The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-12-17
SYLMAR, MD ,
EDITORS MIDLAND JOURNAL,

standard while i'll Ohio. l found a goodly
number there who favor high protection
and both gold and silver for their money
bases. did not go there to argue politics
but mainly to listen. But when appar-
emily fairly intelligent men tell you that
the Mckinley administration has raised
the price of their wheat, I wished to
know how it was done-could give no
reason how or why but had read it in
some paper. Tell them it was caused by a
general shortage in foreign countries, it
seemed to be revelation.
was i'll conversation with an ex-State
Representative who denounced Cleveland
in ,the most bitter terms. When asked
the difference between Cleveland and
Mckinley, Qeaving out the tariff plank },
he could not tell. He then began to de-
nounce silver, this man at one time was
considered we'll off but now almost bank
rupt from the great depreciation in prop
erty value), saying, IF silver was renon-
etized we would have silver and nothing
else" l asked him if he was afraid Of
getting too many silver dollars; was i'll
no way fearful on that score myself, even
if the government should coin all the
silver produced. Others argue that this
governme mt would be poorer if the silver
was all coined
Ask these same men to explain who or
what is the government and they cannot
tell you. They seem to have no intel
ligent comprehension that we, the people,
are the government. 1 told them if we
all had plenty of money we certainly
would be the wealthiest nation on the
earth Even if each had hundred or
thousand per capita.
One gold bug told me that land, pro-
duce, &C., was inflated, twenty five
years ago, and that now we are down to
true or solid basis. This same man is a
farmer and admits that his land would
only bring one-half what it did quarter
of century ago bnt claims everything is
in proportion. When asked if mortgages,
taxes, interest, salaries, professional fees,
&C., had also been inflated and had come
down in proportion he admitted that they
had not. In further conversation this
same man admitted that the government
could stamp paper, gold, silver, leather or
any other substance and it would be a
legal tender for all debts in the United
States.
I And a number who say they cannot
understand why less than fifty cents worth
of silver, when coined, is worth one hun
bred cents. They have vague idea that
dollar has to have intrinsic value; yet
cannot understand that to renonetize
silver will increase its bullion value
l could not find a man who could ex
plain or tell why silver was demonetized.
1 find many of the most prominent
and intelligent men of Morgan county
voted and worked for the election of w.
J. Bryan. Among whom are Cam. Cho-
quill, attorney-at-law, who made many
speeches during the campaign throughout
the State, and L G. Weber the leading
attorney at McConnelsville. Morgan
county gave a Republican majority of
1860 in 1895 and only TT in 1896.
One man attempted to prove by Stats
tics that we have more money in circula-
ton to-day than we had twenty-five years
ago. He made out that we have about
SIS per capita when we formerly had $50.
was amused and delighted to hear an
argument between two silk-hatted, broad
cloth gold bugs and plain young farmer
from the West, on the train between
Harper's Ferry and Washington. The
young farmer was on his way TO visit
Washington. In some manner the silk
hated gentry made some remark or insin'
uation that was displeasing to the un-
assuming young man, who opened out Ill
quiet way and began to explain his COIL
dition and position and easily answered
all questions put to him. He could and
did take the gold side also. and told silk.
hats more than they had ever thought
about. He could answer any and every
question put to him easily. There was but
one thing that silk-hats could surpass
him in and that was ia the use ofbillings-
gate and vile epithets against Bryan aaH
his advocates; at these the young West
erner laughed. he we'll knowing they were
playthings i'll his hand. After the young
man got off at Washington these pros
porous beings walked the aisle of the-car
seemingly much wounded and eenfHsed
to think that young buckskin Of the
West should abuse gentlemen, and ex-
pressed themselves as insulted by trash"
simply because their clothes and hats
failed in renting the reasonable and SEN
sible argument Of this unpretentious
| farmer.
A gentleman of Ohio, farmer, who
had been raised Republican and always
voted the ticket, began to think for him
self, in 1896 and could not decide what
he had better do, determined to ask his
minister, in whom he had great faith
spiritually, how he should vote. The
minister told him to vote the Republican
ticket by all means. The inquirer wished
to know the reason why. The minister
told him, "You see l receive $500 salary.
See what can buy with it, produce and
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