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"Facts are to be distinguished from Opinions.
Where a fact in dispute is capable of demonstration,
it is, of course, the height of folly to accept any one's
opinion as to its existence."

Ref. W. L. Jepsen

COPYRIGHT, 1896, BY STABLE MONEY PUBLISHING COMPANY.

The Blakely Printing Co., 184-186 Monroe street, Chicago.

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INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.

Ever since mankind has used a medium of exchange-money-there ave been two great classes: Those benefited by an increase in the exhange value of money- the Moneyed Interests and those benefited y an increase in the value of the things for which money exchanges he Interests Other-Than-Moneyed. The interests of these two classes re directly opposed to each other, for when money increases in exhange value the things for which it exchanges decrease in exchange 'alue; the two sides of a scale never go up at the same time. Equal ustice to each class requires that the scale be kept as evenly balanced as ossible that the exchange value of money be kept as stable as it can ossibly be made. And it is our duty as citizens to examine the scale

nd ascertain its exact condition.

The camEach citi

Are the moneyed interests through legislation pushing up their side f the scale? Is it true that they are pushing it up, up, up? aign of 1896 is "on," and the issue is the Money Question. en of the United States is a juror. The ballots cast on the second 'uesday in November decide the case. As each citizen is a juror, each hould wish to have the case laid before him. This includes women or they influence the balloting.

The facts as they actually exist are summarized at page 683.

The evidence which proves the existence of these facts I shall lay be>re you. First, however, I wish to state how I became aware of them: Until quite recently I believed that gold was the best measure of

value available. But the claims of the Silver Agitators aroused me and I determined to go to the bottom of the question. Being a lawyer by profession, although not in practice, I knew the value of evidence and set about to examine that which each side referred to. I now present to you the evidence of the facts which I have found to exist. And in order that you may know the conditions under which I have performed this task, I will state that my business interests are such that I am benefited by an increase in the exchange value of money, and that by the facts which I have found to exist I have been converted from a believer in the gold standard of prices to one who believes in the justice of a return to the bimetallic standard of prices at 16 to 1, and that the United States. should, without longer waiting for coöperation, enact a 16 to 1 bimetallic law. So vital do I consider the issue that I donate to the cause the labor I have expended upon the following treatise and have advanced the necessary funds for its publication. As to the comparative importance of the money question and the tariff, I will state that I am a high protectionist and have ready for publication a treatise along these lines, but have laid it aside for the time being, as the tariff question should not be permitted to divert attention from the money question. The tariff question divides those whose interests are other-than-money, and we should present to the common enemy a united front. Furthermore the Money Question is a question of General Prices, whereas the raising of the price of imports through a duty is but a small piece of the much larger question, see illustration page 632 below.

As I present to you the evidence which I have found to exist I shall present also the claims of the opposition which are disproved by the facts. In this way you will receive both sides of the case.

As the evidence which I shall present has been collected and put in order by thousands of individuals, among whom I count only as one, 1 shall use the plural number in addressing you, except where a personal opinion or observation is offered.

The Evidence.

In presenting the evidence we will commence with facts with which you are familiar and proceed by building them up until they demonstrate the existence of a principle. In this way we shall proceed in a way which you can readily follow who have not given the subject special study.