The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-10-30

Experience, Are Again Part Of the
Johnson Platform In ohio-Why
Trust IT.
The declaration OF the Ohio Dem
ccracy makes 1t perfectly clear that
the great issues of the present cam
paign are national. The platform re-
afiirms those OF 1896 and 1900. but IL
goes out OF its way to compliment
VIM ]. Bryan and to invite him into
the state to speak, thus endorsing him
and all OF his doctrines More than
this. Bryan takes II upon himself to
pass upon the qualifications of the
man selected for the Democratic SEN
a.orial candidacy. and to announce
chat he Is satisfied that Mr.. Clarke can
be depended upon to support the
Democratic doctrines on the tariff. on
Imperialism, on the income tax. and
even 'on the more acute phases
o. the money question" The ''Citi-
zen" a Democratic newspaper of CO.
lumbus. denounces the attempt TO fea-
ture two-cent fares and other local is
sues. and announces that IL is impos-
sible to lay aside paramount issues"
and that national matters are the real
campaign questions.
That this is a national campaign,
waged on national issues. makes 1t
clear that free trade. a debased cur
rency. and the contraction of our na-
uonal area. are urged by the Democra-
cy against protection, sound currency
and expansion on the part OF the Re-
publicans-
Since we are asked to accept the
same platform. principles and leaders
as in 1896 and 1900, We are justified
in making a careful examination Of
the present situation. to see whether
their assertions. made in those years.
have been sustained. IL they have not.
then We may determine for ourselves
| whether we shall accept the state
meuts and arguments they are now
presenting.
We were told in 1896, that with
| out the free and unlimited coinage of
silver. the money OF the country could
not increase. nor could we have pros
perity and business activity without
| such an increase as only free coinage
| would supply. In 1896 the amount of
money in circulation in the United
States was 1,506 million dollars; to-
| day it is 2.38S million dollars. From
| the very day on which the country
announced its rejection of the free
coinage proposition. the amount OF
| money began to increase, and has
II a. -
moment. Comparing August, 1908
| with July. 1896, the money in circu-
lation shows an increase of SIS mill
lion dollars. or IS per cent This has
happened, too. after a rejection oi
free silver coinage and the explicit
adoption of the gold standard. This
increase has been so rapid that the
per capita of money in circulation has
grown from SeL4i in 1896 to S29.5
in 1908.
What have the countries with free
coinage OF silver as the basis of theil
currency done meantime? Most ol
those which had free silver in 1896
have since that time gone to the golt
standard. Japan, which was pointed
to as the most marked example o
free silver prosperity. adopted tn,
gold standard. and this was quickl,
followed by Russia, India and severa
OF the South American countries
Mexico and China are still silver US
ling countries, with which to measur,
/, our growth, but even they have sen
commissions TO the monetary center
OF the world to devise 4 plan to plac
the currency OF China and Mexico ol
a gold basis But at least we cal
compare their record during the sevei
years since free silver was reiecte'
in this country with the gold standar,
. here. The currency OF China wa
s2.OS per capita in 1896 and S2.34 Il
1902. only &c cents per capita increase
The money in circulation in Mexic
was Ss.41 per capita in 1856 and $12.4
in 1902. an increase OF S4.07 per capitz
Our per capita circulation in 100
was $2S.43 per capita, an increase O
$7.99 per capita since 1896. Mexico
Increase has been chiefly due to tn
fact that about 500 million dollar
from the United States have been in
vested there
thus. when we examine the record
OF the seven years since the Demo<
racy pre- sented the principles whic
its leaders say are the principles {
today. most OF the important cour
tries which were then supporting tn
silver standard have abandoned IL fc
tine gold standard. and in the tw
which still retain 1t the growth
currency has not equaled that of tn
led States, which not only rejecte
the silver standard but specificall
y adopted that OF gold. while our ow
gold standard currency has grow
much more rapidly than has that
Il IL L. .a.-i..-