Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-09

prevalence of that hereSy at that time
ami Mr.. Bryan as the representative
hereto of that school, insisted that a
parallel existed between wheat and
silver, that when one n,,,se the other
followed. and when one fell the other
fell, and that the explanation OF the
low price of wheat was the low price
OF silver, and that wheat never would
advance on the market until free sill
Yer was adopted and the farmers were
relieved Of the incubus of that terri
BILE crime of 1878. which by the way,
had not been discovered until Mr..
Bryan came along. Think of it, a
man exposed to the whooping cough in
1873 and giving his first whoop in
1896! A crime discovered by the boy
orator twenty-three years after it oc-
Cured.
Then in addition to the heresy of
free silver that other old scare crow
Of Democracy was introduced, viz,
Free Trade.
Our opponents appealed to the peo-
pie as consumers and commiserated
them. We appealed to the people as
producers and congratulated them.
Candidate Bryan said, "rhe things
you buy are excessively high" Mr.
Mckinley said, "The things you sell.
both labor and the products of labor
are none too high" The Democrats
said. you deserve better market in
which to buy" The Republicans said,
you deserve a better market in which
to sell"
Mr.. Mckinley said, Under the pro-
tectlve policy of the Republican party,
we ship goods and receive gold; but
under the blighting policy of free trade
we ship gold and receive goods"
The line Of cleavage was drawn The
Issue could not be avoided. 1t was a
question involving not only our trade
abroad but at home, and also the en-
ploymcnt and compensation of our
working men.
Mr.. Bryan said, "Open more mints
and give us more silver" Mr.. Nc
kinley said. "Open more mills and
give us more work." and the people
believed in Mr. Mckinley and elected
him by an overwhelming majority
That was a victory for protection
prosperity and progress and it's first
effect was the restoration of national
confidence. and upon that foundation
of restored confidence, strengthened
ana guaranteed by the protective pol
lev of the Republican party we have
gone steadily forward, until today we
are the greatest commercial nation of
the world. Not only do our exports
exceed those of any other country but
our domeStice commerce is more than
twice as large as the aggregate inter-
rational commerce of the round globe
The nations of the Earth sell to
each other twelve billion dollars worth
OF which originates in the United
States and one-ninth finds our ports
for ultimate consumption
While the people of eighty and more
commercial countries sell the one to
the other. merchandise worth twelve
billion dollars the American people
sell among themselves more than
twenty-five billions of dollars.
These stupendous and incompre-
hensible figures represent the protec-
tive policy of the Republican party, but
instead of making US proud and boast
full they should make US thoughtful
and alert in the defence of the policy
to which we are indebted for this
marvellous development
Turning to the agricultural oues-
ton There is no parallel in history
to the progress of our people in that
department
The Secretary Of Agriculture has
just made an estimate that the value
of our farm priducts this year will he
eight billion dollars. Think of 1t.
This sum within itself is more than
half as large as the combined stocks
and bonds of all the railroads in the
United States. and is three times as
large as the total deposit of all our
savings banks.
And we have the right to ask the
question, what proportion of this
progress has been made since the Re
publican party came into power. or, in
other words is the Republican party
to be credited for this great develop
ment?
Let us see. Within the period of
twelve years. from 1896 to 1908 the
value of farm property advanced from
$20,439. 900. 900 to $2S.077 100000. a
gain of nearly eight billion dollars. al
though the number Of persons engaged
in agriculture increased only fifteen
per cent. From 1890 to 1897 there
w do a. iiicil h'i ttpl II Who q
depression incident to the application
of the Wilson bill During that period
farm products throughout the country
sold in many cases below actual cost.
and there was a steady depreciation in
the value of farm lands.
But from 1896 the advancement has
gone steadily forward. so that the
actual gain in the value of farm pro-
perty since 1896 is equal to an average
of 1852 for every man. woman and
child engaged in the agricultural bust
ness.
Then think of the amazing increase
in the value of farm products. In
1896. S2,466. 600. 900: in 1908. $4,000. 00O.-
900, and the increase in value of farm
property; and the number of persons
engaged in agricultural pursuits dur
ing the same period are just as startl-
ing.
In 1896, value of farm property S1S,-
OS2. 100000 number of persons engaged
S,565. 900; in 1908. value Of farm
property $2S,O77, 100000, while the
number of persons engaged has adj
vanced to 1891 900.
Now. my friends, and especially. my
farmer friends these are facts COM