Weekly Arizona citizen., 1880-11-20
TUcsoS, November Is.

TUCsON, November Is.
 EDITOR CITIZEN: The question as
 .,,bs value of the Mexican Dollar"
 md as 10 the policy of keeping il as a
 ,.-,ala;ins medium, seeming to en-
 -,ss the attention of the public. I
 -sorrht to give you my views and the
 f--s discussion of it may lead to a full
 r,3srs,anding. Having been iu active
 b.,;7ess in Arizona and New Mexico
 daring the past twenty-five years, I
 hare had occasion 10 observe fullythe
 r,s,ter at interest. The Mexican dol
 lar was almost the only money circu-
 ,s,inr in New Mexico and Arizona
 b.f8re the war, and tbere being no
 difference between il and the Amer
 i,.n dollar at that time, no one
 thought of depreciating its value.
 During he war, however, the green
 hack appeared, and, wonderful! to re-
 late. the Mexican dollar disappeared.
 But for what reason: Because is
 v,ue rose at difTc. .eul times as high as
 ,Va d ,llars and a half in groenbacks
 for one dollar iu Mexican silver. IL
 was hrarded by those who posse,sea
 +. md during all that time and until
 even within lhe las! Ih-ee years, when
 tbere was d premium of six to seven
 uer ueai. paid on amount of it's value
 for export into China, whoever com
 plained at taking lhe d,llar al par?
 These "'poor, ignorant Mexicans D.
 8, they are accused of beiag-whO
 cannot comprehend now that a Mex
 icau dollar is not as good as an Amer
 ican dollar, possessed wonderful
 mower Of knawIcdge then 10 ask the
 biggest premium for their silver, and
 i. was then The rivalry of the mer-
 chaDls who would pay them even a higher premium than it was worth to induce them to trade. Now, it is nothing but this rivalry which has made the Mexican dollar at deceptive par value in this community, although at discount in every other par. Of the Union. But who is the loser by tlis' It is surely not the merchant, 5ecause Q merchant who proposes to give as much value for a Mexican dol lar flor which he cannot by any means at present receive more than ninety one cents) as he does for our Amer ican dollars is either a fool or cheat. The merchant who is of sane mind and tells the public tha. he can do as, practices an illegitimate dccep- lion, unworthy of the name of mer- ;hant. Anyone who meets with such ! party can easily discover the fraud 1y testing him and soon convince himself. Then who is the loser by .hisY IL is the deceived public; it is he poor laborer, the miner and the farmer who are led 10 believe that they receive the full par value for the sweat of their brow by taking at par ninety cents for one dollar. No danger of the merchant losing; le has well figured his profits; hIs loss 1 ln the dollar, etc. He will not give a dollar for ninety cents except he l. makes it up. Now there are only two l says-either 10 take the Mexican dol ! ar as a standard value for everything . md then allow the premium for the . American dollar, or take the Ameri- . gan dollar as medium and discount . he Mexican. We are Americans, and . Americans should have independence .nOugh to make their own money a tandard value. If there are people % ignorant to comprehend the differ nee we cannot debase ourselves to her standard of intelligence; but, on he contrary, it is our duty to educate hem to ours No one need appre- lend any danger of our losing or i'I- ,airing our Mexican trade. They will eceive just as many goods for the ame amount uf Mexican dollars as hey always have. A rose by any iher name smells just as sweet. The dopiion of the American dollar will ! top, however, the importing of Mex can silver and lhe injurious lratGc by ] money brokers fir the purpose oi this community wi. a de- .reciated currency, on the same Prin- iple that the Peruvian or Chilean ,ollar was imported. and by only re- eiving it at seventy five cents was .ept from injuring the public.
 I believe that an active competitor s beneficial Co the public, but its ba- is should not rest on deception. .et merchants attend 10 their legiii- pate business anG not enter into com elition with the affairs of the banks ' money brokers, whose business It 5 to buy and sell foreign m 'ney, and rho, by general laws of commerce, yill establish the price. An Amerl- an dollar for the American People tours truly. WM. ZECKENDoRT'
 Fanohon, the Cricket"