver when the
farmer was not compelled to pay an
average rate of interest on farm mort
cages at least 40 per cent higher than
the average rate on similar securities
during the past five years, and, further
more that the fall in the rate Of inter
est on farm mortgages since We demon
etized silver has kept pace with the fall
in the price of agricultural products i'll
the meantime, if any fair allowance is
made for the enormous growth of agri-
cultural areas under the impetus of rail-
road expansion and improved facilities
for cultivation as compared with the
growth Ct population.
F1e does not stop with this illustrative
picture Of tho misfortunes which have
overtaken tho American citizen from
the decentralization of silver, but draws
another, equally Elusive, of the CORE
spending profit Of the English capital
lists resulting from our alleged folly and
mistake. But let us examine the facts
instead of relying on empty phrases.
The average rate of interest in Great
Britain from 1851 to 1870 three years
before we ceased the free coinage of sill
yer, was 4. 2 per cent, while the average
rate from 1870 down to 1890 had fallen
to 80 per cent, thus showing that if the
characterization Of silver was the result
u @ NoitStiiA1Ny VI Stsl'A'HliS'H tiiS pSAeitJ
therefor has fallen as severely on them
selves as ON any one else.
But i'll order to escape conviction for
advocating repudiation the chosen
chaiGpion Of the free coinage of silver
tells Us that under the magic of his
eloquence and recommendation by
congress CT cents worth Of silver is
to advance to $1.29. that 16 ounces
Of silver instead Of 81 ounces, as is
the case now, are TO become worth
IN ounce Of gold, and anally that the
silver dollar he proposes to coin with
out governmental pledge for its re-
demption OF even a promise to maintain
its parity is always, nevertheless, to
be worth rs much as gold dollar But
he left the state before he told us how
that kind of silver dollar can be ob-
tanned any more easily than the pres
ent gold dollar. All the farmers who
think they can make more cheese by
putting water in the milk are anxiously
awaiting his return and explanation.
Why, there is hardly lightning rod or
Hungarian oatsfield i'll Dutchess coun-
ty which is not mute witness of the
folly Of trustfulness in that kind of
financiering. Whoever heard of con-
sumer being benefited by barely increas-
ing the supply of product if the pro-
Queer maintained former prices there
for?