People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1896 — Silver vs. Wheat. [ARTICLE]

Silver vs. Wheat.

Editor Pilot. I notice that Mr. Marshall in this weeks issue of his paper makes this statement, that the average price of wheat during Mr. Harrison’s administration was 80 cents per bushel as compared to 54 cents under the Wilson bill, and would have the people believe that this difference is on account of a high tariff. Mr. Marshall is very careful to not make the comparison with prices in years proceeding the beginning of the McKinley act, which he ought to have done to make his assertion valuable, showing that there had been an increase in prices above that of former years, and which without queston is traceable to the McKinley tariff law. I respectfully request Mr. Marshall in the next issue of his paper to state if it is not a fact that begining with the year 1873 and taking the three staple articles of wheat, cotton and wool, that there has been a steady decline in prices down to the year 1895 with the exception of a temporary recovery in the year 1890 and 1892, and which recovery Mr. Harrison says was erroneously attributed to the McKinley tarriff, but which in trust was in consequence of the free’er use of silver under the Sherman law. I also request that he state if it is not a fact that the almost steady decline in the prices of articles mentioned do not very nearly correspond with the decline in the price of silver from the dates mentioned, and if it is a fact that the free’er use of silver to the extent allowed under the Sherman law increased the price of the articles mentioned would not a still larger increase of the use of silver increase these prices more and more and if so would not the unlimited coinage of silver be a blessing to the agriculturist? Please answer these questions in your next paper as the election is near and the intelligent vote of the people will depend on their knowing the

truth.

W. R. NOWELS.

Mr. Bryan’s letter of acceptance of nomination of the Peoples Party was given out October 3rd. In his letter he says: “While difficulties always arise in the settlement of any plan of co operation between political organizations, I am sure that the advocates of bimetallism are so intensely in earnest that they will be able to devise some means by which the free silver vote may be concentrated upon one electoral ticket in each state.” The same evening in his address at the Auditorium at St. Louis he said: “Put the mojority of the people behind me and, so help me Ged, I shall carry out the platform. * * * The men who are now asking the people to vote for the perpetuation of the gold standard are they who, three years ago. told the people that the one and only thing needed to induce a re turn to prosperous conditions was the repeal of the Sherman act; they repealed it regardless ts the will of the people; three years have elapsed. Has their promised waves of prosperity gladdened the hearts of the people? Alter three years of patient waiting and suffering, is not the condition and prospect more distressing than ever. * * * Those Wall street operators, who always keep “a weather eye on the main chance,” are furnishing evidence by their heavy Silver purchases, that they now regard the election of Bryan as absolutely certain and free coinage of silver as inevitable; all of which accounts for the recent advances in the price of that metal. * * * If 12| cent corn, 8 cent oats and 50 cent wheat do not make the farmer think there is something the matter.with “Hannah” he is past redemption.