The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1878-03-06
BLAINE'S


Extract 'rcn' His Speech IN tho Senate
We need both gold aud silver, and
we can have both only by making each
the equal Of the other. 1t would not he
difficult to show that, in the nations
where both have been fully recognized,
the most widely diiused, the steadie't
aud most continuous prosperity has been
enioyed-that true form Of prosperity
which reaches all classes, butt which
begins with the city-labOrer, whose toll
lays the foundation of the whole super
structure of wealth, The exclusively
gold nation, like England, may show the
most massive fortunes in the ruling
classes, but it shows, also, the most help
less and hopeless poverty in the humber
walks OF life. The gold and silver nation,
hike France. can exhibit no such indi-
vidual fortunes as abound in England,
but 1t has 4 peasantry that, with their
silver savings, can pay a war indemnity
that would have beggared the gold
bankers of London, and tn which the
peasantry Of England could not have
contributed a pound sterling in gold nor
a single shilling in silver. The effect of
paying the labor OF this country in silver
coin OF full value, as compared with the
irredeemable paper, or As compared even
with silver of inferior value, will make
itself felt in a single generation to the
extent of tens OF millions, perhaps Lun-
dreds of millions, in the aggregate
savings which represent consolidated
capital. 1t s the instinct OF man from
the savage 10 The scholar-developed in
childhood aUI remaining with age to
value the metals which in all tongues
are called precious. Excessive paper
money leads to extravaganza, to
waste and to want, as we painfully
witness on all sides today. And
in the midst Of the proof of its
demoraliziug and destructive effect we
hear it proclaimed in the halls of con-
gress that the people demand cheap
money" l declare such a phrase to be
a total misrepresentation, a total misin.
]terpretation of the popular wish. The
people do not demand cheap money
They demand an abundance of good
money, which is an entirely different
thing, They do not want a single gold
standard hat will exclude silver and
benefit those already rich. They do not
want an inferior silver standard that will
drive out gold and not help those already
poor. They want both metals in full
value, in equal honor. in whatever
abundance the bountiful earth will yield
them to the searching eye of science and
to the hard hand of labor. The two
metals have existed side by side in bar
mouiQus, honorable companionship as
money ever since intelligent trade was
known among men, It is well nigh forty
centuries since Abraham weighed to
Ephron the silver which be had
named in the audience of the sons OF
shekeIs of silver current
money with the melehant.n Since that
time nations have risen and fallen, race3I
have disappeared, dialects and languages
have been forgotten, ats have been lost,
treasures have persisted, continents have
been discovered, islands have been sunk
in the sea, and through all these ages and
through all these changes silver and
gold have reigned supreme as the rer-
resentatiyes of value as the media of
exchange. The reinforcement of each
has been attempted in turn, and some
times the reinforcement of both but
vain! And we are here to-day
celebrating anew over the problem
comes down to US from Abraham's
time the weight Of the silver that shall
be current money with the merchant