An Open Letter to the Popocratio
Candidate for the Presi
dency.
SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS.
Apprehension Excited by Campaign
Utterances Refuses to ba
Allayed.
■ ■ 1 ■■
The Now York World, in an open let
ter to Candidate Bryan on Tuesday
morning, puts some grave and Important
questions to him, and urges him to
answer them if he wanta to be elected,
as the people uro pondering those very
points, and tlielr votes will turn on how
they are answered and explained by
him. The readers of the Tribune should
peruse tills editorial, which is reprinted
here in connection with Bryan’s speech
at Madison Square garden last night.
The World says, under the caption
"To Mr. Brynn.
To Mr. Bryan: On the 10th of July,
tin* very day of your nomination for
President, you addressed a coiiunitfilha*
tlon to the World in the following words:
To the World: The restoration of silver Jo
Its ancient place hy the side of gold will, la
my Judgment, restore the parity lie tween
money nod property and thus permit a re
turn nl general prosperity. The World,
which did such effective work In la-half of
an Income lux. will Had a still larger field of
usefnlncns In supportlag the gold nud sliver
coinage of the constitution.
WUXI AM .T rtltYAN
The World lias conscientiously consid
ered your courteous request. It Inis
carefully studied your speeches made
during and since the Chicago conven
tion. It has studiously examined yottr
record In Congress. It has impart]illy
traced your career as a noliliei tit, a
lawyer, an orator and editor, in order to
obtain an understanding of your leal
character—the hardest tiling in the
world to ascertain concerning any man.
It has published every word that could
bo obtained from your eulogists and as
sociates, witli (lie same end in view. It
has done all this in the sincere hope that
the knowledge gained or impression* re
ceived would relieve the fear and appre
hension excited by some of your utter
ances, and particularly by some part* of
the Chicago platform, on which you
stand.
In this connection It Is only Just to
remind you that the plank in the Chica
go platform seeming to reflect upon the
Integrity of the Supreme court and in
dicating a purpose to pack that tribunal
In order to secure a desired decision,
and the other resolution denouncing
“government by injunction," have been
severely criticised by conservative
law-abiding citizens. The people have a
profound and abiding respect for their
highest court, even when they are dis
appointed in their decisions. They
would be giud to hear your interpreta
tion of the resolution, which ia generally
accepted ns a stupid und intemperate
attack upon the Supreme court and the
avowal of the purpose to reconstruct it
In accordance witli the beliefs of the
platform makers should your election
present the opportunity. Is this your
understanding r
Definition is also called for of the
resolution denouncing “arbitrary inter
ference by federal authorities in local
matters.’' This is generally believed to
mean “free riot with free silver,” as
well as sympathy with lawlessness and
disapprobation of President Cleveland’s
action at the time of the Chicago strike.
Yet all who believe in law and order
as the very life and root-basis of civil
ized government regard this ns one of
the most highly creditable acts of his
administration. What is your view of
it?
Are you. Mr. Bryan, for actual and
practical bimetallism—the equal coinage
of gold and silver at a ratio flint will
permit the free circulation of both money
metals, as the ratio of ltl to 1 has never
done? When you say that you favor
free coinage by the United States with
out waiting for the aid or consent of
any foreign government, do you mean
that the concurrence of the great com
mercial nations with which we trade is
not desirable and even indispensable if
the country is not to sink to a silver
•basis? Do you really favor the mone
tary isolation of the United States in
the family of great nations? Do we not
want our money to be accepted at its
face value all over the world? You in
sist upon “the right of the peo
ple of the United States to legislate
for themselves upon ail questions.”
t This right is not questioned by any,
so far a* we know. But the right does
not imply the duty or the w isdom. Con
gress has the right to declare that our
surplus agricultural products shall be
■old abroad. But would such an asser
tion of national independence benefit
the country? Would it have helped the
farmers of the United States to have
had the $8,<XK).<XX>.(XX> of exports in
the last ten years kept in the home mar
ket, or to have sold them for a depreci
ated currency while buying in return at
gold prices? If you would not favor the
isolation of the United States why
should you desire its tiuanciul isolation?
In the intereat of a clear underatand
Ing of your poaitlon, and to allay If poa
V •*ble the fear and apprehension which
you know to exist, will you answer these
dcntial nomination, which you arc about
I to deliver? You uniat perceive iu the
pnumration* for a aecoud Democratic
ticket, and in the dlfiaiona nud distrac
tlona among your 1‘opuliat and Demo
cratic supporters at the Koutb, a grow lug
danger to your eauae. \Ve aaauum that
you wi»h to he elected. Them* are some
of the points u|hui which you mu se
cure votea by allaying si.|.r*heuelona.
You may also he able lu do thia by reply
ing to theae attest Iona, suggested by , uu.
telegram to the World 1 5
». When in the history of this country
boa stiver oeeU|4e.l «!t, ancient ,,)at4
by the aide of goblY’ llaa there ever
been a time wheu the two metals ctrcu
latad »i*on «|ual term* a» full legal
tender money, with the mint* open to
the free and unlimited cu/m.ge ot both?
If so. when was It?
S. Y»u «ay that the restoration of that
rendition will. In your julgmetit. •>*.
•tore the warily between nmuey and
ytu(» tty." Will you kindly *»p|*in what
»ou mean by this? Who I U tit* “nariT,
between money and prunem T* Ik, y«a
****** tb«t tfc# ft iy |,tt»
yrtrea. undo the <du*|wning * «,, u of tu,'
heaved machinery, imwiwi,,,.,,, „r
*nd m, tease the coat Htmg t„ ,n
mmm «f the cuiutunuity ? it *,»
you kimlii evidoln how ihi. im rsgg* ,i,
the mat of oil tout modi! u-« M hfcely tu
ftajujj "• return Hf a«swr*i
•»I Wdl the wa.ki.<men. wh.-l Sgl
•re stationery a# nearly b» mode
jnufe |.o.|*rw». by having in gay so«,
foe hts it* ur, meat, g tweet ms, chicken*
•*•♦ traits, <eg« lahies. > tuthiwg bowse
k**ld ttvyiih, tent, and all ih. rest wt *y
kk Mi <***•« the farmer U k»n* ,.g
• doable tune fur hi* paodmv*. in lb,
wholly uoitpohahle • -ullage m » that k,‘o
•ape will consent tu nay It if be amat
buy dew hie fur every thing be bus tw buy?
,1. You point u* to “» larger field of
usefulness in supporting the gold or sil
.'•r coinnge of the Constitution." lint
.vhat is "the gold and silver coinage of
the Constitution?" In what clause of
the Constitution, or in which of the fif
teen amendments, does the fundamental
law prescribe a gold and silver coinage
>r any other coinage? In which does it
mention any coinage further than to au
thorize the general government, to “coin
money" and "regulate the value there
of?" Acting under that authority Con
gress at first authorized coinage at 15 to
I. Was that the “gold and silver coin
age of the Constitution?" If so, how
lias If! to 1 come to tie the coinage of
the Constitution? I'nder the lirst ratio
silver was undervalued and refused to
circulate except in the form of worn and
abraded foreign coins. Our own silver
coins, even the subsidiary pieces, were
melted down for bullion because they
were worth alsmt .'I per cent, more than
gold dollars. In all the period tin to the
time of the great silver discoveries Con
gress sought to make the coinage rntio
the same ns the commercial ratio. It
never authorized coinnge at any other.
Was Hint tin' "coinnge of the Constitu
tion?" If so. will it be a return to It for
us now to establish free coinage at the
ratio of 111 to 1 wiii'ii tile commercial
rntio is about .‘il to 1 ?
4. Will not free coinnge at HI to 1 re
duce the value of the dollar unit by about
one-half?
•r>. Will it not be In fact a repudiation
of about oue-balf of all our debts, public
and private?
<1. Is there not danger that it will
cause the return to ns of all the Ameri
can securities held abroad government,
railroad and Industrial stocks and bonds
thus precipitating ii panic of giant pro
liortion*, with long years of depression to
follow ?
7. Will not your election upon the Chi
cago platform cause the culling in, be
tween November and March, of all col
lectable debts, all loans, all mortgages
that have expired? And will not this
produce such a distress iis this country
has never known, particularly in the
West and South, where capital and
credit are most needed and depend upon
confidence ns their basis?
N. Will not free and unlimited coinage
drive all the five or six hundred millions
of gold and gold certificates out of use
as money or iis hunk reserves? Will it
him i'iiuse ii currency contraction or me
most ilisii st rons pro portions, inasmuch
as the utmost capacity of the mints to
coin silver cannot make good this with
drawn! for several years to conic?
it. Will not free coinage place os at
once on a financial level with Mexico.
India and China, and can we afford to
go upon that level?
10. Is there any country in the world
today which gives free and unlimited
coinage to silver? Mexico does not,
India docs not. None of the Central or
South American Stntes does. YVe know
of no country Hint docs, of no example
that can lie studied.
11. Is there any country In the world
now on the silver basis which is as pros
perous ns the United State*, even in thin
time of depression? Is there any in
which wages arc so high ns they arc
here, or in which the dollar received in
wages will buy so much? is there any
silver-basis country that lias a large
commerce, prosperous manufactures, or
it well-to-do agricultural class? Is it
not a fact that in every silver-basis coun
try in the world abject and hopeless pov
erty on the part of the masses is the
rule?
12. Will yon explain to us for our en
lightenment and guidance bow our coun
try is to escape like conditions if we
go to a silver basis, or bow we ure to
avoid the lapse to that basis if we adopt
free and unlimited coinage at Id to 1
when the commercial ratio between the
metals is about twice that?
13. And If you tell us, as many free
coinage advocates do, that free coinage
will raise the commercial value of slitter
to the coinage rate, will you explain to
11s Ipow in thnt cast" free coinage is to
make money cheaper or easier to get,
how it is to relieve “the debtor class,’’
how it is to increase the price of wheat
or any other commodity?
14. You may he aware that there was
last year on deposit in the savings hanks
of this state alone $1143,873,574. This
enormous sum belonged to 1,015,178 de
positors, giving an average to each of
$398.03. If represents mainly the small
saving* of the thrifty poor. Nearly all
of it has been deposited since the pres
ent standard of value was adopted by
the government. I)o you think it fair
or just to impair by 47 per cent, or by
even 1 per cent, the value of the money
in which these deposits were earned and
in which today they would be paid?
15. There are In this state 88,719 pen
sioners. They drew from the govern
ment last year nearly $14,000,000. Con
sidering the nature of this debt of honor
when justly due—can you look with fa
vor upon any policy that might result in
paving them in a depreciated currency?
l0. There are in the country 5838
building and loan association, of which
418 are in New York. These associa
tions have 1,745.125 shareholders—all of
the working and saving classes. Their
assets last year were $450,0(17,594, repre
sented chiefly by mortgage loans to
horneseekers, of whom 455,000 are mem
bers of the associations. These associa
tions have nearly all been organized with
in the last fifteen years under the exist
ing money standard. Can you think it
fair or beneficial to the working people
to reduce by 47 per cent., or any lesser
sum, the value of these Investments of
the thrifty poor?
17. Ia it not a fact worth consideration
In proposing s descent to the silver stan
dard that the thirty-nine old-style life in
surance companies alone doing business
in ibis state last year bad in force here
nearly 2,000.000 bolide*. insuring over
$5,000,000,000. I he assessment compa
nies and various benevolent orders have a
vast auiouut more. Would It not lie an
Injury aud a wrung to the beneficiaries
—of these polMee- the widows and
orphan*, whom a provident love had
•ought to protect —to eoti.|>el them to re
ceive In payuieut depreciated mi..
in. I lie run- m price* which you
predict a* a reaitlt af free allver coinage
would, of course, mean un increase in the
coal of living to all the people—to wage
earner*, salaried wen, snd the whole
body nf consnnivrs. Ihi you know uf any
eaae In which a rise in wage* or sain
rics baa been |uiralle| with the rise in
prices V Is there any way to render it
certain, or even probable, that tl»e wage
earners will lie compensated fur the In
creased coat nf living'?
III. You attribute tbe decline iu giiver
to tbe d> inonrttMtiou uf the allver dol
lar in |WTd, though that dollar was n >t
ibco mined In any canaMemldg number*,
and was not iu cirvubttloii at all, owing
lu tbe fact tbat stiver liullion was worth
more In tbe marhet than at the mint
In, vow eonabter that tbe to, lease In the
world's silver prodm-ltua In-w ill lisussi
onto*-* tn l»Tft In Hin.issMtai oumea in
lattfi bad something to iht tn - aiming the
dxliue. even though gold, tbe standard
money »l gU »»* great commercial a*
Hun*, ami the m-wt sought after of ,u..o
ey m»<• I*, bna also im rested Its yield
m-awwhih *
'.*» k,.* *|a*h of tb# 'crime against
stive?" Involved In suspending the ««u»
age of worn-rculeiing dkiihirs lias your
alleutmn has islbj In tbe (net tbat the
government "*timl only VIM.that slut
dollars t* l*W. but that fr-w Jgntwity
I to June -bt of ibta year II n<ike| T
Ssai It.1, o* laevrtMl than In th#
entire eighty ana years nf Its kntury tip
to mm*
fbe uu-si,-■*# are #*k«-i In ait eftt
mfliy, lee Wofid a -u* -1 he l*y.' vd tw
have It made clear tb*! tbe JMsIt*/ of
*r»* *nd uwlimn*d - oc .<*• *' In m | ,
Volte* m* d*nget * - lb rwtntsr, bat
pfom-ses proagietHy to all tbe (*»-.{,le. fy
wonld be relieved to have its apprehen
sion* allayed and its misconceptions, if
they are misconceptions, corrected.
he Democrats in vast numbers who
nan tins cariosity and theta appi'thta*
sion* stand by what they believe to be
the historic policy of their pnrty in re
gard to the mrreney. This polity was
declared in is“fl and reaffirmed in 1802
in these words:
We hold to the use of both gold and
silver as the standard money of the
country, and to Ihe coinage of both gold
ami silver without discriminating
against either metal or charge for mint
age, but tho dollar unit or coinage of
both metals must be of equal intrinsic
and exchangeable value, or bo adjusted
through international agreement, or by
such safeguards of legislation ns shall
Insure the maintenance of the parity of
the two metals, and the equal power of
every dollar at nil times in the market*
and in the payment of debt; and we de
mand that all paper currency shall be
kent at liar with and redeemable in such
coin. We insist upon this policy a*
especially necessary for the protection
of Ihe farmers and Inboring classes, the
first and most defenseless victims of un
stable money and n fluctuating currency.
These Democrats still hold to the doc
trine of dollars of both tnonpy metals of
equal value, that the country may have
(he benefit of a concurrent circulation of
gold nnd sliver, and paper redeemable In
the same. Why not give these Demo
crats a chance to vote for you? Why
continue the alienation of so large a
body of intelligent, honest anil on'cl
cntlotis voters? If you arc ready tor
bimetallism, and would welcome otter
iifttionnl agreement. If if can be secured,
to effect n change without possIblllM if
disaster at home, why not say so? > oil
surely cannot object to an established
nnd world-wide parity of value between
gold and silver money. Why refuse and
reject International agreement?
BRYAN’S CREED.
The Gist of His Long Argument In a
Few Short Para
I believe it will be n blessing to the
United Hinte* to lose five hundred mil
lions of gold.
I bejieve it will be n blessing (o the
United Htiites to take Ini If the purchas
ing power >1111 iif its five hundred millions
of silver dollnrs.
I believe it will be a blessing for the
United MtHtes to take Ini I f the ptirebaa
| log power out of its billion dollars’ worth
Of paper money.
1 believe tlint to cut a dollar In two is
to double its value,
I believe that 60 cents ia twiee ns much
os Iisp cents.
I believe thnt the farmer will '«i better
off when be sells half as much of bis
produce a* be does now at the same rate.
I believe the farmer will be benefitted
by having to pay twice ns much as he
doe* now for everything he does not raise
and must buy.
Since I hold that the farmer would be
better off if be sold half ns much as he
does now at the same rate, It follows
that I hold the farmer will be still bet
ter off if be sold quarter as niucli as be
does now at the same rate.
Therefore, it follows that I hold it
would be better for the farmer if he sold
nothing at ail, but let bis produce rot on
bis farm.
I hold that the city workingman would
be better off if he earned half as much
as he does now.
I believe that all the widows and or
phan* whose means of support is invest
ed in loans will be blessed by getting
back 50 cents on the dollar their bread
winners toiled for at 100 cpiiis in ihe
dollar, and that they would be still bet
ter off if they bad to go to the poorhouse.
1 believe It would be a blessing for 5,
000,000 depositors in savings banka who
have laid up $2,000,000,000 by toil at
100 cents to the dollar to get bnck half
the amount of their savings instead of
the whole.
I hold that the country would be bet
ter off if half the value of the capital
of the 4000 national banks, amounting to
nearly $700,000,000, were extinguished.
It would help business all over the coun
try.
I believe it would be a blessing on the
states of the American union if the $600,
000,000 deposited by private persons in
4000 state banks were reduced to 50
cent* on the dollar or largely lost alto
gether. This would encourage thrift ami
animate enterprise.
I bold that the states would be fur
ther blessed if half of the $'250,000,000
capital in state banks were shrunken to
half their debt-paying power. This
would help the farmer.
I believe it would be a blessing to
towns if the fire insurance companies
were so crippled that they could pay only
half the face value of risks.
I believe that it would full like a bene
diction upon the holders of thirteen bil
lion dollnrs* worth of life insurance, on
which they had paid 100 cents to the dol
lar, to learn that they can realize only
50 cents oil the dollar of their policies.
I believe that it would be an en
couragement to home makers to know
that the four hundred and fifty million
dollars in building association shares
were to shrivel to half their value.
I believe that, although owners of
sliver would not permit the metal to be
coined Into dollars for Americans when
It was worth more to export than to
coin, although coinage was free and un
limited. owners of silver are unselfish
patriots in desiring to coin unlimited sil
ver into dollar* uow when they can get
a chance to do so at twice the worth of
the silver at the market price aud half
the value in the dollars to the people.
I hold it to be a solemn duty to the
MNMMKi invalids and the 220.000 widows
sud orphan* on the pensiou roll of the
natiou to deprive them of half the
amount |stld each monthly. It will hr
e«;ieei»lly heroic for those who get along
uow on $10 a mouth to contrive to live
on $5 a mouth.
• I _ 11_ 11. _ i I* I. I M .1 ■■ ■. a
8ute« to tfratio down with China ait«i
Mexico than up with Ureal llritalu,
licrmitiir. France, Austria lliiiigary.
Ilollaiul. ihtlgluai.
I bold that ex pula ion of all »ur gold
and contraction of half our allver aud
pajicr la expansion of our currency.
I bold that the law uf grarilation can
be ausiiended by act of t'ongrecs
I belief* a liuaurlal <|uicksai,d la rock
bottom for a nation,
I Indies* that tbe beat way to build Up
a country la to destroy It.
I belter* me wife baa More political
sense tbsu all tbe politician* In tbe ru«n
try Uwl bless tail It of Us .\uiett —
Cbk-agu Times Itcrahl
Wilt list* to Mock for It
After Mr, liryan shall lo cm* p», „
dent and tree rotuags shall be scorn
pl is bed lb* pvoiiie wbo were to eager to
establish such a couiuoclitre ,ti tm
•tame* will bmslli disenie* ib.H >bn
V* m* belli r tbsn they w.re beta.
•st a man »l them will be aide to « t 4
bdUr. whether Wurth 3a* cent* or other
wise, except in the sans* wa that
m-mt has always been got. it wso
he ubtalwsd in some sort bwi«t bu*>
peso or named «« wages. I her- •*
other ws* Us whoh «n b«aesi ps I*f can
he pot New tMean* I'l-a* mm.
Maj M< Ko.br » talks In the unt tet
rtan* who cati upon bon are niwdsda „i
stoat, patrmtH spesehss, a* base Inna
rli bis *b»«t *(*••■ • sin*’* bta turn,
i.almn Kr IV -t»t «l lh*r» am tew
^ms.ple rritu isle* tl Kim if as a *s> Ms•
man in this en.npebrv
CANNOT STM AIM
Foolishness of the Declaration iD
Favor of Monetary In
dependence.
POPULIST IDEAS OF FINANCE.
Feeble Attempt to Invoke the Na
tion's Fathers in Support of
Free Coinage.
Among nil the crazy assumption* of
the Ponullstlc platform*, perhaps flit*
moat fooll*h I* the one that we can cre
ate ami mnintfiin n monetary »y»tem in
dependent of thnt of other nations. To
make thi* stroke of Idiocy more prepo*
termia, the spirit and the example of Itie
father* of tin' republic arc invoked to
Nii*tnin it. The effort* of the father*
were moat earnestly ami steadily directed
to bringing the young republic within
the commercial brotherhood of nations,
mid nothing wu* further from their
thought* than the Idea that the progre**
of the country could lie facilitated by a
declaration of financial independence.
For sixty year* after the passage of the
mint net, Knglixh, French, Spanish and
Portuguese coin* were freely circulated
In the I'ulted State*, and were a legal
• •mil r n»r iui.viimwii oi uvijin iii ti*
tain values fixed by net of Congress, In
his celebrated Mint Report, Alexander
liiiniillmi endeavored lo co-ordinate our
monetary system with tlt.'H of other tui
tions—not to tnnko any violent departure
from European practice. The only strik
ing departure that was made in tlie legis
lation framed on Hamilton’s recom
mendation* was in fixing tlie coinage
ratio between gold and silver at lfi to 1,
and tlie resuit of tills quickly demon
strated what tlie Populistic Democrats
call our “financial servitude." That i*
to say, It showed that while tlie mints
of Prance were open to the free coinage
of gold at tile ratio of JAVi to I, we could
not keep our gold from going where It
would have most value. The difference
was only about 3 1-3 per cent., hut it
wns sufficient to drive gold out of tlie
country, so that In the words of Senntor
Renton its extinction was complete.
If the establishment of a ratio of their
own was a strike for financial Independ
ence of Europe on the part of the “fa
ther*," it was a manifest failure, and
established for the first generation of
the republic a regime of silver mono
metallism. ftut this was not In the
least what they desired; in fact, so little
were they impressed by the necessity for
keeping silver ns a part of the circula
tion Hint the coinage of silver dollars
was suspended by executive order in
1N05 and was. for domestic purposes at
least, never resumed. That is to say,
I lie fathers were so determined to get
back the gold that for thirty year* they
had been shunting Into European mints
that they fixed a new ratio, which of
fered 3 |ier cent, more to the possessor
of gold bullion than lie could get in
Prance or Holland. 'Dint tlie bullion in
the silver dollar thus became more valua
ble than the bullion in the gold dollar did
not trouble them much, for they, appar
ently, did not want the silver dollar—
halves, quarters and dimes of this metal
being sufficient for their want*—and all
tlie subsequent coinage of that much
talkcd-of I sit little known piece, “the
dollar of the fathers,” was for export to
the East. Hero, again, if monetary in
dependence was what they are aiming
at, the result wit* a failure, for Europe
diverted into its own mints the silver
of the United States as peremptorily ns
it had done the gold, for the simple rea
son that iio law could compel the own
er of bullion not to take it where be
got most for it in returned coins.
Hut the Populists are determined to
have "an economic and financial system
which shall make us masters of our own
affairs.” Among the preliminaries of
such a condition of tilings, they are at
least logical enough to recognize the ne
cessity of interfering with the freedom
of private contract. That was a cure
for tinancial lameness not thought of liy
tlie fathers of the republic, ami is one
generally deemed to he contrary lo the
letter and spirit of the constitution which
they framed. But the transformation of
tlie Democrat into tlie Populist seems,
among other changes, to work a surpris
ing indifference to the value of the safe
guard* of the constitution. Prom old
habit, there is the customary profession
of allegiance to “those great essential
principles of justice and liberty upon
which our institutions are founded,” only
to be followed by a series of proposition*
destructive alike of the principles and
institutions. On whatever other poiuts
the makers of the constitution may have
differed, they were entirely at one as to
tlie obligation both of nations uud of in
dividuals to make an honest provision
for paying their debts.—Rochester Post.
The Difficulty Is tho Tariff.
In a recent speech at Da Orange, Ind.,
Senator Burrow* said:
"With all the vagaries of the three
Hryiin platforms they all unite in the de
mand for the fret- and unlimited coinage
of silver at 10 to 1, and to that question
Mr. Itryau devoted a goodly portion of
hi* time in hi* s|s-ech of acceptance. He
det-hired that ‘time* are hard, prices are
low, and something is vitally wrong.' It
is not the crime of'73, however. Imt the
folly of '1*2, when Harrison was defeated
and the prosperity of the United States
destroyed.
"Mr. Whitney says: 'Don't talk about
the tariff.' But the whole difficulty to
day is tariff. When McKinley is president
the money question will settle Itself.
"More silver dollars were coined dur
ing Republican administrations than dur
IIIK nil ui inn omrr I'lnmy mtiv year* of
•mr liiatory.
"I’mnU' alwnya am>tii|tanha frr* truth
I luring tb* thirty yrarn fr«iu lmit to
IH|«| w* bail tin In i u i i it m | Mruaporlty;
«*nlth ■tl*«iit*if1 tbia rrpubftc look ti
had in itiauulatltiring ami ituud ati.a.l of
oil oib*r naiioii* until Mar*b 4, 1*4.1.
l b* t>nl4ic thbt »na r.dur*d daring |t<^
Ittiblhan adiuwiatrniioua. and iitt'r*««‘d
mithr Ihoiorrati*. Thrr* la u»l a alugh
day but tb* g.i«*rntii*nt i* ruunina !<*•
hind lit* .Mil. i t during Julj,, “asm
*|.iut- aa* bld.iatMaai
Tb* rratiito »f »b* Ift ii.in-ratii' |».ii, ,
ar« ao atbhttl that a « « inau* waa u**.
wuiry to alt* lb*M tun a bahtina
laai* Wfuf. I bn |» »|ii. iu tb,.
■**“* •“ ih*r •«> »bat la latd tb*
iii i.uiili. aa pally *aua*d tb* Iroubh by
huMHMrtiauig ail * •“*. If ibat u n *(,.
lid It Mil abut* IIa* if li*fu(* I <w.i f \\
a*r* pf**p*l««a toW and tb* eri«Mibad
t**t» MMUmittrd Wl .»«• Iba-a
u*# WtUvr’a HiHi.um,w
t latMia A W alkrt. Mvahhot of lb.
lb »I*M» Iwlllitl* of I »>'bawba||r. mar i«.
. aihd tb* bad*! *f lb* bt a*, initial. «|
lb* l niivd biat.a tat a* a mau o*l i«
kublha cam b* »aiud a had*t of a mov*.
moot a bo b bat ban -mo a |»d,t* *1
||« bat hn aa aid. at ad..* »i. lfc,.t
. .Iiofcat bttorlaHato f»t Mot* Ibao ■ *»„
It |MI« II* .(.at. atlb ailh. I It. „*
*ll uvaantaly ft.-ai .aa bat butt. taUiaai
all h «alb.> b>a hobby
A o» a Wwb aril an boat a yard Iw
ilw p*NM| alio alb' halt an.gut*r|y «»
ift.iptlata, baa jnai nfan-l boating
<|. t\ alb.i a »a. . I « llih |,,4%.
■ •«£ rfiMralMfo iilfiffill \
It is a plea for bimetallism and in strong
Opposition to tlie gold monoftietallists.
He *ay», though, as every other true bi
metallist says, that the attempt on the
part of this country to coin silver In
unlimited quantities free, without an un
derstanding with other nation*, would
be an assault on the cause of bimetallism
and practical suicide for tlie finance* of
tlie United States. In 1878 Gen. Walk
er said: “For us to throw ourselves
alone into the breneh, simply because
we think silver ought not to have been
demonetized and ought now to be re
stored, would be a piece of Quixotism un
worthy the sound practical sense of our
people. The remedy of the wrong must
be sought in the concerted nctlon of the
civilized states, under an increasing con
viction of the Impolicy of basing the
world's trade on a single money metal.”
Tills Is his opinion today.
As to the possibility of free coinage
without an immediate fall to a silver
Imsis, and the strident claim that this
country Is big enough to "legislate for it
self," Gen. Walker points out two fncts.
The stock of precious metals has so
greatly Increased In the world, and com
munication and transportation are so
much more rapid tlinn of old, that even
France found it impossible in 1878 to
continue free silver coinage. Hlnce there
is vastly less money metal used In the
United Ktatcs than in France, the In
fluence which tills country enn exert
upon the money market of the world ia
less than the influence of France. And
yet no one accuse* (Sen. Walker of be
ing Iona a patriot or less proud of the
country for which he fought than the
youngest orator of the far West. The
difference is that he is a student and a
man of sense.- Syracuse Post.
Tlie Money of tlie Constitution.
What wild talk Is this of the “silver
lies' " convention, "in favor of restoring
to the people of the United States the
time-honored money of the constitution
— gold mid silver—not one, but both?'
Tlie constitution prescribe* no such
money, nor any form of money what
ever.
Hut if it is "gold and silver—not one,
bnt both"—that they want, why are they
Dot contented now I noth gold nml silver
are in circulation now, on e<|iinl terms,
In larger <|iiHiitities tlmn ever before.
In the twenty-two years since the blood
curdling "crime of 1873" was perpetrated
more than lifty times as many silver dol
lars Imvo been coined ns in the eighty
years preceding.
The simple fact is flint tile United
Stales Inis n very much larger actual
supply of full legai-tended silver money
than any other country in the world,
excepting India nml China, and a larger
supply in proportion to its population
tlmn any other, excepting France, Spain
nml liidlnnil. It ha* more gold in circu
lation, actuality, than any in the world,
excepting only Franco, and more propor
tionately than any European country,
excepting Great Hritain, France and
Germany. It also hn* more money of
all kinds in circulation, und all at par.
than moHt nation* of the world.
Less talk and more reflection would
convince these would-be currency re
former* that we already have what
they talk of ns “the time-honored money
of the constitution,” in abundant supply,
for every man who is willing honestly
to earn it.—New York Tribune.
Mills, Not Mints.
More truth cannot lie crowded into an
equal number of word* than ia found in
this passage of Mnj. McKinley’s speech
In reply to n congratulatory address from
Home of his old comrades in arms:
I do not know what you think about It,
but I believe It Is ii good deal better to open
up tbe mills of the United Mate* to the la
bor of America than to open up the minis of
the United Mates to the silver of the world.
This goes hard and straight to the
root of tiie matter.
Times are not dull in Pittsburg because
there is no mint coining *ilver or gold
dollar* in that city, but lieeause tin
great iron works ore not running on full
time. There was no mint at work in
South Chicago when the rolling mill*
were at work by night und by tiny, but
tliere was a wage roll of $6,000,000 a
year. It was not because of the activity
of the mints that Louisiana nearly dou
bled it* sugar output, tint hecuuse of the
McKinley bounty. It was not because
the miuts were more active in 1801 than
in 1803 iliat in the first year men were
striking because they could not earn
more’ than $3 per day, and in the last
were hunting for work at 7ft cents, and,
for the most part, not finding it. Tbe
mint* were turning out na much money
in 1803 ns in 180L Hut the mills were
not turning out so many yards of cloth
or tons of iron.
Start the mills and the mints will he
roine active. Iteturn to protection, and
the currency will settle Itself.—Chicago
luter Ocean._
Free silver aiul Wages.
A correspondent attempts to explain
how wages would be increased under
free silver coinage by aaaerting that
“trades unions, through strikes and
other means, would force the price of
labor to a higher standard.” This is
sheer nonsense.
Experience has conclusively demon
strated that wages, under a debased sys
tem of currency, never increased in tbe
same degree as the money cost of com
modities. If there was ever a condition
of affairs which was favorable to such
an increase it was during the Itehelllon.
\Vc were not only on a cheap money
basis, hut the ranks of labor had tieen
enormously depleted to send men to the
front to buttle for the republic. Yet,
what actually occurred? Judged by the
purchasing power of his wages tbe la
liorer in 1863 received only 78 cents
win-re lie had received a gold dollar in
1860; in 1864 lie received about 81 cents
and In 186ft a little over 66 eeuts.
Hut how do workingmen fancy the idea
of beiug compelled to resort to “strikes"
iu order that their wages may have the
tame purchasing power that they do
now? It will occur to sensible toller*
that If free silver coinage ia going to
precipitate strike*, not really for higher
u U uxs Kill Ml III III V In It Mill f Ikon urnioa
that already ellat. It will lie the part of
wiadoiu to let Well enough alone.—New
York Cotnmerelal Adrertiaer.
Tu Mound Motiey Uaaitwrala,
Here la a brief and aitnpie vatwhiaoi
for *ound money Urawrrili:
• l»o yott want to heat HryanY*
"If you want to h*#t lirraa, do yon
know of any other way of doing It than
by alevting Mi'Kluleyr
"If yutt waul to I'eat Hrran, and dt»»‘l
knew of any other way of doing it than
I.) elei ting 'I' KutWr, why don't row
taka your vunt 4 and wada In aw' alaet
MeKIwleyr
Anawere te tbeaa InterriignlnrtM are
reapeetfully wlkM had Bound money
Itenwwtat* who deviate I be turrenvy tbe
t'Utanoiitnt Wane ami yet tvfuae t* art
u if they belle* I’d wbnt I bey aaid-lbm
ton Journal.
t arnwltm of liar Money,
t'aw p’i*«t are aware that allray ret
UWuteu ate 4 M tawlet, though r»
twirghle «<*» !'«*»“■ dua* Tha fart waa
..molly, d >• •Mini, furred on the
attentban «< tha W>a« •*.» department by
a twtaon wbe rafuerd to ittryl the re*
t < to a lea In payment *» a money order
II <>a, It anew*, the g»«*yttua*»t In ub4ig*d
t > I metre •!»*•# taftMMUtnb but rwntmt
lot I them owl tu awl line Unwilling to te
.•>i»# thvm MhuttM out atlrey Iteuli ha
,,10 abb tu bgwdute. they wig .bmbtieaa
m *ka the aettlwewteo tegwl tender, aw at
|4> tha owwUUm* lUlilut tu tube the
paper i*ft«*ri*Mn tl M will nl a IUU
. t el t iNttiaa
HALSTEAD'S LETTER]
Writer Introduces Himself to th»
Farmers Telling of His Own
Rural Experiences.
WHATISWRONG WITH FARMING?
Propounds and Answers This Question
Advocating McKinley and Hit
Policy as a Panacea.
Special Correspondence of (lie Chicago Dally
Newa.
New York, Aug. 5.—I desire to Intro
duce myself to the fartnera by saying I
nm by trade one of them, though for a
long timo engaged in daily Inbor on tilt
daily papers. There are still some frosty
old friends of mine who run testify of
their own knowledge that fifty years ago
there wasn't a boy in Butler county, O..
who could turn n furrow better than I,
or was more expert In using plows left
or right handed on hillsides or level
lands, so ns to leave less unbroken land
lit the turns than I, and there Is no light
work 1 would like hotter now than plow
ing corn when It is about as high as a
plowhoy. The trouble then Is it Is so brit
tle, ami it is very provoking to have tha
pretty stalks broken—and many a horse I
have lammed as a punishment for put
ting his rude foot into a hill of corn. I
was a great hoy to hind wheat, rye, oats
or Imrley with double liHtids, and once I
tied up a hlueltioiake in u sheaf of wheat
so tight he could not get out, and thera
never was a snake or a hoy more aston
ished. I could heat the girls dropping
corn—four gruins to the hill and I know
mi it my ii i liiiHKiiiK i j nir« ui i;uru
with n bone busking peg, held by II strap
over tbe two middle lingers of tbe right
hiitnl; niul the accomplishments of dig
ging potatoes without culling I hem, and
mixing green niul dry food for horses,
and watching calves become cattle, colts
evolve into horses, lnmlm arid pigs bloom
into sheep and hogs, arc, with nil tbs
hones and fears associated with them, fa
miliar, The practical farmers will de
tect in these observations the presence of
a line of information not pulled out of
books or picked tip in schools. I know,
too, about tlie way good old farms grow
less valuable, in spite of faithful atten
tion, and how it is that some farmer*
who do not buy pianos on tbe install
ment plan find it a pleasant experience to
borrow money.
Farmers Are Discouraged.
The news has been circulated a good
deal and not conclusively contradicted
that this year n good ninny farmers are
so discouraged by the way their affairs
have been going that they are ready to
do something unexpected in politics—
Hint some of them think maybe there la
something in free silver that would
just lit their case—therefore, that there
are Itcpublicmi farmers who if not en
lightened are liable to vote for Bryan
and Watson or Bryan and Bewail. They
have heard ho much about free silver as
a patent medicine to cure the rheuma
tism, heartburn, earache, fistula, dyspep
sia and vertigo that they do not know
but they will try it. If they do they will
make the name mistake the workmen
did four years ago and invite even a
greater misfortune than they tumbled
upon themselves. There ie absolutely
nothing in free silver for farmera.
Whatever they want for relief It cer
tuiuly is not depreciated money—dollar*
debased. We have been going on now
with dollars of the same value as that
of gold for eighteen years and a change
in the purchasing power of a dollar will
not help any honest man, unless it is
incidentally and in a petty and frac
tional way.
What is the matter with farming?
The owner of one of the finest farms in
England, within sight of the forest of
Windsor and the towers of Windsor
castle, stated to me that wheat had got
so cheap in England that the straw was
more valuable than the grain. The de
pression is not exclusively American.
The trouble is acknowledged—what it
the remedy? Whatever may be wrong,
and however difficult it may be to right
the wrong, there should not be a farm
er in all America so ignorant at not to
know that the man who has done most to
frame a tariff law to help the farmer* la
William McKinley.
What McKinley Has Done.
What did he do? Consider sugar boun
ties, for one thing. If tbe law had be«n
nllowed to remain ns be drew it Nebras
ka by this time would have teemed with
beet-sugar manufactories, every one *
help to the farmers, and the soil of
Nebraska is better for sugar beets than
that of Germany—only tieeda a good
start to establish an enormous and in
valuable industry. The McKinley duty
on barley caused tbe raising of miliiona
of bushels additional to the average of
former crops, and thla reduced sensibly
the excess of wheat production. This U
an example of what we mean by the di
versified industry that the protective sys
tem promotes. \Ve want more of it, and
that is McKinleyism.
Why are wheat and butter down? As
to wheat: The use of agricultural ma
chinery and the improvement in trans
portation has che«|>ened labor and ex
tended available territory. Argentina is
a prodigious wheat field. Tbe soli I*
admirable, the rivers are deep, the plain*
give full sweep to the machinery, the rail
roads have nothing else to do than car
ry the wheat to market and the steamers
"sxT SSTKi? iac
' _ I
wh««t m* rket of Western Europe. Tin
world *» s
Wbat U
the jtrke #1 .. . __
!.» or «»«» m ... "
\m mad# uftMlorlM m»!t»r at linn# If*
>irv* what haptwaa* A eabl* turtaaj
to A ii»tfalia ••*! that* ara '*■
Smh •> < •» •«.
toil tor *« .A,,4 J*
I* N*« '
Man a (Mi |) »•**%*• ha Vfi
N**t Ttrt at »h-w T
lua'rattow I* aut laiaalnanr. Tka irant
a.ttoaa mWW—4 hat* mr , to4 r***attp
What it K* «■ ■•••>»r ? W* .-a*
on«4*atljr tkat tka «*•*»••* af tmjfw
ailtat JalUrt wilt a«» to> a ttotp Wa
muht to rata* «*» h»W* •« far*
Kxua. »•*» awa t«a* vk» htwa. aatoaa
aa4 aetata**, to mak# <«*» awa mmi
HH-t .«*» ..an liapUl*, *> ** to alt* Ik*
a.t«aM«a* “* *** ••• "*a»k*ta. Ik* at**!
T.iaaM* la »k* wa»H f tkaj**** t***a
to It. to «*«r aw* |mn>|4* Tka ItatW.
I, mt tflWtoa tv *•*•* JttWi
w*>wkl lata at** to l«a*fl»*aa
tian* ataai *# «>.'•! .to Mar* aaaut.tr.
ai. t tk*a *f*to* w*"*M tat**at* 'to
«sto* •! ih* fata** Tk*r* la aa aatoal
ak»at lhi* '*»r lawk a**
f.*M .If ik* &*»>*»# kj «u aw»
-M-rtra * tk* h»*« ifcsa* «k* Utm