Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1886-06-26
THE SILVER QUESTION
AS 1t Looks to One OF the Com
mon People.

ED. TIMEs:-In. my former communi-
cation it was asserted that the solution
Of the silver problem would be imme-
dialely accomplished by Congressional
action providing for free coinage and a
protective tariff. / now maintain that
the same end may be reached by free
coinage alone. The popular objection
to this course is the fear that, if our
mInts are thrown open 10 the free and
unrestricted coinage Of silver (Ihis sill
yer coin being legal tender for all
amounts) foreign nations will deluge
our country with their silver. When
we have progressed thus far with our
reasoning, and We see in our magma
tions this vast heap Of silver bullion,
containing, as it would, untold mil
lions of silver dollars, the mind be .
comes bewildered by the magnitude OF
the spectacle, and our reasoning facul-
ties are liable to falter, and we abandon
the subject just as we are about to grasp
the solution.
Let US proceed, then, to a logical
conclusion. What would be the con.
sequences if foreign nations did. send
US their silver2 That is the vital ques.
ton. Would these foreigners simply
ship their bullion to US, have it made
into American dollars and then re-ship
it to the place from whence it Gamer
Absurd! The transportation charges
alone would forbid such course. Mel
Their does any government Of any i'm
portance desire 10 see the products Of
its own minis superseded by the coins
Of another nation. Neither would such
a thing be tolerated.
II brought, then, il is reasonable to
suppose that this money must remain
with US, and it will OF necessity seek
profitable investment. This money
must buy something that we have for
sale. What, then, have we in our mar.
kets that would suffer because OF the
presence Of an increased numter OF
purchasers2 Nothing. But on the 9th
er hand demand is created, and our
various fields Of industry are infused
with new energy, more men are requir,
ed in the vineyard, upon the farm and
in the work shop. Labor becomes re ).
muneratiye and rioting ceases.
The money thus sci in motion would
penetrate 10 the farlhest confines Of our
territory. Dayton would a; length be
reached, and all along the line Of the
{. * c. railroad would its presence be
known. Como would not be overlook
ed. This magic silver key in the sal.
wart and sinewy miner would unlock
the vaults Of natures treasure houses
and the frowning mountain would pour
his boarded wealth INTO the lap OF The
smiling valley.
The owner Of gold need apprehend
no danger from tins increase in the cir
culaung medium, If il is desirable to
exchange some Of this silver for gold,
he who has the gold is at liberty TO set
his price thereon if the demand justi,
hes 1t he may claim that one dollar OF
gold is equal TO two Of silver--and the
buyer must pay the price. Thus gold
becomes the merchandise and silver the
circulating medium and unit of value.
If the foregoing is true statement Of
the consequences arising from the free
coinage OF foreign silver, it holds equal.
ly true as regards the free coinage Of
domestic SILVER; but as the amount Of
bullion on hand is much less than we
have imagined might come from abroad,
the effect would be more gradual and
less marked. The effects 10 the pIo.
ducer of silver, however, would be I'M
mediate and most salutary. The now
down -trodden and oppressed "dollar Of
our daddies" would arise in its males.
ty, and shaking the dust and ashes Of
oppression from its garments, leap TO
par at a single bound. Then would the
merry labores GO whistling 10 their sew.
eral avocations and the music Of the
saw and hammer be heard in our vii.
lagos.
From the foregoing it would appear
that "hard times" are not caused and
promoted by an abundant supply OF
money in the country, and now, that
think of it, have always observed
that money is scarce when times are
hard. Il also shows in the above that
silver is not subject TO the same laws
that govern other products Of our count.
ny, the reason for which is TO be found
in the fact that silver is money and not
merchandise. NOTTINGHAM.