The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-12-10
WAR 1 81 1vER.

The fact that President Arthur in
his message and Secretary McCul
Tough in his report recor nmended thu
suspension Of silver coin age has open
ed up a fresh discussion Of the whole
subject matter. In res ponse to tn
recommendations, Sen ator McPher
son has given notice that he woulG
introduce q bill to susp end the coin
age Of silver dollars and to provide
for the issuance of silver certificates
upon the deposit in the United States
treasury of silver bullion stamped
with the market value of that metal
| Other bills of q similar character viii
probably be introduced in the House
The war against the metal is fairly
opened. That it will be a bitter and
obstinate one no one who knows the
strength of the forces arrayed upon
either side will deny.
Those who are infor med upon the
subject know the cause of this crusade
against the metal. Z hey have no
need to look beyond or outside OF
National banks, National bond
holders and their str ikers to find
the instigators Of it. Their prime
object Is to make money dearer and
interest higher. By & impending the
coinage of silver they b ope to degrade
the metal, force it out of. circulation
and make gold the only measure OF
values. The arguments used to effect
this end are patent to everyone. We
are told that the people will not use
our standard silver dollars, that for
elgn nations will not take them,
that they are accommodating in large
quantities in the treasury vaults and
that they are driving gold out of the
country.
In answer to these propositions, we
hold that facts disproye them. The
people do accept the standard dollars
and accept them without complaint.
That if the coin wa 3 Objectionable
to them petitions would come up from
every quarter protest. ng against their
further coinage; that a silver dollar
will buy as much, pa y as much and
cost az much to get as a gold dollar;
that the certificates is sued upon them
side by side with gold.
Government legal tenders, and
national bank notes ere as readily
accepted by the people that gold has
not been driven out of the country
the remonitiz alton of silver;
that on the contra ~ our annual
gold imports are in excess Of our gold
exports; that it makes no difference
70 far Al vi prosperity as a nation is
concerned whether a ny foreign power
our standard dollar or not /; that
;heae United States are too great, too
oopulous and too wealthy to be forced
o regulate its currenc y by that of any
nation (; that the coinage of
be standard silver dollar is in the
lirect line of the interests of the
in that it fur nishes an aDun-
lance of money and this keeps down
be rate of interest and that the enact
aent Of the Bland bill marked the
of the most prosperous era
be country has ever enjoyed.
We have but little fear that Con-
ress will be led into any legislation
adically affecting silver coinage by
ne rabid u%tterances of monometal-
SITS. The Republican Senate might
,el disposed to suspend the coinage of
ne standard silver dollar, but we do
OF believe the Democratic House
ill seriously enter tain the PROPOSE
on. President Cleveland's adj
Illustration is pied ed by the Demo-
ratio platform to maintain the
honey of the CO. Institution "gold
nd silver" and for the next
'ur years silver will be
sfe, provided the silver producing
ates and territori es of the country
and firmly by the metal and enter
ito no compromise with its enemies.
There are two or three newspapers
the west, which embrace every OPP f,
ortunitv to give the metal u deadly
ab. They should be seen to. Net
lat their ill-digeste ed arguments have
eight with the communities in
bich the papers are published, but
lould a copy of them find its way to .
it m light be used with ,
me effect against the metal. It is {
'nerally supposed that a newspaper :
lblished in a sill yer producing Sec .
IN, reflects, in part, at least, the SEN
mont OF 1ts eaQeT upon SO grave b
after as the suspension of silver
image, and when one is found op- t
the interests Of the people |
ION whose patro mage it exists, 1t G
Iould be made to feel their displeas- 1
at its course. The enemies of t
yer will take every advantage of !
friends, and will not hesitate to /
tote the drivel Of every crank in q G
yer mining sect ION, who is permit I
i to air bis opp osition to the metal t
the local press. Our evening e
ntemporary sho uld heed this fact c
d hereafter truly represent the '
ews of our people upon a question 8
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