IMPROVED HARVESTING METHODS
The old-fashioned methods of reaping the yellow fields of wheat has also been ousted by the conspiracy of the late improved harvester and binder. The old fashioned cradle has been decradleized. Why not form an alliance all over this country to recradleize the cradle, and make common warfare against the up-to-date binder? Even the old McCormick reaper has been dereaperized and the succeeding invention, the header, has been deheaderized, and who shall not say in this onward march of progress, in this wonderful advancement of our civilization, in this age of discovery and invention, that sooner or later the up-to-date binder of to day will not be debinderized by the inventive genius of some American citizen? (Applause.) Now, let us see, fellow citizens, what the so-called crime of 1873 has done for prices of various commodities. One of the stock declarations of Mr. Bryan and Mr. Harvey and their cohorts is that prices should be restored and wages should be increased. One of two things is very apparent, either the framers of the Chicago platform did not consult the statistics of the United States, or else they imagined the voters would not. "Coin" Harvey and the silver advocates generally seek to establish their position by quoting statistics of average prices of certain great commodities like wheat and cotton claiming that prices commenced falling in 1873, and their decline has continued ever since. These arguments are those of the delusionists and must crumble before the evidence and the facts. Let me say to you that prices did not commence falling in 1873, but in 1864-5.
WHY ARE THEY NOT HONEST?
If these men are not demagogues, pure and simple, why do they not inform the "dear people" why prices fell more during the eight years precedent 1873 than they have ever fallen since?
"COIN" HARVEY HAS NEVER EXPLAINED WHY, AND IF HE DID, HIS THEORY WOULD VANISH LIKE THE MIST BEFORE THE RISING SUN OF TRUTH.
For example, cotton fell from $1.01 1/2 in 1864, to 17 cents a pound in 1871. Or wheat for instance. The average farm price of wheat in the United States for the year 1874 was 94 cents a bushel, paper currency, or only 84 cents a bushel in gold. The average farm price of wheat in the United States for 1891 was 83 cents a bushel, the same in 1890, while in 1888 the average farm price of wheat in this country was 92 cents a bushel, or 6 cents a bushel higher than it was in 1874. Thus it will be seen that an unfair and false impression is trying to be created among the people by both Mr. Bryan and his followers. Perhaps Mr. Bryan and the free silver advocates would like to know where I get my statistics. I answer them by saying they are taken direct from the United States Statistical Abstract, which deservedly ranks high as an authority. In looking over this work I could not help wondering if "Coin" Harvey and our opponents who are shouting so loud and lustily for the free and unlimited coinage of silver and a restoration of prices, would not like to apply their cure-all to refined sugar, which was selling in 1872 at 12 3/5 cents per pound, and only 4 3/5 cents per pound in 1892, or for instance, illuminating oil was quoted in 1872 at 23 cents a gallon, and only 5 9/10 cents per gallon in 1892. Manufacturers of bar iron in 1872 were receiving $97.63 per ton for their product, and only $29.96 a ton in 1894. A keg of nails cost $5.46 in 1872, and $1.08 in 1894. A box of window glass that cost $3.40 in 1873, sold only at $1.70 in 1891. A carpet that cost $1.14 a yard in 1873, can be purchased today for 36 cents a yard. The steamboat transportation companies hauling wheat from Chicago to New York City, by lake and canal, are receiving a compensation to-day of a little less than 4 1/2 cents a bushel, but in 1873 they were receiving 24 1/2 cents per bushel, for every bushel they carried.
SHALL PRICES BE RESTORED
The question is, do the people of the United States want these prices restored?
WE ARE WILLING AS AMERICANS THAT AMERICAN INDUSTRIES AND HOME COMPETITION SHALL ADJUST PRICES, BUT WE ARE NOT WILLING THAT PRICES OF LABOR SHALL BE ADJUSTED IN THIS COUNTRY BY AMERICAN WORKMEN ENTERING INTO COMPETITION WITH THE PAUPERIZED LABORERS OF EUROPE.
From the same reliable statistics and undoubted authority we find that wages have materially advanced in this country during the last third of a century. The increase from the old double standard wages of 1860 to those of 1890, have been no less than 58 per cent, in money, and 72 per cent, in purchasing power. This does not look very much like a falling off. I will admit that the price of wheat has declined and declined rapidly since 1892, but you must remember that Grover Cleveland was elected president that year and is still in the White House. Give us back a protection that protects, and we will not only insure abundance of labor for all our people, but will guarantee that farm products generally will command better prices. (Applause).
FELLOW CITIZENS, I EARNESTLY BELIEVE THAT "COIN" HARVEY AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE ADVOCATING THE FREE AND UNLIMITED COINAGE OF SILVER AT THE UNJUST AND UNTRUE RATIO OF 16 TO 1, AS A NOSTRUM FOR OUR ILLS, ARE ADVOCATING A THEORY AS MISLEADING AS IT IS WICKED AND UNHOLY. NO THEORY MORE FALSE WAS EVER ADVANCED OR CALCULATED TO MORE THOROUGHLY DECEIVE THE EARNEST, INDUSTRIOUS, GOD FEARING PEOPLE OF THIS NATION.
Let us undo the free trade blunder of 1892 and we will hear no more about the mythical crime of 1873. (Applause.)
PROTECTIVE TARIFF THE REMEDY
My friends, a tariff that protects; reciprocity that opens up a market for our surplus articles from the American farm and the American factory; a sound currency, and the business confidence which will follow, are the remedies for the unfortunate condition of bankruptcy into which the country has been submerged by political stupidity.
THE QUESTION IS SIMPLY ONE OF HONESTY OR DISHONESTY
Shall thrift and economy be rewarded by robbery? Shall the widow's mite and the savings deposited in the banks of this country be cut in two by changing our money to silver monometallism? Shall the two and a half billions of school bonds from all over the country, held by English and American capitalists and payable in gold, be doubled, and a double tax fall upon the shoulders of the tax payers of this nation? Shall the toilers of this land, the wage-earners on farm and in factory, be robbed every Saturday night of one-half of their weekly wages?