West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1896-10-29

To the Workingmcn OF the United
States; IL will only be u few dnys now
before you will bc called upon to eNer-
else the sovereign power granted you
by our coDstitution--the right of suf-
ferage.
Before casting your ballots permit
me, as one of your number, to make
few pertinent suggestions.
The one great fact that stares us all I'm
the face is that of the wretched and
heart-broken condition of millions of
our fellow-workmen.
How can the awful suffering of our
people be allevieted is, 1 know, your
greatest concern,
Reflect, then, for moment and rea-
son with yourselves as to whether the
distressing condition prevailing are the
result of natural or artificial causes.
A natural cause would be the failure
of our soil TO yield sufficient food 10
sustain our people. Famine would re.
suit and financial panic would be a
natural consequence.
An artificial cause would be the fail
ure upon the part OF the people, In the
event Of bounteous hRrvests, to get the
grain from the grnnaries.
Now, TO obtain our food supplies,
what does modern civilization require
from uS? The medium of exchange
money.
Therefore, you arc directly concerned
hs to the volume of money In circulu-
tion. for upon that depends the oppor-
tunity of exchanging your labor for the
necessaries and comforts OF life.
il the quantity of money bc limited
ns IL is In China to say one or two dol.
lars per capita, very low state OF civili-
Eation prevails and human beings are
practically transformed into unimals
for the benefit OF individuals called
mandarines or noblcmen. If the guam
tity be greater, as in Mexico, or Spain.
or Italy, or Portugal, higher state of
civilization prevails and the people are
IN much better condition than the
Chinese. II, as In France, n $50 per
capita prevails, we reach n high grade
OF civilization and find that nearly 4O,-
O00,00O OF human beings can exist com
fortably within that ANAL area OF ter.
ritory.
Therefore. in my judgment, whether
In this land Of fertility our per capita
OF money be one dollar or $40 directly
concerns our welfare md determines
whether we are 10 be free men or slaves.
The following resolution OF the Penn
sylvania republican convention OF 1895
IS In point here.
I'VE. the republicans OF Pennsylvania
In convention assembled, repeat for the
regulation and government OF the national
the follapCinO nrfnrgpIca sf
finance, which were announced 10 us at
our last state convention, and which since
then have received the overwhelming APP
provai OF our citizenst
1--WE favor the expansion OF the clrcu-
iating medium Of the country until the
same shall amount to $40 per capita of our
population
The farmers also, through their Ma
tionnl alliance, have repeatedly de-
manded a circulating medium OF 500
per capita, TO keep pace with our re-
quircmeDts.
~ our soil yields us sufficient for our
needs, and representing that need Is
a small volume of money, n panic is the
result and distress In general.
This is an artificial panic, anI the
gamers under such n state OF affairs
are the few who become noblemen or
IthHtfihf huN Anf HNANfEEEh NIF NHt
many who, through long continuation
Of such system, become slaves.
Now, let me call your attention to
some figures
The volume Of gold and silver in the
world Is estimated az $1,000. 900 900.
about equally divided between the two
metals.
II. MS the gold men fear, America
shall be deluged by flood OF silver, let
us see what that flood would amount 10
in the event Of the fulhllment Of their
prophecy.
~ the entire worlds stock Of silver
dollars (3,5OO,OOOOOO) were exchanged
for American labor and products, how
much would we get? Fifty dollars per
capita, or n mere trine more than tho
volume Of money France employs to-
dny-a country possessing about one
tenth Of our area,
just think Of 81 To accomplish such
a result we must deplcte the treasures
Of every country upon the face Of the
globe! France must yield 10 MS one.
half Of its specie wealth and contract
its volume Of money correspondingIy.
Mexico. China and India must surren-
der their oil. and thereafter do business
upon some other basis then a specie
one.
Yet, this Is the dire prediction Of the
gold standard advocates ih the event
Of the United States adopting BIZ
metallism.
DO you believe such result would
follow our return 20 n bimetallic poll
cy2 And. II you do. would YOU not be
quick 70 vote for a financial policy that
would practically give 10 us oue-balf
the specie wealth Of the world2
let ne examine into our stock Of
gold There are no available proofs