Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1896-10-02
Startling Predictions as to
the Consequences of
Free Silver.
VIEWS FROM THE SOUTH
Free Silver a Menace to Bust
ness, and Should It Win We
Would Have the Worst
Panic Ever Known.

manufacturers a letter containing twl
queries:
First.-what in your opinion would b,
the effect upon business if the gold ant
protection ticket would VIM
Second What in your opinion would be
the effect upon business If the silver-free
trade ticket would win?
The Manufacturers Record states that
the replies received to the foregoing quer'
les were startling in the dire forebodings
of a large majority of overwhelming dis
aster should free silver win" Out Of l5l
replies, 1874 were unqualifedly against free
silver and regard it az menace to all
business interests, Is were in favor Of sill
yer, and - were noncOmmittal Running
through many of these letters was the idea
that "should free silver win we would
have the worst panic over known"
The Manufacturers Record continues:
"These are not the views of theorists they
are not the predictions of men who can
foOlishly be charged with trying to create
a panic; they are not the statements of
Wall street nor Of professional politicians
On the contrary, they are the sober fears
of hundreds Of the foremost manufactur-
ers of the south. the mon who have been
leading that section toward activity and
prosperity; of men who have been furnish
ing employment for tens of thousands Of
laborers; of men who in most cases are
going to change their lifelong political as
sociations in order to vote against what
they believe would be a great calamity.
The Manufacturers Record begs the peo-
pie Of the south to study these letters, to
study their meaning and to realize how
the business men of this section regard
free silver"
The business firms responding against
free silver were divided among the differ
emit states as follows; West Virginia. ga
Georgia. IL; North Carolina, IA; Virginia,
IA; Tennessee, 8; Louisiana, q Mississip-
pi, 6; South Carolina, Z; Alabama, II;
Texas, 2; Maryland, 2; Kentucky, 3; Ar
kansas, 2, and Florida, 1.
Following arc some of the replies
The Cotton Industry In North Carolina.
Charlotte Cotton mills Charlotte, n.
c.: "The success of the Mckinley ticket
would lead to an early revival Of business.
II Bryan should be elected, there would
ensue such panic rs this country has new
er seen, with disaster to all kinds of bust
ness"
From the Coal Mines, West Virginia.
J. W. Graham, Control City, W. Va:
First-With sound money and protective
tariff, factories will start up, capital will
seek investment, business generally will
be good. SecOnd-Free trade means to con-
tinue business as it now is and drive man
ufacturers to the wall Free silver means
one of the greatest panics ever known"
From a Kentucky Rolling Mill.
Newport Rolling Mill company, New
port, Ky: "First-If gold and protection
ticket should win, business in every line
would boom at once with such boom as
our country has seldom seen. Second
Should silver and tree trade ticket win, the
result would be most disastrous"
A Voice From the West Virginia Salt In
dustry.
Hope Salt and Coal company, Mason, |
W. Va: "First-We are of the opinion that |
business would begin to revive at once aft /
er Nov. 3, election day. Second-We think |
it would be one Of the most disastrous oc-
currences that could possibly befall this |
country. God forbid its ever taking place. A"
Tennessee's Foundry and Pipe Works Speak.
Chattanooga Foundry and Pipe works,
Chattanooga: "First-Our opinion is that
with the success of the gold and protection
ticket, Immediately confidence would nc
restored, business would revive, and we
would have the good times we enjoyed
prior to 1892. Socond-The same depressed
state Of affairs that now exists, with no
hope for immediate future.
Alabama Says, "NIore Confidence"
f. p Randle, Rock Mills, Ala: First
Good. Seoond-DisastrOus The people
need markets and employment Not more
money, but moro confidence and security
From the "Debtor Glass" In Tennessee.
Herman Justi, Nashville: "First-Busi-
ness would steadily improve. Second
business would at once get worse, and fail
ures would occur in increasing numbers
every day. These are my honest views,
and I should add have been lifelong
Democrat and belong to the debtor class. -
Always Democrats but Against Bryan.
Guild g. White, Chattanooga: 1--WE are
for gold standard and tariff for revenue
only. We will not support Bryan, AS we
think his principles a menace to the cOun-
try. We have always been Democrats If
silver should win, We think the class who
seem disposed to elect him would be most
injured. II gold wins, we think the ooun-
try would return at once to prosperity.
Right to the Point From South Carolina.
Pacolet Manufacturing company, Spar
tanburg, S. c.: "First-Business would
revive. Second-Panic and less business. -
South Carolina Says, ''sIeans Unparalleled
Prosperity"
Union Cotton mills, Union, s. c.:
g First-The success of gold and protection
means unparalleled business prosperity
and renewal of confidence. SecOnd-Should
silver and free trade win, the outlook is
too dark to venture an opinion. "
An Opinion From Maryland. :
Laurel company, cotton manufacturers, !
Baltimore: First-Great prosperity would !
extend over the whole country. Second :
Panic, bankruptcy and general ruin to
credit, honor and business"
Virginia For Protection and Sound Cur
rency.
]. L. Roper Lumber company, Norfolk: !,
'We are ready to go upon record as prOphe-
sying much better times, provided gold n
lnd protection are upheld IN next Novem- /,
)er's election. A proper tariff and sound ii
currency is what we sorely need to be as D.
ured Of " Z,
Free Silver Means Ruin, Says Arkansas. o.
Fort Smith Lumber company, Fort g
smith, Ark: "First-Business will revive al
md prosperity return with the election of VI
William Mckinley. Second-Frce silver "
nd free trade means ruin to the manu- b.
of the United States. - g
Against Debasing the CurrencS. =
r. f. Learned, Natchez, Miss. II think -
is the cause Of present low -
rices and depression, aggravated by want
+ confidence due to silver agitation. With
he success of sound money, we may rea- =
Dnably expect restoration Of confidence ",
nd gradual and steady improvement in "
Il lines of business With the success Of 81
he silver party, we may reasonably expect ~
financial panic and depression exceeding y,
rat experienced in 1887 and 1910. Such On
! least have followed every experiment Of ue
sbasing currency in the history of ma gu
ons. j." ar
A Free silver Failure. wi
SIS it bad failure3" bl,
"Well, it looks to me like a free silver
lure
a. What do Won rnean nv thatep -