Owingsville outlook., 1896-08-20

hundred ways he must spend his
earnings of the year to produce his
crop for the next year. III those
things which he has to buy are for
any reason reduced i'm price relative
ly as much as his farm products he
is in no wise the sufferer; il relative
ly increased, he is i'm no wise the
gamer.
If now we shall only look with an
ohsCryant eye upon other branches of
trade, we find that in fact the same
process Of decline in prices charac-
ICES them all. The cotton gin relieves
the planter of the expense of thous-
andS of laborers; this and the mod
crn looms have reduced the price of
clothing from 80 to 80 per cent. The
potato planter ar the corn drill costs
but little more than formerly did n
good plow; the wheat machine will
pay for itself i'm the saving of labor
in single year; and the whole eX-
pcnse of thrcshing n crop is not equal
To what it formerly cost simply to
cut il.
| have had large observation of far
mers in this county, and am prepared
To say without fear of contradiction
that the intelligent and laborious far
mcr, in ordinary years and under or
dinary conditions, makes as good
living as any man in the community,
and occupies position of indcpcnd-
ence which has never been surpassed
by people of his class in any period
of the worlds history.
can point to Il dozen intelligent
German farmers who, commencing
with practically nothing, i'm ten years
have become owners of their own
farms and now form the most sub
stantial citizens of the county.
If | have spoken truthfully and
sensibly, it is manifest that the ''de-
monetization of silver" has not pro-
duced the decline and the "free
coinage" of silver will not restore the
value of farm lands or of farm pro-
duets. These depend upon natural
laws, which are Independent of our
coinage or our circulation. The de-
cline has taken place under system
of finance established and maintain
ed by the ablest and best men of the
country. If not the best 1t is rea-
sonable financial system.
You are asked now to change it; to
enter upon vast sea of uncertainty,
the appeal being made to your dis
content with the low prices as the
ground for such change.
But even upon the argument of the
silver men, what inducements are
offered for the change? have heard
but two.
1t is urged that the increase in the
volume of circulation will increase
prices. / shall say nothing now of
the inevitable result of free coinage
in absolutely driving all gold from
the country and thus suddenly pro-
ducing a most violent contraction
instead of initiation of the circulation,
and thus producing panic more
violent and more widespread than
that of 1898. l shall simply direct
your attention to one inevitable re-
suit which is in direct line with what
l have heretofore urged. An increase
of prices, by reason of mere imitation,
whether of paper money or silver
money, can benefit no one. As the
price of farm lands and farm pro-
ducts increases, so for exactly the
same reason, everything that the far
mer uses and even the education of
his children will increase i'm like ra-
ito. This can give MIN no permanent
relief. What it may 80, what it has
always done heretofore, is to induce
a false estimate, both of earnings
and of values, to stimulate specula-
ton, resulting at last in crash end
ruin.
The only other argument in IA Eor
of free silver is that men who are in
debt may pay off their debts I'm al de-
preciated or debased coinage. For
myself, as l believe for you, the dis
h., . ~. = -.
answer. Nothing which induces II
spirit of dishonesty in community
can be of permanent benefit to that
people. 1t will resalt in disaster, If
nancial as well as moral. Bat the
hC9e thus held Quits UIelusive in u
self A man who owes $l0Asa-tI he
possesses energy and inte lligence,
will be able to pay ii in souid mon
ey under a sound fin3rciaH system.
In the midst of re wreck of public
confidence, wnen it is once declared
that the people intend to pay heir
debts i'm dishonest money, the man
who owes money will find his for
tune wrecked before he can raise
even debased silver coinage with
which to pay it off. / submit to you
that the farmers, of all other men, in
this crisis need to stand for honor
and for the credit of the country, to
repel and to reject as vain and fool
ish the propo ition that free coinage
will remove those causes which have
through years past, and will through
the years to come, operate independ-
emily of all mere questions offinance I;
to reject as dishonoring to the farmer
and to the country the proposition to
pay honest debts i'm a debased COIN
age and to reject as foolish and vain
the proposition that the imitation of
currency can give anythingo of value
to the farmer or to the people at large.
| THOMAS w. BULLITT,
in Louisville Post.