The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-10-06


ness, and that the only way to remedy
the matter was to grant free coinage
of silver, thus increasing the volume
of our circulating medium and there
by increasing the prices of farm prod
ucts and of labor. The Republicans
claimed that there was sufficient
money in the country for all legiti-
mate business, but that for want OF
confidence in the theories and finan-
cIal vagaries of Democratic statesmen,
capitalists were boarding their money
and refusing to invest it in the vari-
Gus businesses and enterprises OF the
country. And for that reason the
money was lying idle in the vaults
and savings banks of the land, and all
enterprise was at standstill. Bryan,
the god of the free silver men, was
continually telling of the oppression
of the laboring man. by the money
sharks, and picturing in glowing colors
the magnificent future that awaited
this country, if the people would only
elect him president and declare for
free and unlimited coinage of silver
at the ratio of 16 to l; and depicting
the horrors and calamities and de-
pressions that would be ours if we
failed to elect him president and to
carry out his policies. He told us the
business depression we were passing
through, with It's crash of banks and
mercantile houses and general COM
mercial stagnati0n, would be pros
perity compared with the times that
would follow the success of the Re-
publican party and the adoption OF
its principles. Our laboring men would
be out Of employ and tramping
as beggars through the land while
their wives and daughters sold their
virtue for a crust of bread, and their
children persisted for lack of food.
The woes of the farmer were to be in
creased four fold. His corn was to
sell at ten cents and his wheat at
twenty-five, and all other products in
proportion. The mortgage would eat
up his home and the shylocks would
turn him and his family into the
streets with no place to lay their
heads. These are some of the calami-
ties that were preached as bound to
follow the success of the Republican
party.
Mckinley was elected and the Re-
publican party was fully installed and
its policies put into effect. What has
been the result? Have these evils fol-
lowed? No, indeed; the direct oppo-
site has been the result, as every in
telligent schoolboy knows. Even
Bryan himself admits it of late, or, at
least, does not deny the fact.
Are we having any financial panics?
The country was never so free from
business failures.
The labor of the country is better
employed than it has been for years,
and at better wages. Do you see
armies of unemployed men marching
through the land demanding work?
If you think labor is unemployed, try
to hire man or two to do few days
work. If you think wages have not
advanced, offer a man the wages he
would gladly have accepted for a days
labor two years ago, and see what he
will say. DO you hear many children
crying for bread who have parents
able and willing to work? Do you see
farmers hauling their corn to town
and begging some one to take it at
ten cents per bushel? Do you see
many loads of wheat offered On the
market at twenty-five cents? We
guess not. Everything farmer has
to sell now goes quickly to eager buy
ers at remunerative prices. In fact.
did you ever see time when the av-
erage price of all farm products was
as good, except, perhaps, short time
during the Civil war? Then, Bryan
and his fellow-prophets must either
have been mistaken or they were will
fully trying to deceive the people. In
either case Mr.. Bryan has shown him
self an unworthy leader-either a
demagogue and hypocrite or vain,
visionary, unbalanced theorist un-
worthy of the slightest attention.
1t does seem the height of folly to
further discuss this money question,
The Republicans predicted the glori.
Gus changes for he better that would
take place were they placed In power,
and told you plainly that an evil ex-
listed, but that it was not in the ii.
nance, which would regulate and take
care of itself if other evils were cor.
rected. They told you that if they
were successful and Mckinley were
elected they would set the wheels to
turning and give the labor of the land
employment, establish and build up