Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-07-20
Should Gold be the Standard of
Value?

should Gold be the Standard OF
Value?
We ask this question for the considcra-
ton of the Press and the people generally
1t is no new question but as old as this
country itself In our opinion so long
as gold is made the standard of value, 81
long as il is regarded as the standard in
which all value ccnters, nothing bet f.
nancial embarrassment, among energetic
business men Of the country, win be the
result.
And the men whose consciences arr
considerably rounded off, and whose
ability consists only in his power to ob.
tain gold becomes the arristocrat OF the
nited States, and at will the manager
and controller Of its fnancies, and the
active energetic merchant, manufacture
end laborer, who are the useful class, and
TO whom the world is indebted for their
services, are left entirely to the mercy Of
the bulls and bears of New York and
elsewhere.
Gold sharks are only excressenees or
society, living from the hard earnings OF
others. And now at this time when the
people are groaning under financial EN-
barHssmcnt, it seemed to Us that the
Government shoald cut square Oft and
forever set al rest the policy that gold
should control this country. Indeed the
silence of our great country on this sub
jet places itself under the immediate con.
troll Of the goi holder, and isrendesed
subservient &c bis Will
Our Government is funded upon the
rights OF individuals; and any eneroach-
ment upon their rights whether from
rings, eliques or corporation, is contrary
TO the spirit thereof; and we arc sure that
al this time when gold is boarded up as
the God of America, too divine 10 be
touched By the people, at this time
when the useful men of the country
need circulating medium for the ordin.
airy transaction OF business, which they
cannot secure on account Of the power
attached to gold, It seems 70 Us that any
Iaove made by the Government to knock
the divinity CIT Of gold will be but con.
triblting to TIE well being and liberty c.
the ci;izons.
That some move should be made in the
direction OF improvements in orr financial
ystcm is evident, and We have seen no
better plan than The following which We
= from the New York II recsati7t
.,rnal.
lie ak the attention of the public q,
Largo. ana particularly the members Of the
rsss, Of lie Uui;.d States. 10 the very
s-eat in-pos.ance Of u once arriving at a
correct soiu;i9a CT The currency cncs lion.
The iegaiized currency Of nation under
les end really controls all her industries.
We lave given much care to the con sider-
ation Of The sehicct, aud have, from time
10 time, di-cus ed various arguments of
fered fer aud against the adoption of IN
exclusively paper currency Ga~s,l '.eoa the
Noticaas Eaalih. ignoring gold and silver
except aS an article Of merchandise. put
ting those metals upon the same basis a.
other products of the country. From all
the suggestions offered, we cannot dis
cover single valid objection to a currency
Of paper Issued by the Government, the
yalIme Of which shall be adjusted at ell
times % It's eonverti5ility into interest
bearing Gcvcrnmcn. bonds, All re con-
version into LEGAL tender notes in both
cases al the option of the holder. We
earnestly desire that our contemporaries
of the Prcss-sisoald give this matter care
fal thought at an early day. waving al
pr.islaiee IN favor Of this or that theory
vAich tradition has haa,.ed down to Gs.
We say tLaf gold is not now, never was.
and never can DC q TREE standard of value.
Ien dollars in gold, notwithstanding its
present premium, VIII not bay as much
corn, pork, beet, butter, cheese, tea. coffee
etc, to-day, as did cne-Lalf the same
weight OF the same metal 50 years ago.
Gold is a commodity, and lis value is gov
oEned by the law Of supply and demand.
the same as every other commodity, and
hence, the use of il as basis for our cur
Tency is a relic of barbaEism unworthy of
or times
IL another column OF this issue we pub
lisa copy of protest of a legal tender
note. Our object in demanding the pay
ment OF legal tender note, was simply
10 attract the attention of the public to
the question, Does our legal tender pa
per dollar reprcsen: a dollar or no;:' 1t
cannot be said that tits dollar, and yet
that it is not; that is al absurslity If
legal tender notes arc dollars, what right
has the Secretary OF the Treasury to pay
I Large prsuilm Ia legal tender notes for
pa bonds, upon which the year option
has natdrvd. II they are not dollars. but
premises 70 pay dollars, why are they not
redeemed on demand: They have been
so.a loas time outstanding, and still the
Government neslec;s- to pap them.
III parties are agreed that the country
needs Az elastic currency that i'll meet
the requirements Of trade at all times.
We claim that the only method of perfect
ing our currency is to issue Govern
ment token, and make it a legal tender
for al debts or demands, public or private.
in accordance with the theory announced
IN the ssrsati article of our Commercial
AM Financial Platform
They have a new vocalist in Laporte,
by the name of Don Key, Spaniard per-
laps, who astonishes the natives with his