Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-02-25
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WHAT OF WHEAT?
Cold Standard Tonnes Arc No Per-
mnneuf Uemedy.

mnnent Nemedy.
Prior to the decentralization of silver
In 1873, the price OF wheat was hardly
ever below a dollar bushel 1t fire.
quently went up TO two dollars aud
sometimes considerably higher. On rare
occasions. as on the failure of crops in
this or in other wheat-growing coun-
tries, the price rose to three dollars a
bushel. In those days of silver and gold
no-farmer thought of letting his crop go
for less than a dollar a bushel, and all
other farm products, such as corn, oats,
rye, pork, beef, potatoes and, in the
south, cotton and tobacco, were worth
just about double what they have been
fetching during this period of the single
gold standard. There is not a farmer
whose memory runs back, 30, 40 or so
years but will confirm this statement.
In those days of bimetallism the farm
ers were forehanded; their farms were
not covered by mortgages and each
had, not only the comforts of life, but
money in his pocket; and so it would be
again if we could Slip the yoke that the
gold standard money kings of Europe
have put upon our necks. All that the
country needs to insure real and lasting
prosperity is to get fbacl< where we were
before our prosperity was bartered
away.
Neither temporary scarcity of wheat
nor trustridden tariff law will give
permanent relief. These are no more
than stimulant to a very sick patient.
They do not touch the seat of the dis
ease Persons may pirate about prosper
ity as much as they will, but it is mostly
sham, SO far as the common people are
concerned. We must get at the root of
the evil. We must retrace the fatal step
of destroying half of the lawful money
of the country. This is reason, this is
philosophy. Unless we reinstate silver
as lawful money, wheat will fall back to
half price again. as soon as the present
scarcity subsidies, and everything else
but gold will remain down and go low
er and lower. The only redemption
money, gold will go up, until the money
barons of the old world can handle and
control it even more completely them
they do at the present time.
The FARMERS and producers must learn
that there is only one way 10 their tenn
poral salvation, and that is TO get back
where we were before our fall. ANY per
son endowed by his Creator with a lit
tie reason, who will use his reasoning
faculties, must see that these views are
incontrovertible. A little temporary
relief may come from time TO time, ow-
ing TO special causes; tonic for the
sick person may afford little relief,
but the patient is not cured, nor can he
be cured by any such means.
The single standard people propose no
remedy; they only excite our hopes by
administering tonics. and that is all
that has occurred thus far. There can
be no reformation or prosperity until
there is cause for it. and no cause has
been shown. Self-delusion is more
pleasant than profitable. No good can
come from falsely proclaiming pros
perity when disappointment is sure to
follow. If real prosperity ever comes to
this country, it must come from
change in our financial policy. We are
now in the firm clutch Of the gold
manipulators of Europe, and allr The dol
lar wheat" we can raise will afford but
little relief.-Los Angeles Herald.