The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-10-01
TIE Chile ISSUE.
what George Fred Williams Says Of
Res1oh etizati0fs

Be1-s0he tiEatiOiii
George Fred Williams; the brilliant
Massachusetts, leader, is not one Of
those who believe that dollar wheat
and the decline in the gold price Of sic
yer have knocked the bottom out Of
the silver argument, and that the dem
ocFacy would have to shift to other
ground. He claims that the constant
decline in prices under the gold stand
ard marks constant shrinkage in the
value Of property Of al kinds. Hence
the wealth of the world is decreasing ia
nominal value. although vastly in
efeasing in volume, individual holders
lose; borrowers are Unable to meet their
debts, and then the mortgages steps in
and grasps the property. IN this way
Morgan and his like are wreeking the
railroads Of the country and are get
ting more and more control Of the
eountry's resources at figures far be-
low what they ought to commend. All
Of this is due, he argues truly, to the
gold standard and its inevitable effect
to force down prices. He says, accord
ing to the Illinois State Register, IN an
interview
"The more silver goes down, the more
I believe in free coinage as the only
remedy for the fall in prices. The re-
monetization Of silver at sixteen to one
with absolute free coinage, is the only
thing which will prevent the con
/ tinued fall Of prices in all things. The
fact that wheat has touched one dollar
a bushel has nothing whatever TO dc
with the real question. Would you set.
| tie a great financial issue upon the
/ events of one year alone? We have
here a mere incident of bad crops Of
wheat in other parts Of the world and
/ good crops here for the time But
there is no general prosperity. Where
is there any evidence of prosperity ex
eept in the newspapers? Have yot
heard Of the wages of any w0rkmeh be
/ ing raised? Yes; the newspapers re
port that mills are starting up in differ
ent parts Of the country, but what does
that amount to and how much prosper
/ ity is it bringing to the workingmeu
The fact is that from the discovery o.
gold in California up to 1873 there was
a constant rise of prices ali over the
world, and there was never a period il
hdman history when the cheapening!
of the processes Of production was 60
ing on so rapidly. There was a STEADY
rise in prices all the time. Since 1877
there has been a steady fall all owe
the world, and the process is going OF
now. This present year is no exception
to the rule. In 1894 prices OF goods fel
on an average all over the world ten pc
cent; In 1895 they fell five per cent
more, Your idea that prices will fal
as the facilities Of production are in
creased is not sound, for the worlds ex
perience for the 20 years before 1877
proves the contrary. The fall in price
will continue as long as silver is de
monetized, and nothing but the re
monetization Of silver will restore pros
perity, See how it is in Mexico; wha
boom of prosperity they are having
there with their silver money. Capita
is flowing in from every side. Guern
sey knows what the truth is. He show
how really prosperous they are there
Silver coinage will continue to be tn
chief political issue until it is settle
right. Of course the party will make
the chief issue this year, and it will be S
In the Congressional campaign of 1886
Ex-GoY Boies, Of Iowa, does not knoy
where he stands on the question. H
has been looking around ever since las
spring for same safe position to straC
die on, and he has it in his idea Xix
Secretary WINDOWS. But that is III
terly impracticable. Nothing will eve
come of trying to issue notes for silve
when deposited at the mint. Tha
merely makes the government depos
tory Of bullion. It does not help in til
problem at all We have other issues
well as silver, and I do not wal
them to be obscured, but silver will b
the chief issue until there is remonet
cation at the rate of sixteen to one"