New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-18
TU4T FREE COINAGE MEANS.

multitude Of intelligent and worthy men
nas>ionatcly desire free coinage ol Sl''''
scoing this. others diStruSt warnings dE'InS'
.hot sion however earnest and sincere loi
,bov say "lt is impossible that so many men
If sense some Of whom have proved theil
nroctjcal faculty by their success, should be
80 nalnahly in error as they must he II oppo-
ncutS of free coinage are n9h'' no ie''oN
inc is natural, but erroneous.
The safety of free coinage does not uepehu
mon mathematics or physical science or q"
questions which personal observation or prac-
teal experience in ordinary avocationS can an
,vcr. Il depends at the last upon one thi1|.
about which many intelligent ana pfac'ic''
men are necessarily ignorant. That one '"ihE
is the disposition Of those who have money ~
ccnmond If these men get alarmed anou'
free coinage or any other large increase oi '"c
silver circulation. all the rca>onngS oi Heha'oI>
Joncs and Stewart will not help matters IN the
least. When the men who have money al
their command draw ont gold, refuse 10 Iehu
if. or demand a premium for II, trouble ne
Gins which neither these men nor any othcf>
can stop. They may be foolish as inc sen
ators will doubtless affirm. But that does not
alter the fact that the course they adopt III
.clf defence Will bring serious results.
l. is the fixed bcicl Of advocates OF silver
coinage that nobody will withdraw gold from
uso mr. hold i, for. a premium and that if any
Lodv docs il will do no harm. But the fact j.
that men are already doing this very thing
Large sums IN gold have already been WIN
]ravn from use. and can nowhere he 1ouhu'
and thc motives of those who have taken thd'
cou,se are not al. all concealed III business
c;rclos "Lq>t summer" they say constantly
,ve saw an enormous increase in the monthly
nrrchasc of silver bullion, which seemed to Us
exceedingly dangerous. 1t gave rs reason to
fear tha, sooner or later interest on all SORTS
If securities and investments would become
uayablc in silver only. But thdt was h"'
onouch. Votes followed in November which
mean that an overwhelming majority In the
novt Congress will favor free coinage. III
| tha, event, we propose to hold what money We
| have where il can be safely held. or quick ~
transferred at pleasure" Men of this opinion
decline to lend cXccp; upon express contracts
e. pay principal and interest i'll gold. and under
| circumstances which assure them that those
contracts will be kept. Almost every business
man IN this ely must be personally aware
| that such motives do already influence The
| action Of some persons who are known TO him
| This safe Of things is aS yet confined =
only a part of those who have money n com
mand But if free coinage should come VIVA
reason is there fol surprising that the same
course would not be taken by all? WIZ
should any man lend gold or is cqulyalen
when he suppoScs that he may presently be
comncled to receive 50 gold dollars for ever,
500 loaned? Why should any man keep
security on which the interest or dividend ma.
presently he payable in So-callcd dollars WORT
each only 50 cents in gold?
It is the fixed belief of the silver men tina
the silver dollar no matter how many may b.
purchased, will never come 10 be worth an
less than dollar in gold. This notion, it !
quite pIO5abc can only he cradicatcd hy
severe experience. The people of this countr
do not want to have in circulation again
deprecated and iluctuating dollar. If one
sure that this calamity is before them, the
will vote very hard TO stop it. But bccauN
more purchases OF silver, or unlimited coir
age. It il quite possible that "A single mont
Of free Co;nagc would sweep away forever u
Sclf-dccepton on that matter But the co
e e that months experience would he so terrible
part ,uarly 10 farmers. Wolklngmen, and Il
( having debts 70 pay or WAGES TO earn, that cv"
Q FIR the sake Of public enlightenment sob'
d men shrink from the trial, and are disposed
n do all that they can TO avert it.