The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-10-01
FIT FARMERS BALLOT
urpMONT ELECTION SHOWS 1T
WILL BE CAST FOR M'KINLEY.
,hey Favor an Honest Currency, the
restoration OF Republican Rule and the
rmpyoyment of Labor.

Much apprehension has been expressed
=, This campaign in reference to the vote
- tbo farmers. 1t has been conceded
,Lo+ NJ lness men would be alarmed by
,be threats of reputation which were
endorsed in the Chicago platform, and
,o advocated by the candidate selected
80 stand upon that platform. Nor have
nanv been fearful lest mechanics in
j"rrc bodies should desert the Repuh-
iran cause: the experience of the last
low years has been too bitter for them
f., desire a pfolongation of Democratic
rule. under the control of the most dan
rerous element of the Democratic party.
The farmers of the country would flock
in shoals to the cause of the silver stand
ard and of partial reputation.
II is hard to see why such a belief
sbonld be entertained; the farmers con-
stitute n large and an intelligent class;
As a body they have stood by the cause
of good government; they have not been
controlled in their political action by
any low appeals to selfish motives. The
burden of war taxes fell on the farmers
as it fell on all. but non the less they
were staunch in their Republicanism
during that trying period. and quite as
ready as any other class to devote their
money as well as their lives to the pres
e~ryation of the Union.
Why should it be supposed that they
would suddenly be allured to the support
only two motives for such a course; one,
the belief that debasing the standard
would increase the price of farm prod
acts: and the other, the hope that de-
baSing the standard would enable those
whose land was mortgaged to cheat their
creditors by paying in silver what had
been borrowed in gold. To imagine
that the farmers would believe that
,heir lot was to be bettered by a depre.
ness disaster which would follow, is an
insult to their intelligence; to claim that
they would be attracted by the pos
>iblity of cheating their creditors is an
insult TO their honesty.
We need not repeat what has been
advanced on this subject; the falsity of
the assertion that the price Of farm prod
been shown by figures which no dema-
soguc can controvert. During the years
Of q gold basis from 1880 to 1892, the
average price Of great staples, like corn
and rye and hay, did not fall at all; it
varied from year to year with the crop
and the demand. but there was no gen
oral depreciation such as there must have
been if their values were regulated by
that OF silver. which during that period
fell nearly 80 per cent. Even the price
Of wheat suffered but a small fall until
about 1892. when increasing supplies
from South America and Russia lesSened
rs value in the markets of the world.
Neither i'll Il single year, nor in any
period Of five years, have the ~fluctua-
TONS Of wheat correspondent with the
steady fall in silver which has been
'alSed by the enormous increase in the
production of that metal.
It is refreshing to see that those who
irophcSied evil things of the farmers
hay" been put to shame. and that neither
heir intelligence nor their honesty is at
'anlt. There is no state in the Union
which is more peculiarly a farming state
han Vermont. In Vermont there are
No great manufacturing cities like those
in Massachusetts and New York; if
been suffered In Western New York. the
cnuses which produced it have operated
quite AS severely among the people OF
NE Green mountains; by their votes
hey have shown their ability to under
stand the cntse of their evils and have
sustained the policy which will secure
ior them better things in the future.
hey have voted for an honest currency,
Tor the restoration of the Republican
rule which will give confidence to bust
ness, employment to labor. and will in
',reaSe the demand for the products of
ne soil. The voters of Vermont appre-
cate the fact that when the mechanic
has no money with which to buy. the de-
'1and is sure 10 be poor for the things
which the farmer has to sell. After the
lesson of this election we hope to hear
no more nonsense talked about the in
roads which free silver is making among
,le Observation-Disclosures On. " Post and
Express.