Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-08-27

In presenting the affirmative of this
subject for the candid consideration Of
the readers of this paper, we are well
aware OF this fact, that our opponent
providing, of course, that he is like
many others wEo hold the same views
is very apt to deal in %glittering gem
eralities, propositions, without
sufficient data to back them and enter
the realms of rhetoric and Of immagi-
native thought to blind the reader as
TO the truth of the effect OF free silver.
believe, that this country is confront
ed with momentous issue. A problem
involving the integrity, the ~honOr-and
I am almost ready to say the perpetuity
OF the government. The people of this
country are distracted and disturbed;
large numbers OF workingmen are out
Of employment and many do not under
| Kyle is one of them, for he lies all our
ills to II cause, which the purpose of
this debate is to show, so far as we are
concerned the utter falsity of his prem
Uses on that score. In the midst of this
extraordinary condition of our country
financial rainmakcrs, and sOOthsayers.
have caught the eye and ear of the
credulous masses, and they claim to
have discovered the cure-all for every
i'll from which the country is suffering.
1t is we'll for men to prescribe remedies
who understand the disease. Who are
the doctors who propose to assist Mr..
Kyle in the curing of our ills? Tillman
and Altgeld, fi%re-eater and extrem ist;
Waite and Weaver, Bloody Brides and
Iowa's jim; Watson and Sewall, populist
and capitalist: Debs and Stewart, labor
agitator and silver millionaire. Now,
it is not my purpose to call names. But
certainly submit for your candid con-
sideratiOn that such an array of men
are not the men whom thu conservative,
thoughtful people desire to handle the
reigns OF state craft in this country.
Certainly they do Tot compare in in.
tegrity to Tom Reed, the fearless giant
Of Name; Foraker, the able orator of
Ohio; Lincoln, of Chicago; Grant, of
New York; Lodge, of Massachusetts,;
Allison, of Iowa.. men tried and true;
men who cherish their good name and
VAAS NV vi ViOf SouuUiy loT ulOIC
than the array OF sOothsayers of the
free silver crew. Leaving hat branch
Us not meeting the merits of the subject
under discussion we will enter upon the
proposition that we are to deal with in
this debate. We proDOse to ask Mr..
Kyle q few questions which he can
answer in his reply. No simple answer
of yes or no will do. Let him give the
facts. We want no hedging. No dodg-
ing. If he has an answer of yes or no,
there must be a reason for the same.
1t is the reason we want. 1t is the
treason" which will enable the reader
TO max up his opinion as to the accur-
acy OF his logic. Here Ia the first one:
WIN not free coinage at lG to !, reduce the
value OF the dollar by abtoat One-half?
W. refer TO the nation alone and not
International free coinage. Do O
know, Mr.. Kyle, of u single free silver
country where the silver dollar is worth
100 cents? Is the experience of other
nations any guage OF what might hap
pen in the United Statesp IF three
fOurths OF the population of the earth
are unable to force the price of silver
up to 81 .29 cents an ounce, how can we
expect to do so? Show, Mr.. Kyte,
in what manner it will fnrce
the price Of silver in the dollar
to its full value OF 100 cents: We find
by referring to government statistics.
page 23. of c%lrcuiar l23 of treasury de-
partment. July /, 1896, that in 1873 the
world produced 63,277, 1877 ounces and
in 1895 the production was 2O3, 600, 600
Ounces-an increase of over 800 per
cent in twenty-three years. You might
say that the population has increased
also, but the worlds population since
1873 has.increased only one thirtieth AS
much, In other words, II per cent
(Carrol ID. Wright, statistician). Has
not this enormous supply something to
do with the reduction in price? Do
not say that the demand has been de-
creased, for in these twenty-three
years there has been coined in silver
in the various countries of the world
an mount equal to 81. 756,4 23, Ol5 ire
port OF secretary OF treasury, 1896, page
1888, as nauch as was coined from 1881
TO 1913 -there was coined in that pe-
Rod ", 725, 64l ,8l2-for ninety two wears!
Think OF IT,. Mr. Kyle, the nations OF
The world have coined as much silver
IN the last twenty-three years as they
did In h n~inety-two years previous
legal tender money. Now the demand
mas Dcen SOOd, yet the supply with a
Jump OF 300 per cent has managed to
keep, ahead Of it. How do you explain
IL, Mr.. Kyle?
z. Will it not-frce silver-be. in
fact, a reputation Of all our debts. Duh
lie n private? Is there no. danger
that 1t will cause the return Of all the
American securities held abroad-pov
eminent, railroad, industrial stocks
and bonds-thus precipitating a panic
OF giant prOpOrtiO, s with long wears Of
depression to follow: Populists tell us
that our debt is thirty billions, and
twelve billions Of this amount are held
In Europe. OF course the real facts
are nothing like this figure. No one
knows What it is, and nothing but esti-
mates are made. Surprising these se.
c~urities are offered ut sufficient discount
to be tempting to anyone having money
IN this country. Would not the with.
dr;twal OF 81 vast an amount of money
In payment for these securities cause
such y contraction in the currency as to
lead tn q panic. Panics injnre ali. No
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