The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-09-11

creased in value by protective tariff
This artificial increase will last rs long
probably as the law increasing them
remains on the statute book bnt the
rise in The prices of farm products viii
remain only As long as The exceptional
conditions exist. That is 10 say, so
long AS there are failures of crops els,
where aud we have fair crops in orr
country.
Or the other hand, the election Of
Mr.. Bryan and The restoration of the
free coinage of silver would have IN
creased the prices not only of fam
products, but of all other properly:
would have given employment to labor
at wages, and thus revival of busi-
ness and better times would have been
made permanent by the reformation of
our monetary system, and nOI depend
upon the mere whim, so to speak, of
"natural causes''-that is TO say, he
failure of crops in other countries.
SILVER COUNTRIES WILL CoMPETE.
Another contention that we insisted
on is now admitted-that the prosper
lily of the farmer, the agriculturist, is
the foundation of the prosperity of all
other people in this country. We have
insisted that the decentralization of
silver has caused fall in the price of
products generally, but particularly the
fall in the price of wheat and all other
farm products that came in competI-
ton with the farm products of silver
using countries abroad.
The reasons for this are so well un-
derstood that | will not undertake to
enumerate them, my design only being
TO call attention 10 the fact that we in
sist that prosperity must come first to
the agricultural people of this country
before it will be felt perceptibly else
where. The present condition proves
this contention of ours.
We insist also that coed prices are a
good thlng--a good thing for the coun-
try and all of its people. This is now
practically admitted.
THIS BOOM ONLY FOR A YEAR.
The only question remaining then IS,
"Can we depend upon the present
causes and conditions that exist
throughout the world to..maintaln good
prices, especially in this country?''
The answer to that is that we cannot
expect that nature will always favor us
by shortening the crops of other people
for our especial benefit; that there can
be nothing permanent in the prosperity
now suppose TO exist.
Whereas, on the other hand, the
prosperity that would result from the
restoration of free coinage of silver
would be the increase of prices in the
country and the world over and the
betterment of mankind generally, and
that this better condition would be
permanent, not accidental or excep-
tional. Wait and see the result.
How long will this stimulated condi-
ton in the price of farm products and
apparent prosperity coming to this
country exist?
! 1t is too early yet to predict on this
subject, except in so far as | have
already stated, that when present con-
ditions are reversed calamity will
come.
TIMES NOT YET GOOD ALL OVER.
Before the gold standard advocate
boasts upon these causes or his theories
of prosperity, as indicated by present
conditions, let him wait. Let him wait
to see whether all the people are en-
ployed at fair wages. AT the present
time such is not the case.
Indeed. strikes are the rule-unem-
ployed labor exists by the millions.
SO that this prosperity cannot be said
to be universal in our country.
With labor on the other hand cut OF
employment, rs now exists in this
country, especially in our large cities,
wait and see next winter how much
money they will have to purchase the
necessaries of life that Will cost them
so much more, owing to the excep-
tionl conditions above mentioned and
the Dingley bill. If there Is not univer-
sal employment of labor and good
wages we will find much suffering
among certain class of our people
instead of prosperity.
So that the time has not yet come TO
say what will be the effect of present
conditions, 1t is too early to predict
anything in that respect with any
degree of certainty. We only know
that the arguments we made heretofore
are now admitted as good by orr OPP
ponents.
We hope for the best for our conniry
and the world; would be glad to see
prosperity everywhere, but so far as
the cause is concerned our argument is
now admitted by our opponents, and
unless there should universally exist
prosperity in thus country during the
rest OF Mr. McKinley's administration,
not only will the argument be upon our
side, but the votes also IN the approach
ing elections of 1898 and 1900
X. u. BLAND.
That Eastern Trip.
Going East, take The Sahta Fe Route
as far as Chicago.