Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1910-05-20
THE TRUTH ABOUT
HIGH P RIGGS
Some Observations Bv A
Western Newspaper.


While the New York World is en-
gagged i'm advising its contemporary.
the Tribune, not TO indulge i'm fool
lsh ana unnecessary worry about the
democratic party III might profit by
taking its own advice 10 heart The
advice nigh. also be profitabIy con-
sidered by number OF democratic
newspapers and statesmen that are
ostentatiouSIy worrying themselves
and trying To- worry Others because
Mr. Bryan called attention 10 the
fact that Mr. Taft, by attributing
high prices To the increased produc-
ton of gold, has vindicated the posi-
ton taken by the democratic PARTY
i'm 1886
The World pretends To believe
tina. Mr. Bryan is seeking TO revive
the silver issue 1t pIetends to be-
li,ve that Mr. Bryan is throwing
away the democratic advantage
which results from the popular be-
lief that the tariff and trusts are
largely responsible for high prices
And it pretends TO be very much dis
tresSed, and very, very much put
out with Mr. Bryan for his stupidity.
The World, and those who are
harping in the same key, are only
making themselves ridiculous. They
seem To assert that the one hope Of
the democratic party lies in deceiv-
ing the people, and that if Mr. Bryan
or anybody else tells the people the
truth democratic prospects are ruin
ed.
The :ruth is that the people are
just about as well advised as to ex-
listing conditions and their causes as
is the World, or Mr. Bryan, or most
OF the rest of their admOnishers and
advisers. Mr. Bryan has told them
nothing they did not alreay know.
And the World, with pitiful folly,
seems eager TO whisk away and hide
rom them the facts of which they
have long been cognizant.
The best thing the democratic
party can do under the circumstances
is to face the facts squarely aud pro-
claim them promptly.
There has been tremendous in
crease in the production of gold. In
sofaI as higher prices are world
wide the increased volume OF gold i'm
circulation doubtless gees far toward
explaining them. This is fact that
very few people need TO be tod.
And ii is fact that the World can
not prevent the people from know
ing by sticking its own head i'm the
sand and urging every body else TO do
likewi Use.
But the increased production of
gold does not explain the fact that
prices are higher i'm this country
than in Europe.
The increased production of gold
does not explain the fact that prices
have risen more rapidly in this
country than in Europe
The increased production of gold
does not explain the fact that many
articles OF American manufacture
and common necessity are sold, in
Europe, considerably cheaper than
they are sold al home.
The increased pro luction of gold
does not explain the fact that the
consuming millions have got none Of
The benefits of labor saving inven-
lions and cheapened methods OF pro-
duction.
The Increased production Of gold
does not explain away the fact that
extravaganza in government makes
noceS>arV higher taxes, and that
when those taxes are levied exclu-
sively on articles of consumption
they necessarily mean higher prices
for those articles.
The World knows, just as every
fairly Intelligent man knows that
part of the increased prices against
which the people are crying out is
natural and unavoidable, being due
To foTtuitous imitation of the money
supply, ana that another part is
due 10 high tariffs, and to trusts
which stifle competition, and TO ex-
tiavaeance which increases taxes.
The World knows that it is not the
mission of the de mocratic party or
the wish of the people 10 beat down
price level which is evenly dis
tributed, fairly shared, and due To
natural causes. 1t knows that it is
the mission of the democratic party,
and the determination of the people.
to smash tariff prices and trust
prices and eXtravagant prices, which
are entirely separate from the gold
supply, and which are fast making
this country the most expensive civ
ilized country in which 10 live
whereas not so long ago il vas one
OF the cheapest.
The people understand these
things. They are neither so ignorant
nor so silly as the World seems 10
think they are. The democratic par
ty would only be making itself