Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-01-25
AN ERRONEOUS: ARGUMENT.

The Philadelphia Inquirer charges
misrepresentation to the silver peo-
pie who in the campaign of 1896
claimed that the actual cost of pro-
duction of silver was sixty cents or
more an ounce, and as proof of it's
charges point to the fact that the pro-
duction Of silver has continued in
spite Of the fact that it could not be
sold in the marke is for more than 81
cents an ounce on the average. It
argues that there would not have been
so large production of silver had
not the mining operations paid. The
editorial closes with this observation:
''Think of the profit they would have
had if Bryan and his l6 to plans had
won at the last election"
The pomulgation of such ALLEGED
argument and erroneous comment dis
plays such ignorance of mining con-
ditions and shallow conception of the
principles underlying the free silver
movement, which also is shared by
eastern papers generally, that we can
not refrain from calling attention to
the most fragrant Inconsistencies con-
tanned therein.
First let US lay aside the question
OF the supply and demand of money
and the great influences which the
contraction and expansion of the cur
rency exert upon the prosperity of the
country, (which, of course, is the only
aspect in which the people as a whole
are interested in) and argue from the
purely selfish standpoint Of a. COM
munity directly interested in silver
mines. Does silver mining at the
present prices pay. in the ordinary
sense of the word? We say emphat-
ically, no! The large production is
due to the fact that silver is found in
conjunction with other metals. and
thus helps to pay part Of the cost Of
mining. Were it not for the lead.
gold and copper found in the ore
which produces silver, none of the
mines could be operated except those
exceptionally rich II in silver indeed.
Is it fair to guage the cost of mining
silver by the cost Of production from
q few exceptionally rich lodes? Ger
tainly not TO arrive at q fair esti-
mate Of the cost Of silver mining one
must take into consideration all the
money and labor expended in pros
pecting, improving and operating
mines whether the same prove rich,
poor or entire failures. To assume
for minute that the present price of
silver compensates in any adequate
degree for the money and labor ex-
pended in finding and developing the
silver mines is preposterous.
Then, again, the assumption that
the mines which produce a fair ore
would close down Immediately if they
were operated at loss is false. Some
mines are being operated which bare
ly pay the cost of labor and transport
tation for the reason that all the CAP
ital and hopes of the promoters are
tied up in the same and they struggle
along without realizing anything upon
the Investment in the hope, perhaps,
of making a richer strike, and also
because one reluctantly abandons a
project which represents the toll and
savings of years. 70, illustrate the
point we wish to make, let US look at
the wheat farmers Of the Dakotas.
No. one at all versed in wheat farming
pretends to say that an ordinaryfarm-
er there can produce wheat and make
.it,pay at the prices they have received
during the last six years. If the labor
Of the farmer and his family are fig
ured at very reasonable rates, the
cost of maintaining machinery com