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Editorial
September 16, 1896
The Advocate
Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas
What is this article about?
Satirical piece ridicules argument against free silver coinage by noting Mexicans eat US corn and Americans already consume cornbread, challenging claims of degraded civilization under silver standard.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
CIVILIZATION AND CORN BREAD.
A few days ago, by way of showing the deplorable condition to which the people of the United States would be driven by free coinage of silver, a gentleman had seen and therefore knew what he was talking about, said, in an interview, that the Mexican people eat corn, and what was worse, a good deal of the corn they eat came from the United States--a gold standard country.
The Advocate concedes at once and freely all that is claimed for the corn-eating argument; but what troubles us, is the fact that a great many of our own people have been long addicted to the habit of eating corn, and they have thus far successfully escaped all other evils which usually accompany the corn-eating habit. To eat corn bread at once suggests a low plane of civilization--for that custom prevails in all silver standard countries, and just now we are informed by an army of educated economists that in order to determine the plane of a people's civilization it is required only that we learn whether they have the "silver standard."
A few days ago, by way of showing the deplorable condition to which the people of the United States would be driven by free coinage of silver, a gentleman had seen and therefore knew what he was talking about, said, in an interview, that the Mexican people eat corn, and what was worse, a good deal of the corn they eat came from the United States--a gold standard country.
The Advocate concedes at once and freely all that is claimed for the corn-eating argument; but what troubles us, is the fact that a great many of our own people have been long addicted to the habit of eating corn, and they have thus far successfully escaped all other evils which usually accompany the corn-eating habit. To eat corn bread at once suggests a low plane of civilization--for that custom prevails in all silver standard countries, and just now we are informed by an army of educated economists that in order to determine the plane of a people's civilization it is required only that we learn whether they have the "silver standard."
What sub-type of article is it?
Economic Policy
Satire
What keywords are associated?
Free Coinage Silver
Gold Standard
Corn Bread
Civilization
Economic Argument
What entities or persons were involved?
Mexican People
United States People
Educated Economists
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Mockery Of Anti Free Silver Arguments Linking Corn Eating To Low Civilization
Stance / Tone
Satirical Critique Of Gold Standard Proponents
Key Figures
Mexican People
United States People
Educated Economists
Key Arguments
Mexican People Eat Corn From Gold Standard Us Without Issue
Americans Have Long Eaten Corn Bread Without Accompanying Evils
Corn Bread Suggests Low Civilization In Silver Standard Countries
Civilization Level Determined By Silver Vs Gold Standard