Sharp County record., 1896-08-21

Ing the purchasing power Of the dol
lar to be determined by the num-
Der OF dollars. Bimetallism is better
than monometallism, not because It gives US a
| perfect dOllar-that is a dollar absolutely un-
varying in its general purchasing power-but
because It makes nearer approach TO stabil-
| ity, to honesty, 10 justice, than gold
| standard possibly can. Prior to 1873, when
| there were enough open mints to permit all
the gOld and silver available for coinage to
find entrance into the worlds volume Of
standard money, the United States might
have maintained a gold standard with less in.
jury to the people OF this country; but now,
| when each step toward a universal gold stand
ard enhances the purchasing power OF gold,
| depresSes prices and transfers 10 the pockets
Of the creditor class an unearned increment
the influence of this great nation must be
thrown upon the side OF gold un,e'S we are
prepared to accept the natural and illegitimate
consequences OF such an act. Any legislation
which lessons the worlds stock OF standard
money increases the exchangeab'e value OF
the dollar; therefore, the crusade against sill
yer must inevitably raise the purchasing
power OF money and lower the money value OF
all other forms Of property
| Our opponents sometimes admit that 1t was
mis- take to dcmoretize silver, but insist that
we should submit TO present conditions rather
than to return to the bimetallic system. They
err In Supposing that we have reached the end
of the evil results OF gold standard; we have
not reached the end, The injury is cOntinu-
ing one, and no person can sdy how long the
world is to suffer from the attempt to make
gold the only standard money. The same in
fluences which are now operating to destroy
silver in the United States will, il
successful here, be turned against
other silver-using countries, and each
new convert to the gold standard will
add to the general distress. SO long as the
scramble for gold continues prices must fall,
and a general fall in prices is but another def
milton of lard times. Our opponents while
claiming entire disinterestednesS for them
selves, have appealed to the selfshness Of
nearly every class OF society. Recognizing the
disposition Of the individual voter to consider
the effect of any proposed legislation upon
himself, VIC present to the American people
the financial policy outlined in the Chicago
platform believin, that it viii result in the
greatest good to the greatest number.
The farmers are opposed to the gold stand
ard because they have felt its effects. Since
they sell at wholesale and buy at retail, they
have lost more than they have gained by fall
ing prices and besides this, they have found
that certain fixed charges have not fallen at
all Taxes . have not been perceptihly de-
creased, although it requires more Of farm
products now than formerly to secure the
money with which to pay taxes Debts have
not fallen The farmer who owed 81 900 is still
compelled to pay $1,000, although it may be
twice as difficult as formerly to obtain the dol
lars with which to pay the debt. Railroad
rates have not been reduced to keep pace with
falling prices and besides these items there
are many more. The farmer has thus found ii
more and more difficult to live. Has he not a
just cause for complaint against the gold
Standard?
The wage earners have been injured by .
gold standard, and have expressed themselves
upon the subject with emphasis, In February
1895. a petition asking for the immediate res
toration OF the free and unlimited coinage OF
gold and silver at l6 to was signed by the rep
resentatiyes Of an or nearly all Of the leading
labor organizations and presented to congress
Wage earncrS know that while gold standard
raises the purchasing power Of cle dollar, it
also makes it more difficult to obtain pos
session OF the dollar: they know that
employment is less permanent, loss of work
more probable and unemployment less certain
gold standard encourages the boarding Of
money because money is rising; 1t also dis
courages enterprise and paralyzcs industry. On
the other hand, the restoration Of bimetalliSm
will discourage boarding, because, when prices
are steady or rising money cannot afford to lie
idle In the bank vaults, The farmers and
wage earnerS together constitute II conSidera-
Bile majority of the people of the country
Why should their interests be ignored in con.
sidering financial legislation: A monetary
system which is pecuniarlly advantageous to a
few Syndcates has far less to commend 1t than
a system which would give hope and encour-
agement to those who create the nations
wealth,
Mr. Bryan devoted much attention to
the subject of international bimetal'
lism, and when he concluded, after
speaking an hour and 40 minutes
there was another but briefer demon
stration.
Mr.. Sewall was then introduced by
Gov. Stone in tones that were inaudi'
bic and delivered brief speech un
equivocally indorsing the Chicago
platform.