Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-09-24
St. John on Silver.

St. John on Silver.
Ex-Governor John P. St. John has written a
letter to friend in Topeka in which he discuss
es topics of interest at the present time, in a
vigorous manner. He says:
Gust now the gold-bugs with all exhibition
of idiotic glee that ve1fies the old adage that
ignorance is bliss are asking advocates of free
silver to tell why silver is going down and wheat
going up. To those who think for themselves
instead of letting their party think for them
there is nothing either funny, intricate rys-
terious in the solution of this question.
''The facts are that notwithstanding ours is one
of the greatest slver-producing countries on
earth, the Republican party, aide by the Bour-
bon Democracy, has, for quarter of century
past, done all in its power to decry silver and
destroy confidence in and respect for the white
metal, thus gradually lessening the demand for
it and finally closing the minis against it, ex-
cept the small amount used for subsidiary coins.
Thus the demand being decreased, the price
has gone down until to-day the bullion in sill
yer dollar is worth only 43 cents.
"This outrageous treatment of one of our
great sources of wealth has given England
protection of 100 per cent in the Liverpool
wheat market over our own people. You ask
how? Simply in this way.
"England closed her minis to free coin
age of silver several years ago, but continues
to coin at the governments option on its own
account. She can now buy the amount of sill
yer bullion in one of our silver dollars for 40
aents. She takes that bullion home and coins
it into money, and by this process she makes
over 100 per cent profit. With this coin at its
face value she buys India wheat, which, with
at least 100 per cent advantag already gained
in handling our silver, she lays down in the
Liverpool market in competition with the wheat
grown in our own country.
'Our people cannot enjoy the advantage thus
given in handling our silver for the reason that
England, as we'll as our own country has closed
minis against them.
"The reason why wheat commands present
prices is because the crop in foreign countries
is very short and in India it is almost failure,
and millions are starving for bread.
"The reason why silver is so low and wheat
so high is because there is no wheat in India to
be bought by England, and, therefore, England
has no use for our silver. Hence, the demand
is cut short and the price goes down. When
India has wheat to sell again, the price of sill
yer will go up and our wheat will go down.
"The remedy for this disloyal discrimination
in favor of England and against our own people
will be found ir free coinage at the ratio of 10
to /. Then the bullion in silver dollar will
be worth 100 cents, and that is what it will cost
England, thus restoring to our own people the
advantage that England is now using against
us.
"With short crops in all foreign countries,
were we not measuring values with 200 cent
single gold standard dollar, our wheat to-day
would be worth $500 per bushel. Topeka
State Journal.
THE dispatches state that the miels, grain
dealers and certain big bankers have formed an
organization to lower the price of wheat, and
keep it down.