Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-01-02
THE SILVER DOLLAR.
Congressman Prices Views as to
its va1u0.

ANetO W "o DuCCHpOFC Uu~CttC.-
DO the men who oppose the remone-
tization and coinage of the silver dol
lar, and making it a legal tender in
the payment of debts as it was for
nearly the entire life of this nation.
know that we have to-day in circula-
ton nearly forty millions of dollars
of silver that have in them only 1856
grains, and that this dollar of 1856
grains is at par with legal tender
notes and consequently worth little
over 81 cents in gold? III And do
they know that the demand far it is
SO great that the Secretary of the
Treasury says we must have more of
it, to meet the demands of the bust
ness of the country? Now a few fig
ures in the single rule of three will
satisfy any one who is willing to be
convinced that 1855 grains Of stand
ard silver is worth worth 81 cents in
gold or 100 cents in legal tenders, that
412R grains of the same kind of silver
is worth, when coined, 1889 10 in
gold, or lO7-l 10 in legal tenders.
ri And this view of the case is
strengthened by the fact that prior
to 1873, when it was dropped out of
the coinage, the silver dollar of 412h
grains sustained about that relation
to the gold dollar, sometimes running
up as high as 1856. If to pay debts
with that kind of money be to cheat
the creditors, then l want every man
who owes me anything to cheat me
in that way. But, say some people,
the poor man, the farmer, mechanic,
and day laborers, will be cheated ii
we pay them in silver. l ask these
men who use this kind of argument
whether we are not paying these
men now with silver in each dollar
of which there is only 1856 grains OF
standard silver? And now because
it is proposed to put 4l2A grains OF
the same kind Of silver in the dollar
with which to pay them, the charge is
made that the poor man will be
cheated.
As the case stands now the bond.
holder gets gold 3 for what is due
him, and the farmers, mechanics and
day laborers take their pay in paper,
or in silver of light weight. What
the advocates of the silver dollar pro-
pose is to make silver dollar that
was always, while it was coined, as
good as gold, and to pay all kinds o.
debts with it, unless special contract
has been made to the contrary. This
puts all men on an equality, treats all,
whether rich or poor, alike. This ia
handed justice, and NO amount
of sophistry can get around it. If you
know of any person who claims that
the silver dollar of 4l2H grains will
only be worth 80 cents Of gold. and is
willing to sell at SO, please let me
know. Al / think / can find him q
purchaser, and if he can make per
cent. he can 'put money in his purse"
Any man who says an article is only
worth 80 cents and refuses to sell at
96 proves either his ,insincerity or
that he has no faith in his own judg-
ment.
Some of the very countries that are
now crying down silver and attempt.
ing to demonetize it, did the same
thing with gold no longer ago than
lS45. Then silver was the object Of
their praise, and gold Of their denun
citation.
Now the tune is changed, and sill
yer is denounced and gold is worship
ped. If we are wise we will use both
these metals as money to keep alive
cur commerce, and the varied indus
tries of the country, and to furnish a
basis for our paper currency. For
when we have all the gold and silver
[ 5 we can get nine-tenths of all the
business Of the country must be done
with paper in the shape Of bank is
sues, or government issues, or drafts,
cheeks, and bills Of ex change.
Paper, if you please, furnishes the
sails for our commerce, and the pre-
cious metals the ballast. If the sails
are out of proportion to the ballast,
we will capsize. The more ballast
we have the more sail we can spread
to the bfeeZe--and consequently the
more rapid and prosperous will be-
the voyage OF our ship Of State. Re-
spectfIliy, ETC., -. PRIcE.
December II, 1877. 1',4"