The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-12-25
BRYAN'S VISIT TO MEXICO
Some Things Which the Free Sill
yer Champion May Learn.
The Faliacies of His Doctrine Made
Manifest fn the Monetary
system of That
Country.

some interest from this standpoint the
tour of Mr.. Bryan through Mexico are
wondering whether he will discover
any errors in the statements that he
put forth last year in behalf OF the Mex
lean system OF finance which they
asked the United States 70 adopt.
While the fact that he received $1,000
in Mexican money in exchange for $500
of United States currency on entering
Mexico might have the effect of weak
ening the faith which he expressed in
his Asheville *. c. speech and on
many other occasions that 81 do not
admit gold would go TO a premium In
the United States" il the free coinage
proposition were adopted, there are a
number OF other facts easily accessible
in Mexico which il is hoped he will have
time 10 look into hy way OF a compari-
son Of the actual conditions there with
the statements which he made 70 the
American people in the campaign Of
1896. One Of the interesting state
ments Of his addresses was the insist
ence tina gold would not leave the coun-
try under the free coinage Of silver. In
his Asheville speech referred 10 above
lie said, pointedly:
"Not IA dollars worth OF gold would
leave this country under free coinage until
those who held II felt they would benefit
by letting IL 80. ] believe under free coin
age gold would come here instead Of going
away. and the only way 20 stop the out-
flow Of gold is 10 adopt himetallism, raise
the price or wheat and pay our debts IN
produce instead Of gold.
There are several things which Mr.,
Bryan may learn in Mexico, and by a
study Of statistics accessible here
which fail TO confirm this belief which
be expressed short 10 months ago
For instance, his insistence that under
free coinage of silver gold would not
leave the country. but would come here
instead OF going away; If he viii take
the trouble to inquire in Mexico about
their experience with gold, be will find
that Of the large sums Of gold mined
In that country in the past few years
only S5,0O0,O0 now remain In the coun-
try The gold mined in Mexico in the
past three years aggregates about $50
100000, being SI,50O,000 in 1891, SO, o0O.-
900 in 1895, and something over IS, O00.-
600 in 1896, yet, according TO the official
statement Of the mint bureau, pub
lished at the beginning of the present
fiscal year, the total amount OF gold I'm
Mexico was at that time only S5,OO0,000,
or practically one-fourth Of the amount
mined i'm the short term OF three
years. Gold has been mined in
Mexico, of course, for many years,
and AT times in great quantities,
and the fact that Mr. Bryan on
arriving there finds remaining in the
entire country less than a single years
production, II is felt. ought 10 convince
him that there is some error In his as
sumption that the free silver system,
as cXemplified there, will bring gold
into the country" or prevent its leaving
the country.
Another statement OF the paragraph
from his speech quoted above, in which
he asserts that the "only way TO stop
the outflow Of gold is to adopt bimetal-
lism, raise the price of wheat and pay
our debts in produce instead of gold"
seems TO be fully met by some figures
just coming 20 the surface here. BIZ
metallism was not adopted in 1896 ac-
cording 20 Mr. Bryan's programme, yet
the statistics relating TO imports, eN
ports and circulation Of gold and the ex-
portation OF American products with
which 10 pay our debts abroad show
that the things which he assumed could
only be accomplished through the adop-
ton Of bimetallism have occurred with
out that action. The latest statement
Of the treasury department indicating
the amount Of gold in circulation In the
United States shows that the amount
has increased nearly 100000 900 since
the date Of his nomination and without
the adoption Of free coinage. On July
/, 1896, just week before his nomina-
ton, the gold coin in circulation in the
United States was. according to treas
ury figures. Si54 ,0O5,0Gl. and at the be-
ginning OF the present month was s5l4.-
49i,74S. That this increase has been
brought about largely by the very
methods he recommended. Ia coniunc-
ton with his financial system. raising
the price Of wheat and paying our debts
In produce instead on gold" Is found by
the figures just issued by the bureau OF
statistics covering the expectations dur
ing u months Of the present year.
These figures show that the eNportn-
tlons Of domestic merchandise. I'm which
wheui is Of course the largest item.
since il has doubled In price since
Brynn's statement IN question. amounts
20 SQ56,6lf,357 for u months, and will
be for the calendar year the largest IA
the history Of the country
Another striking evidence that Mr..
Rryan's views Of last year were not nj.
together accurate is found in = state.
nent Of the treasury department, Just
issued, which shows the total amount
Of money IN circulation In the United
States, compared with the amount In
circulation az time when he was try.
ing 10 persuade the people that the only
possible way OF increasing our money
was by the free and unlimited coinage
Of silver. n viii be remembered that
this was the burden Of his speeches