San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-01-15
THE SILVER QUESTION.
Judge D. c. Robnson's Views IN Ans
wer to the cypress,

Editor san Autouiu Iilht
The Express asks, IF silver is the
money Of the people; why not issue sill
Yer to them instead of silver certili-
Gates - Does the Government issue
money to the people, just as it issues
rations to its soldiers? The ENpTes;
ought TO know better. The Express
ought to know that, however plenty
money ID, that man can not get any I'M
less he has something to sell or pledge
in payment of his daily labor. and that
the silver has first TO be deposited with
the Government before the certificate is
Issued. Again. "iT the Government
stamp on so cents worth Of silver makes
it worth 100 cents in gold, why not that
stamp on piece of paper make it worth
as muCh:' The Express ought to know
that the Government stamp on the
pieces of paper, known as greenbacks,
makes them as good as gold; If it doesn't
know it let it take greenback to the
banks and see.
The Governments stamp upon its bonds
makes them worth premium Of
1913 up to ~. II the Express
don't know ii let it look at
daily quotations of the value of United
States bonds. And why is /; because
the full faith and credit Of the Govern
ment is pledged for their payment.
There is no gold or silver especially
deposited for their redemption; whereas
the 4l2t grains Of silver stamped by the
Government of the value of 100 cents is
deprecated by the Government itself.
by its official aCtiOn-by the arbitrary
rule of the Secretary of the Treasury
without warrant of law 49, paving the
bondholders in gold and declaring silver
unworthy of redeeming such privileged
claims. Did II ever occur to the EX-
press that when the Government coins
piece of gold and stamps it Of the
value Of dollar, that 1t is not dollar
of the value OF 100 cents. but that It is
worth one dOller and twenty cents; that
when the bOndhOlder presents his bond
of $1,000, face value, to the Secretary Of
the Treasury tor redemption, that h.
receives 5000 dollars therefor,
bond, too, payable in the cur
rency of the country, that is
when the bond was issued also by
subsequent act Of Congress payable in
coin, gold or silver.
The. bOndhOlder tells Mr.. Secretary,
speaking for the gold bugs, we don't
care whether you stop the coinage Of
silver or not, you may purchase 2.OOO,-
600 of bullion each month or lO.OOO,OOU
If you like. so long as you continue to
pay us our interest and principal in gold.
so long as you don't compel us to take
that vulgar silver you receive for Gus
toms. The more you depreCiate silver
the better for lis. We have boarded our
gold and when we want more our bonds
will bring il. Stop the coinage of silver
and we will buy the bullion. The silver
dollars already coined, not being re-
Ceived for customs. will be further de
preCiated, so when come again to see
you, you will pay me SljOO instead OF
$1,000 for my $1,000 bond. 50 it matters
not to us what the legislation of Con-
gress may be so long az you continue to
pay us gold, so long as the Government
makes II distinction in its coins, we will
take advantage Of it.
Silver being the money of the people.
the money which they rescue for their
products, their corn and wheat, their
cattle and their hogs. and the labor Of
their hands, and its depreciation being
recognized by the administration, why
don't they. II desiriOus of equaliZIng the
values of the two coins, set the example
by using silver for any and all purposes?
The credit of the United States Gov
eminent is a pOwer-the full faith and
credit Of the Government given to the
silver dollar will restore its value, and
that faith and credit can only be shown
satisfactorily to the people by the adj.
ministration. through its Secretary Of
the Treasury recognizing the face value
of the silver dollar in all the transac-
tiOns of the Government. -. &. K.