Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-17
sUNDAY.........JANUARY II, 1886
Let It Be Settled.

in certain degree parslyzed by the
discussion of the silver question, and
the consequent unsettled condition Of
things. The advocates Of the policy
Of continuing the coinage Of silver dol
lars have certainly shown . strength
we had not supposed they possessed,
snd m aggressive spirit that we had
expected the monometallists rather
than the blmetallists to manifest.
1t is amusing to read the diatribes of
the organs Of the opponents OF silver
coinage. These organs are at fault.
Just think of the efforts Of the New
York Herald in behalf Of the suspen-
sion Of silver coinage, and then behold
the outcome. That paper, in total dis
regard Of the notice We served upon 1t
last fall that the statesmen in Congress
would not 90 to Wall street to learn
financial science, has kept up a continual
fire of small arms, and endeavored
By those and other means to alarm the
bimetallists. 1t caused to be. inter-
viewed persons in almost every city in
the Union, and published day after day
column upon column Of threats and
warnings directed at the silver advo-
Gates. Its editorial columns have for
months teemed with short paragraphs
as we'll as long dissertations, all in
tended to show what fools the silverites
are and how wise are the men who &C
cepted as true the teachings Of the
Herald.
And what is the outcome? 1t is
public sentiment in favor of the con-
tinued coinage Of silver dollars so strong
that the opponents of that policy in
Congress already confess that they have
made disastrous attack upon posi-
ton so strongly fortified that it cannot
be taken. They are already falling
back in ORDER"
But as we have said, these efforts to
scare the public have had that effect
wherever the people were foolish enough
to believe that the continued coinage of
silver dollars would be disastrous. These
efforts lave produced partial paraly-
sis of business. If nothing had ever
been said upon the subject, the silver
dollars would never have come under
the ban Of even suspicion anywhere in
the land. All the trouble has been
caused by the unwise advocates Of a
single standard Of values. 1t is pre-
posterous to aver that seven hundred
millions Of dollars of paper currency,
not worth intrinsically one dime,
and not one vestige Of which
would be left il put 10 M. GER
NUsCHI's fre-test, can be safely
issued and wisely kept in circulation
and at the same time to maintain tina
it is dangerous to coin three hundred
millions of silver dollars having an in
trinsic value of two hundred and fort!
millions of dollars, and therefore aol
to stand the test Of fire, and worth II
bullion, or in the crucible, or anywher
else, four fifths Of its nominal value
even in gold.
But "things are as they are,' as on
Of the clergymen of our city is fond o
saying. Things arc as they are, and j
is wise to accommodate ourselves b
circumstances. There are thousands o
bankers, brokers, and other business
men, who are truly alarmed becaus
the Government continues to coin silye
dollars, and who really fear that thi
country will soon have but one measur
of values, and that this will be silver
They expect gold to be either drive
from the country or retired from circu
lation and boarded. We say it is tn
duty Of Congress to legislate with refer
ence to all such facts.
Again: There are some iudisputabl
truths constantly set forth by tn
monometallstso One is that goo
money VII bear transportation, and
we misht add, will stand the test
weight. A gold dollar is worth
much In England Is In the United Stats
Silver dollars are not. A gold doll'
contains dollars worth of bullion IN
has that value anywhere in the worl'
A silver dollar does not contain . (gol
dollars worth Of bullion, and Is n,
worth as much by weight IS by tai
II would seem TO be clear, therefor
that unless the Government shs
provide by Law for redeeming i
silver dollars in gold as 1t r.
deems its greenbsck dollars, the
must como time when either 81
yer dollars or gold dollars will b
come . mere commodity. That
GREsHAM's Law will begin to operat
and, operating, will cause everybody
pay eut silver, the less valuable none.
and hoard gold, the more vsluab
measy. II %, gold win become
commodity and b sold by weight
hat 10, viii not BE- paid out unless Il
owner Of It Il allowed for IL what 1t
worth BY weight IS compared With s
yer dollars consisting Of 4l23 grain
nins-tsnths fins. That win be VII
Il called . single standard Of vslu,
Ether That, Or else Ill other articl
than gold, including silver dollars, "
b. nsasnssd By gold, and thus silv
b accepted. like any othr eomnodit
ssrertA only IL wsishtvdus IN gol
iris, too. would b. to hll 70 sing