Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-09-14

Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
On the 23d Of June last three sepa-
rate state conventions were held in
the city of Des Moines. These three
representative bodies nominated and
endorsed one ticket and united in the
expression of platform of principles.
This being the opening meeting of the
campaign the public expects and it has
a right to expect truthful exposition
of the principles to which we hold.
Our platform declares in its first par
agraph that 1--WE lay special emphasis
upon that portion of the national dem
ocratic platform on the financial qaes-
ton, believing that the very existence
of the farming, laboring and CONNER
cial interests of this county depends
upon change of our financial policy
/ and we re-assert that we demand the
free and unlimited coinage of both
gold and silver at the present legal ra-
ito of 16 to 1 without waiting for the
aid or consent of any other nation"
The most persistent objection urged
against the free coinage of silver is
that concerning the ratio. The de-
claration is necessarily made by gold
standard advocates of both high and
low degree that the 1e to ratio would
give us fifty cent dollar, an essential
ly dishonest dollar, dollar that would
not only cheat the private money len
der, but ruin our public credit by fas-
tening upon our people the whitening
guilt of having become deliberate re-
pudiators of sacred obligations. We
are solemnly told that national dis
honor is the gravest sin a people can
ted this crime there is ever after no
escape from its death dealing penal
ties, but that black, deep and damn
ing disgrace must then be forever en-
dured. Thus is the Indictment framed
against us. Its very phraseology trem-
bles with the weight and power Of
frightfully ponderous words. Then as
if to crush out all defense on our part,
rs if to make all reply both impossible
told that the only dollar to be teller
ated must be an honest dollar and that
the only honest silver dollar is one to
be coined at the commercial, instead of
the legal ratio. The gold standard
army regards this position as its very
Gibraltar, unassailable, impenetrable.
Here they lie entrenched maintaining
q defiant attitude, secure in their belief
that no power can dislodge them.
This question of the ratio is regarded
as the very storm center of the entire
question of bimetallism.
COMMERCIAL RATIO DISCUSSED.
Remember the commercial ratio is
to be substituted for the legal ratio.
Right here want to ask, not petu-
lantly, not cautiously, but in spirit
Of philosophic enquiry, what does
this muck talked of commercial ratio
signify? What is it, this alleged ra-
ito? Let me simplify the question a
little; let me ask what is commercial
value? II we can ascertain what COM
mercial value is, we shall have no
trouble in determining what COM
mereial ratio is. Commercial value, as
II scholars will unite in answering, is
natural value. It is that value Of an
article or thing which is fixed in the
market where the article is bought and
sold, the value being determined under
the operation Of that most natural of
all laws, the law of supply and de-
mand. Provided, however, that this
market be in all respects a natural
market. Provided it be free from the
presence Of bulls, bears and specula-
tore of all kinds, as well as all other
artificial hindrances and regulations.
Provided the market be one where per-
fectly normal conditions govern. It is
scarcely necessary for me to observe
here that the real, natural, true COM
mercial value of an article can not be
fixed; is incapable of being determined
In q market dominated by artificial
influences. Wherever the governing
conditions are artificial, (either in a
market or elsewhere) natural result
can not be obtained, and where these
governing influences are perfectly ma
tural an artificial result is an impossi-
bility. While the slightest acquaint-
ance with this and kindred subjects
will suffice to grasp so elementary a
truth, we must not forget it as we go
along in this discussion, for without
an ever present knowledge of this fact
we should be entrapped into such a
confusing and confounding of the
question under investigation, that the
reaching Of an ineligible result would
DO impossible.