Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-09-17
THE DESIRE FOR "A CHANGE"

Baltimore Sun.
Many persons who cannot or will not
take the trouble TO examine and weigh
the arguments for and against free coin
age favor 1t because II will bring
change. They argue, If their mental pro-
ccsses may be dgnified with that term.
that things are bad now and free coinage
will bring change. But they forget
that there are changes and changes. There
is the proverbial change from the frying
pan 10 the fire. A change may be for the
worse MS well as for the better. To this
class belongs the change TO free silver.
An era of depression has followed the
financial panic of 1893. The best judg-
ment of the soundest fnanciers is that
free coinage will bring another panic,
thus aggravating and perpetuating the
evils from which we suffer. OF all the
evils that can affiict n commercial or in
dustrial community an unsettled currency
is one of the worst. England has become
the clearinghouse Of the world by main
| tanning, siuce 1916, fixed gold basis for
| her currency, and is now enjoying re-
markable period Of commercial prosperity
and no inconsderable element Of .bis is
due to the absence of any uncertainty
in the future arising from any contemplate
ed or possible change in her money.
| The change for the better we now want
must possess this element before it will
come. In the manufacturing industries
consumption has. during the depression,
been deyouring the surplus of oyerpro-
| duction. The shock to confidence and col
lapse of credit arising from the panic
have been alayed, and enterprise stands
ready for new ventures. But these are
entirely impossible with the threatened
depreciation of money. We read in the
4 newspapers and hear almost every day of
contractors refusing to bid on public or
other works and of people refusing to adj
venture ON enterprises because of the UNI
certainty, Panies and their shocks and
the aftermath of depression are not new
things. Very low prices, even of farm
products; are not new things. During the
colonial period the depression was at
times so great in the United States that
legislative attempts were made to limit
production and commissions were sent
around to dig up portions of crops. In
1SiG.S there was n most acute agricul
tural depression in the United States. Ii
time there is an inevitable reaction from
these dcpressions. There was such re
action in 1ST9-S0 from the panic of 1877;
anu SuDstpueH' utPi'eSioh' ~ hhSi"h'
there is complete reaction from tn,
panic of 1888 Why do the United State,
still wallow In the slough of hard times
More than anything else, the silver agi
tation is responsible for it. Remove thi
incubus, confidence will be restored, TIT
wheels of industry will begin to turn an,
! enterprise will awake. Then will COM
change and one to be desired.
Let the people work for this change oil
intelligent lines by scotching the iniqui
tous attempt to disturb the currency AM
not call for a change for the sake o
change, and in the blind hope that it vii
be for the better. If industry and enter
prise revive there will be purchasers an
> n market for farm products, and the re
{ yival Of prosperity will then, as it has j
the past, reach the farmer.