The Republican journal., 1898-03-17
Our Washington Letter.

AS"h vi lue silver lIuol, lily bii'oA
Knight Watchman. This publication is
owned by silver millionaire Stewart, the
most active and persistent Of the calamity |
walters, who never misses an opportunity |
of telling the public what sufferers they
are under the gold standard and how i'm
possible it is for the farmers to prosper
without the free and unlimited coinage of
silver. Processing, as it does, to be a
newspaper, the Silver Knight Watchman
necessarily reports some of the current
features of the weeks developments in
Guiding important features Of commerce,
markets, &C., and here, in it's presenta-
ton of these facts and conditions which
cannot be ignored, the Knight Watchman
destroys the entire structure of argument
which the calamity walters have washed
with their tears during each succeeding
year that they have determined to trick
the people of the United States into aid
ing them in behalf Of their free silver
scheme.
Examined in the light of the constant
assertion of the silverites that prosperity
cannot come to the farmers without the
| free coinage of silver, and that prices OF
| farm products and prices of silver keep
pace, the figures presented by the Knight
| Watchman in its issue of February n,
1898, are, to say the least, interesting
1t shows, for instance, the closing price of
wheat in New York on February u, 1898,
to be 81. 03 IS per bushel. When Mr.
| Bryan was nominated and assured the
farmers of the country, as did all his asso-
ciates, that farm products could not adj
vance without the free coinage of silver,
wheat was worth "a cents per bushel.
The market report of the Knight Watch
man gives the price OF corn in New \ ork,
February y, 1898, at 35 rs cents, which
is Just five cents bushel more than it was
on April |, 1897, showing an advance of
nearly twenty per cent. iii price in less
than II months without the free coinage
of silver. The same report in the Knight
Watchman gives the price of oats in New
pih 'tt ~ u 4 SCulS lSI buSliNi. ~ Ilci-
Mr.. Bryan was nominated in 1896 the
price of oats in New York was u IL cents
a gain of nearly 50 per cent. without the
free coinage of silver
Mess pork is quoted in the same market
report of the Knight Watchman at $40 %
per barrel. That highest authority On
| Rra1Strnat'c SbnyvS that
in New York was worth $500 per barrel
on October 1, 1896, just at the time that
Mr.. Bryan, mine owner Stewart, the
Knight Watchman, aud other advocates
We're assuring the farmers that products
could not advance except through the free
coinage of silver. Yet here is al advance
of nearly fifty per cent. in IS months.
Beef, family, is quoted by the Knight
Watchman as SLID per barrel in New
: York on February II, 1898. 1t is shown
by Bradstreets to have been $500 per
barrel on October II, 1896, another in
crease of practicaay so per cent within 1f
months without the free coinage of silver.
Bacon, the Knight Watchman assures
its readers, is worth in the New York
markets on February II, 1898, ) 3S cents
per pound, while Bradstreet's shows that
on October |. 1896, it was worth 3 IL cents
pound an advance of more than 50 per
cent. in 16 months despite the fact that
the country has not been given the free
coinage of silver.
Lard is quoted at "a cents per pound
against 4 ? cents at the date Of Mr. Bryan 5
: nomination, an advance of . per cent
without the free coinage of silver.
Butter is quoted on February Il, 1898,
at 20 cents per pound, against - cents on
October l, 1896, shortly before the people
of the United States rejected the free coin
age of silver, an advance during that time
of 80 per cent, despite the fact that the
free coinage proposition was SO rejected.
Cheese, which at the time of Mr. Bryan S
nomination was quoted in the New ] ork
markets at 6 5-S cents per pound is shown
by the Knight Watchman to have been
s l-2 cents on February p, 1898, and with
out the free coinage of silver.
A considerable space is also devoted in
} the Knight Watchman to reports of the
Baltimore markets, which, of course, prac-
tically agree with those OF New York in
staple articles. These reports quote wool
unwashed, at 20 and % cents per pound
an advance of about so per cent in the
IS months since the Watchman and its as
t socates were declaring that farm products
could not advance without the free coinage
of silver.
Rye is quoted at 81 8 4 cents, while it was
worth in the New York markets, according
to Bradstreet's at the date of Mr. Bryan s
nomination, 81 - cents, an advance in the
) IS months since that time Of about 55 per
, cent, and that without the free coinage
of silver.
Apples, greetings, which on January l.,
1897, were quoted in the New York mar
kets at 81. % per barrel, are shown by the
Knight Watchman to have been 50. so in
} the Baltimore market on February y, 1898,