The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1899-02-23
Special Correspondence on the Nations
Great Political Issue.
PRODUCERS VITAL INTEREST.
Are Bound Up in the Securing of Just and
Equitable Measure Of Values.


Copyright by the Mcclure News Bureau.
Chicago, Ill. Feb. 23, 1899.
Hon. John j. Lentz, who is repre-
senting an Ohio constituency in Con-
gress, was in Chicago recently and
said to me-
IL used to believe. in the single
gold standard and think my speech
es in favor of that policy were as
strong as the gold aide of the inan-
cial question could have been pre-
sented. But was wrong and as soon
as | was convinced of the fact,
honestly confessed my error to my
constituents and tried to show them
the light also, That succeeded the
returns in my district, last fall, will
show. The Democratic party will
win on the issue of bimetallism in
1900 for we are now assured that it
is going 10 remain true to the princi-
Piles enunciated in its platform of
1896"
What are your reasons for such
positive statement" | asked?
"The producers of the raw wealth
of this nation, he answered, ''num
ber over 55 per cent of its voting
strength. Bimetallism would directly
benefit each and every producer Of
raw material The only link in the
cham that is missing then, is such a
vigorous campaign of education and
reasoning that the truth will be
brought home to them so clearly that
they will be able to grasp it,
Taking the farmers" | said, as
representing the largest class of raw
material producers, will you explain
the direct benefit to them Of remone-
lzing sllver?"
Certainly, and this class is &
very good example to use, as, by
the last census reports, The farming
vote represents tiye-twelfths of the
entire vote of the United States, " he
reioined. 'Bimetallism should fine
its strongest and most loyal advocates
in agricultural communities, not only
for the inherent justice of the propo-
sltion but because it appeals to theil
self interest The gold standard adj
voca.e agrees with the bimetalis
that the price of agricultural product!
would be very materially enhaiee,
by the reconciliation of silver
Lest some gold standard farme
should doubt this first premise let III
refer him to the speech made by Ben
iamin Harrison, Ex- President, in New
York City, Aug 9th, 1896, aud al
so TO that eminent authority, MIR
Marshall, financial editor of the grea
gold standard organ, the New Yor
Sun. The next question that natul
ally arises is, would the farmer b
benefited by receiving a larger pric
for the products of his industry
The bimetallist contends that b
would, while the monomeialist insist
that he would not Now then here
the point of divergence between I'll
honest reasoning men of the Two gre;
parties and | am going to try to max
the matter clear. All producers {
wealth and handlers of it in its var
Gus stages of distribution seek to il
crease the exchangeable power of th;
wealth. The farmer, who produce
corn, wheat or cotton TO sell for MOI
ey with which to buy other necess
lies of life and with which to pa
his debts, asks all the money he CT
possibly get for these product
There are two great principles reg
lating and governing the price f
which he is able to obtain-one
the amount of corn, wheat and &C
ton produced in the world and Il
other is the amount Of money 90
ernments manufacture with which
buy them A large world yield
corn and wheat lessons the pric
A large world yield of money i
creases the price. To illustrate {
$. latter proposition, had the anticip
ton of Klondike gold seekers be
m realized by the addition of four b
m lions of gold dollars to the mon
stock of the world, the producers
corn and wheat would have doui
'a- the world stock of gold money hi
ey ding for their crops and prices wou
,pds have been enhanced in the same c
gree as prices would have been
W creased had there been half or
ID, and the supply of money remain
-p' the same. The supply of mon
nd should be sufficiently large to affc
spt the farmer reasonable profit in
md turn for the products Of his lab
The average prices of corn and VIII
ey, should have been fifty per cent higl
for the last twenty years, than IL
Gu have been. That additional pr
,rs. would not have made millionaires
Of any of them. 1t would have
ay' abled many thousands of them
pay their debts andsave their bon