Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-01-12
Bimetallic League,

press:
Bimetallic League,
so Lower Sackville street, Dublin
Dear Sir: In the recent parliamen-
tary debate on the financial relations
question, an important facto-, the evil
effect of gold recommendation on Ire
land, in the payment of her taxes. waz
not mentioned. would have alluded
TO IL, only that it might have been al
legged that a side issue was being in
troduced, and it was better to avoid the
danger of being misunderstood. Still
the grievance to Ireland remains press
ing and substantial.
It is admitted by the majority or
those who have studied the question
that the want of a stable standard OF
currency is the main cause of the ex-
traordinary and continuous deprecia-
tion in the value of agricultural prod
pee. As the purchasing power of gold
has increased enormously during late
years, a correspondingly increased
quantity of produce must be sent to
market, thus decreasing the ability OF
the producers to meet their obligations,
since they must give more produce to
nay the same N0ddC-
The payment of leasehold and judi
cial rents, installments of purchase
money on agricultural holdings, and
ether fixed charges in Ireland must be
met in gold or its equivalent in produce.
Now the value of gold is constantly,
appreciating, and since it is the one
standard of value in this country, more
and more produce of ali kinds must an
nualley be given in exchange for gold
When it is remembered that we ara
paying two and three-quarter millions
annually in imperial oyer-taxation
which is expended outside Ireland, that
large amount of money in the shape
OF interest on property mortgages also
passes completely out of the country,
and that railway rates, salaries and
local taxation have also TO be met by
the sale of produce under gold stand
ard which is recognized as the sole
measure of value though it favors
money holders only, Irisllmen who inn
partially examine the subject from the
point of view of national interest can
hardly fail to observe that the ques-
ton here touched on in its mere out
lines is one which must be dealt with
by thinking men if Ireland IS 10 rise
above agricultural depression and be-
come even moderately prosperous.
Further, the single gold standard in
use in this and other countries makes
IT easy for those who gamble in flu
lures to carry out international opera
tons SO as TO depress prices of food
stuffs until corner has been estab-
lished. Then the price is suddenly
raised to the disadvantage OF the dis
tributor and consumer, without bene-
filing the producer. The ordinary law
of supply and demand is entirely de-
feated by ring of operators who work
the principal corn markets of the world
This could scarcely be accomplished
under bimetallic system of exchange
The fall of prices, as it is generally
called in speaking of the money OBJ
tanned for live stock, corn, hay, or
whatever 1t may be, means that so long
as England maintains the present gold
standard, agricultural produce win
bring lower and lower prices annually,
gold will continue to rise in purchas-
ing power, taxation viii become more
oppressive, debts of all kinds will
weigh more heavily on the producing
classes, and Ireland, being preeminent-
y an agricultural country, win con-
iinue to suffer more than any other
portion of the British empire. This is
q question which affects all property
owners, producers, distributors, con-
Eumers and workers in the community.
The gold standard impoverishes alike
the landlord, the tenant and The labor
er in Ireland. Owing to the premium in
exchange which silver-using countries
enjoy, their products can be sold more
cheaply than home products in Great
Britain and Ireland, and since it does
not pay to grow corn, the land is grad
ually reverting to pasture, the demand
for labor decreases, and the agricul-
tural laborers are driven into the al
ready overstocked cities, towns and
villages, adding to the constantly in
creasing burden of pauperism and
making it daily more difficult for the
skilled artisan to find regular employ
,nent. In view of the great Importance
of this subject to Ireland the Bimetal-
lie league has arranged to have a series
Of addresses delivered at various cen
ters throughout the country during the
coming autumn and winter, by lectur-
ers skilled in this branch of financial
economics. All information with re-
gard TO these addresses, as well as lit
erature, etc, dealing with the subject.
will be sent free of cost to anyone ap-
plying 10 the secretary, Bimetallic
league, so Lower Sackville street, Dub
lin.
Asking your powerful aid nj least in
the ventilation of this most important,
subject, and with thanks for past cour-
tesies, am, yours truly,
WILLIAM FIELD.