The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-09
A Popular Fallacy.

The Sardis Reporter, referring 20 the
views of Maj. BARKsDAlH on the silver
| question, speaks thus:
There is great abundance of silver
"0in IN the country, and more of silver
dollars than anything else, and we ar,
not sure that it would not be veil Il,
call a halt in the coinage of these, a,
least for while. However, we are not
Is we have said, entirely satisfied As {,
what would he the best course in tn,
natter, and have, therefore, formed ne
fixed opinion on the subject. Abou.
ne thing in connection nth the coin
lce question, however. we are well and
thoroughly satisfied The silver do lar
practical fraud, under legal protec
ion. 1t is certified by the Government
. be dollar, when, in fact and truth,
Is not dollar, but lacks fifteen OF
rwenty cents of being so. True, u
armer. mechanic or laborer can buy a
dollars worth of goods for one of thern
mt of course the merchant, from whom
ne makes the purchase, must fix tn,
prices of his goods with reference to the
loss he will have to incur in the differ
euce between the real and the nominal
value of the coin he receives in exchange
or them.
The assertion that the silver dollar j.
Il fraud is not d llar but lacks fifteen
or twenty cents of being so-is the staple
argument of the anti silver men, but it Is
fallacious.
In fact and truth to use the Re
.orter's phrase, the silver dollar is dol
lir from one end of the Union to the
alher, and viii buy as much of any
commodity as "A gold dollar.
When the silver dollar is declared to
be a fraud, the declaration is based OF,
* TACT that the bullion in the silver
Hair is worth less than dollar in gold
5, it is, and it is worth less than dollar
/ "a silver too. But with the stamp OF
the Government upon it, it passes for a
dollar throughout the country and it,
purchasing power and debt-paying
power is as great as that Ct gold dollar.
Since this is SO, it is difficult to see how
reasonably, the silver dollar can be called
fraud. Practically it is as good as a
gold dollar, as every one knows without
being told.
The farmer, mechanic or laborer who
buys with . silver dollar gets as much
rs if he bought with gold dollar, and
we doubt if he could buy much mere
with gold dollar if Their, re no silver
dollars in existence.
To an individual who is entirely free
from debt, though he be a poor man, il
makes but little difference whether gold
pr silver be the measure of value. The
persons who have personal inter
st in the coinage question are those
who owe money, or possess fortunes
Both classes have selfish interest. The
man who owes-belongingt to the debtor
interested in seeing that his
debt is not increased by legislation. The
man of misunderstanding to the credi-
tor class-has a selfish interest in in.
rreasing the value of the debts due him,
ard the purchasing power of his boarded |
dollars.
1t would be of benefit to persons with |
fixed incomes, and the holders of gold |
md Government securities, if silver
we're driven cut of circulation. In such |
IN event, there would he a scarcity of |
money and the purchasing power of
lollar would be liner, ased.
1t must be plain to every one that a
,olicy which would add additional bur
lens to the debtor class, is policy to
De Stunned. The Government itself is
debtor, and the individuals compost ng
must pay the debt. To add fifteen or
Eighteen or twenty per cent. to it now. to
'enefit the bondholders only, would be
gross outrage on the people
1t will be time enough to be con
erned about the depreciation of the
liver dollar when it ceases to circulate
IN an equality with the gold dollar.