The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-06
silver-Again.

n will he rccoliecfcd tnat we ias' "co~
.,otcd some Of the difficulties OF the silver
question, aud called upon our intelligent
and practical contemporary Brcdsfrcefs TO
.o,ve them for ms. That Journal Is an ex-
,rrf In commercial matters, and we took
for granted that II was an expert on the
silver question. But its response Is not
altogether satisfactory. weqnote the who'e
OF it--as follows: h.
The Richmond Dispatch Is IN starr OF
doubt us 20 the right understanding Oh 'ne
oliver Question. In friendly manner ~
,ends To MS the following query: II lhc
Ssovesnmept will only stand ready 10 i.-
deem the silver coins In gold, Brodytreet . :.
,rin II is To be presumed, object no longer
to the coinage OF as many silver dollars as
Tyrcle sam NAV choose to put ON. Inc
nsnotch would confuse the real point Oh
sh. Controversy with one which is only IN
,rissnta, thereto. Beyond question The Gov
srnmeut should stand ready 10 redeem IN
cold all the silver dollars 1t puts OUT; ou.
what bearing has this upon tie wisoon, VI
continuing the coinage OF bulky SILVER uoi-
lars which the country persfstently REFUSES
20 use as money? That the continued
coinage OF full legal tender eightS-tWo ceh'
silver dollars win, IL persisted IN, ultimate
IL change the standard measure OF values
in the United States from goid 10 siNe'
is rs certain as that twice TWO make iour'
II is idle TO speculate when tins VIII COME
about--whethcr II Is near OF ren0HL
when experience shows the utter ioi! %
continuing in the present course. De.ei
direct all the energy o1 discussion 70 w
nonncing what is going on at the minis,
tbst pullic opinion may be aroused ana inc
threatening coinage stopped.
A commercial Journal ought TO be ia'r.
Is Bradsireers justifable In asserting that
the country persistently refuses to use sill
yer as money? What arc the factsy Inc
last official statement OF the public deDt
shows that on the last day Of january there
were outstanding about as many SILVER GER
tificates as gold certificates. Does this TACT
prove that the country persistently refuses
20 use gold as money? If not, how does IL
prove that the country persistently refuses
TO use silver rs money!
Again There is, we think, always more
gold IN the treasury thanssiiver, why docs
not this fact prove that the people refuse
to use gold as money!
The truth is, people prefer paper to
either gold or silver, provided the paper be
redeemable in coin. They use paper cur
rency as lighter and less bulky, and there
fore decidedly more convenient to handle.
1t would seem that as gold is sixteen times
rs valuable, ounce for ounce, as silver, and
therefore much lighter, there ought to be
much more gold than silver in circulation.
Surely there is nothing strange in this fact,
il fact ii be. There rs more paper cur
rency than gold in circulation; but this
fact does not argue that paper is more valu-
able than gold, nor that the country refuses
to use gold.
The most skilful "money sharp" in
this country, or the man best entitled TO
be called an expert on the subject OF COIN
ing money, is MrsBURcHARD, Of Philadel-
phia, director Of the mint. He appeared
last Saturday before the Committee on
Coinage of the House OF Representatives,
and declared against the continuance
of the coming of silver. As to additional
yault-room, he said this would be necessa-
~ whether there were more coinage or not.
Shall we prefer the dictum Of the inexpe-
rienced writers for the New York press to
the deliberate and intelligent judgment of
such men rs Mr.. BELF0RD, Mr.. TUCKER,
and the many statesmen Of national repu-
tation, who, after thorough study OF the
subject, have reached the conclusion that
the country cannot maintain specie pay
ments unless silver be employed to re-
enforce gold.
The question, however, which we wish
10 have discussed is whether the PROPOSE
ton is or Is not true that as things which
are equal TO the same things are equal 80
one another, the fact that silver is equal to
gold to the extent OF the entire revenues
OF the United States Government. or four
hundred millions OF dollars annually,
makes it practically equal to gold to any
amount that the minis will be able to coin,
or the country to produce, for many years
TO come, or at any rate so long as the in
trInsic value OF silver is anything like as
great as il now is?
We are willing for our part for the eX.
pertinent to be tried Of stopping the coin
age OF silver. The result would enligbter
the country on one or the other side OF thi'
question. On the other hand, il, as Gen
eral GRANT holds, the best way TO secure
the repeal of an Objectionable law is to en-
force it rigidly, then the experiment o
coming silver as freely rs gold would b'
apt to open the eyes OF some Of our PROBES
sors OF the scienco Of political economy.
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SERJFANT BAIIANIINE touches i'm his bOol