The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-21
slLvER QUE sTloN.


There is another financial question, nm.
on which there is more demagogism to the
square inch than upon any other. II is
the silver question. We are told that the
Iree coinage Of silver is the remedy for all
on! evils. Well, there is little, il any,
objection to the free coinage OF silver at
ls market value. What we object To Ia
the Tree coinage OF u silver dollar wortl,
only elghty.iVe cents. Whether the
pFont Of such a coinage goes to the owner
Of the bullion or to the United States, il
y equally wrong. The owner Of eighty.
I'VE cents worth OF bullion ought not have
II converted into one hundred cents at the
expense oil the United States; nor ought
tae United States TO stamp as a dollar
slghty-hve cents worth Of silver bullion.
Inc free coinage Of silver and gold was
adopted at the beginning OF the Govern.
ment; but then great care was tsken by
hamilton and jefferson that tho bullion
IN Doth dollars should be Of precisely
equa! VAiue. This relative value was as.
certained 10 be hat one ounce OF
gold was Of equal value 10 fifteen ounces
o. silver. and that was made the
Iega! ratio. In 1887 fifteen ounces
Of silver bullion were not equal TO one
ounce OF gold, and so our fathers changed
the ratio TO sixteen ounces OF silver 10 n
Of gold. Many cause contributed to re.
uuce tho relative value OF silver, aud now
IL requires eighteen ounces OF silver to be
equal to INC Of gold, and therefore the
chiet commercial countries have either
wholly or partially suspend the coinage OF
silver. We coin fractional silver coin at a
rauo OF less than fifteen TO one, but we
MAINTAIN 1t al par precisely rs Great Bri-
mln' Germany and France, by limiting the
amount, and latterly by redceming il with
United States legal.tender notes. We is.
sue the d0llar:at the ratio Of sixteen 10
one, but we prevent It's depreciation pre.
ctsely as all the Latin nations do, by lin.
Ting Its coinage, Even then il docs not
circulate readily; but so, O7O,S7S remain
IN me Treasury, and IL seems impossible
70 get them into general circulation. But
suppose we force them into circulation.
Ine United States can 10 10. II may
CON money and regulate lis value. Itmay
eau ten grains OF silver q dollar, and make
u 80. Or II may coin pot.metal into dol
lars. But the result would be that all 9th.
er coin money. would disappear from cir
culatlon.. Tho cheaper money would only
DC circulated. II the silver dollar OF the
present ratio is forced into circulation
without limit as TO amount, gold would be
exported or be sold at a premium, and VIC
would have tie single standard Of silver
forced upon US by those who demand Inc
double or bi.metallic standard, which we
prefer.
Now, fellow citizens, which is tho bette,
way 10 settle Inc silver question, and vel
nave both gold and silver in circulation
Wecan issue both coins upon the present
ratlo and limit the amount TO that sun
which can be maintained at par with gold.
or we can negotiate with commercial ma
tons for q new rutio upon which all coin
age shall be made; or we can issue a silver
dollar OF our own with silver enough in Il
to make it worth in market a gold dollar
That would be an honest dollar, Eithe,
st these expedients would secure us bi
metallic money, and will be supported BIZ
the Republican party.
But our adversaries, though dtviied
think they can make party capital bv al
lowing any holder OF bullion 10 TAX,
eighty.tive cents worth. OF silver bullion 4
the Treasury and get for it q silver lolla
which would be afali Iesai.tender for al
purposes, This, as a matter Of course
world soon Danish from circulation III,
, gold dollar and bring all money down [,
the standard Of 4l2! grains OF standar,
, silver. General Warner and his politica
associates, in their bill, tried very hard /
give the profit OF this transaction 1
, the bnllion.owner, but this Was 10
. baEe-taced; aud now IL is propose,
, that the Government issue a doIia
which costs In themarket eighty.fye cent
/ as the equal ola dollar which costs in III
market one hundred cents. Ifthis Is
device TO make money for the Cover
ment 1t a 9 very mean one; hut lis re,
e purpose and effect Is to dsmonetize golC