Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-11-24
TO Tnr fhff Silver CLUBS OF KANSAS

! tally. Free silver is the battle cry of
the people. 1t was good republIcanism;
it is good PopuIism and good democra-
cy. Better than all. it is good citizen
ship, regardless of party.
This paper is suggested not so much
| by this election. as by certain proceed
| ings at the meeting of the state bank
ers' association, held at Wichita re-
Gently. This association is composed
of gentlemen who know what they
want and how to get it. They were
practically UNANIMOUS against silver
aud creenbacks. One stated very
frankly that gold standard man, if he
really understood himself. should be a
| Cleveland democrat.
But | wish to call your attention to
TWO propositions there enumerated
| The first was, that there is money
| enough now III the country to transact
rs business, to establish which one of
he ablest bankers III Kansas City stat
ed that. at the time Of the last reports,
there was $3.50 600 900 in the banks, ST.
| 800 600 600 III the country outside the
| United States treasury, and that the
banks held loans for $4,000, 100000
! The second was put forth by one styl-
,ng himself Populist. lie announced
! That H. had recently been called upon
| 10 address a body OF farmers who had
met for the purpose of organizing sill
| yer club. He stated that he success
'uIly dissuaded them from the enter
rise by saying to them that there were
| I3 GOO 900 voters in this country, and
only $40 600 Of them were farmers I'M
Ter mortgage; that the mortgaged far
mers were the only ones who would be
benefited by free silver, and that they
.0u!d not hope to carry an election.
Hence, the organization of silver clubs
IS useless
Are these gentlemen correct? Let
rs briefly anal, re their positions.
1t there is 81 800 600 600 IN the coun-
.ry. and the banks have loaned $5,000,-
100000, they have So 400, 100000 more
| than there is in existence. If the banks
| lavpS430 900 .0OOin their vaults andthere
| ~ > .OUU.O. O,UOO OulSiu0 III TIC OuilCu
States treasury, then, If this was de
| posted IN the banks, they would have
| 81, 170, 600 coo of money to lend. But
10y lending $4,000, 600 900 they lend
nearly five times as much money as is
available for use. These figures prove
that on certain day the people needed
50 400 Coz, COO more than was III exist
ehce; that they needed it SO badly that
they borrowed the credit of the banks
to that extent and used 1t as money.
people paid interest on this vast sum
inst for fun. They must have needed
1t. If they needed that amount of
money, then the government would
nave TO coin So, 400 900 900 more before
iaeeting the demand, as shown by the
banks. AS no one pretends that such
an amount can be secured in gold, VIZ
are willing that 1T shall be provided in
silver.
Now as to our Populist banker. AT
iirSt blush one would think that if the
debtors would be favored 10y free silver
hey would be favored only by being
enabled to save more than under the
present standard, and if the man who
is in debt could save more under free
silver, the man who is out of debt
could also save more. At second blush
This view is cOnfirToed.
But the advocates of free silver do
not rest their case upon the proposition
that 1t VIII enable debtors to pay ,impor
tant as that may be;nor upon the prop
Osition that it will restore one of TIE
great industries of tins country, and to
this extent increase the market for the
products of our farms and factories,
important as that may be. The great
EVIL to which we object is the evil of a
currency continually approaching in
value.
When currency is approaching in
value the products and objects of In.
dustry are depreciating in price. When
commodities are depreciating in price.
one with money hesitates to invest, for
he faces the certainty of loss; hence, he
will hoard his money or loan 1t upon Sc
curity, knowing that next year 1t will
purchase more of the products of in
dusIry than this year. LII other words.
under an appreciating currency the
owner of money grows richer by mere
lapse of time. His gains will come
without his engaging in the uncertain
ties of enterprise. lie is thus impelled
TO withdraw his money from the hazard
If business; this withdrawal leaves an
increased deTand for money still in
use, and that again increases the in
ducement to withdraw additional sums
from business; and by this process
times grow harder and harder. Every.
body is interested in putting an end to
such coudition-one under which the
enterprise of the world is suffering We
would change this by making enough
money 10 meet the demand and thereby
force into use sums boarded to secure
the advantage of apr eciation. We
advocate the free coinage of silver be-
cause that appears the most practical
BILE; something that can be secured in
the near future.
We not only believe In dollar wheat
but we want TO see good price for
coru, oats, cotton, land, and labor; and