The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-23
Tho Situation ms 1t Is.

Atlanta Constitution.
The Springfield Republican, noting the
statement In one OF the trade agencies
that commodity prices have risen 40 per
cent since 1896, says the silver men should
be satisfied, for it says, luis is the very
end for which they were striving. one
of the ends certainly, but not the very
i end
| For instance, take the latest averages &.
During the past month, according 10
bradstreets, the increase In prices OF
los articles amounted 10 S per cent For.
ty-hVs commodities showed no change
twenty-fou commodities. products of the
farm, actually decreased in price; and of
The thirtysix commodities which did
Increase in price, Something more than
one-half are controlled by combination
in restraint OF trade" 80 that we have
sixteen commodities out OF I05 that have
actually Increased in price. while prod
ucts OF the farm have decreased
IL the Republican will permit us 10 say
30, this 10 not tho sort Of condition
which the democratic party was DESTROYS
10 bring about when II declared In favor
OF bimetallism. II Was It's purpose to In
the available supply OF money, and not
by the aid of combinations in restraint
OF trade.
Undoubtedly, II would be "a curious
turn Ia anairs, as our contemporary says,
IL THE very ends for which the silyar
party (meaning the democratic partly in
1895 were striving, have largely come about
IN the face OF that party's defeat" Bus
AFFAIRS have not taken this Curious turn"
IlEtnn1 n n of ,,I
result OF an increase In the available sup
ply OF money. We see prices going up main
~ as the result OF conditions made possible
by the vast aggregation OF trusts which
has been formed nominally for purposes
OF economy Tan admission that small nrms
can not command eapltal, but really 10
control trade and prices when public opln-
ion has been suhfued 10 the point OF ac.
cepting these combinations as the result
of natural conditions.
Thus we nee, according to the REPORTS
Of the trade agencies. the price Of farm
products falling away from the advance
recently made, and prices OF other com
modiues ranging higher as .he result Of
manipulation by trust influences Is
not the Republican doing unnecessary in-
justice TO party II desplses by announc-
Ing that thege conditions are what that
party was striving TO bring about?
Taking a broad Wow OF the whole Sit
uatIon, we find that prices have Increased
SO far as farm products are concerned. But
We do not fnd that there has been the
slightest material increase in those regions
where famine has given rise 10 the po-
litical demand for more money. You can
not cure sore on horse in Georgia by
putting poultice on a horse In New York
Such tonic as has been handed around has
been given to those who are already In a
healthy condition.
So as far as the agricultural regions are
concerned, they seem to be hit on both
sides by tho developments for which the
trade agencies ayonch--their own rrod-
licts are falling In price and The nrlces
OF other things necessary TO their comfort
are rising; and they have experienced no
relief whatever from the money famine
which has existed for many years. Tbe
editor Of the Republican knows that this
IL true. none better and yet he insis.s
that this is the condition the democrats
were striving to bring about