Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-27
Try the Experiment.

The most sanguine advocate of the
bill TO provide for free coinage OF
silver ought to admit that he is sup
porting a measure which cannot be
considered otherwise than as an expert
ment. The laws of finance are not az we'll
understood as some other laws. We say
that things which are equal to the same
thing are equal TO one another, and then
we proceed to argue that inasmuch as by
law we can make silver equal 10 gold at the
custom-houses and internal tax offices, we
can make it equal to gold all over the
United States if not all over the world.
But there may be hitch somewhere in
our argument. Like certain civil engi-
neer famous in Virginia in former times,
we may drop uaught," and so
mislead ourselves and those who rely
upon us into monetary bog. We claim
that we already have the best currency IN
existence when we regard it in some of Its
features. But there are unsolved problems
in the financial world as well as in the
physical universe; and it is at least posi-
bic that one of those unsolved problems
may prove TO be obstreperous and refuse
to obey the laws which We have formulated
for its government. There is nothing so
obstinate as the unmanageable elements
Of proposition which we have evolved
out Of our own inner consciousness" and
attempted to pass upon the rest of man.
kind as next to self-evident. There is no.
thing which we cannot see better than our
own mistakes. The weak points in our
arguments we are too apt to look upon as
the strongest points. Our logic is almost
certain to appear faultless to us when we
employ it to sustain proposition which
we have persuaded ourselves is not only
original with us but worthy of acceptance
by everybody.
Some Of our good friends who agree with
us in demanding free coinage have taken
us to task because we maintain that II the
bill 20 provide for the free coinage OF silver
should become law this winter its opera
ton would before Congress meets next De-
cember convince either the monometallists
or the bimetallists that they are on the
wrong side OF the question. More time IL
demanded in which TO allow the expected
results Of free coinage TO manifest them
selves. There ia no occasion for this de.
mand. Monetary movements. like "timt
and tide,n wait for no man. They worh
out their inevitable results whilst wesleep
or rather "both when we wake apd when
We Sleep" as MILros phrases 1t.
Tbs Danville Register finds no difficulty
IN understanding the proposition that free
coinage viii. if tried, soon vindicate itseli
or else carry its own condemnation along
With its operation. That paper quotes
from the Dispatch the opinion that If thu
silver bill shall become a law during tbs
present session of Congress the operation
OF the law will soon satisfy nine-tenths o
the voters elthes that the monometallist
are wrong or that the bimetallists ar
wrong, and then comments in the follow
ing convincing language;
"Tbas Is our view as already expressed In thi
selumn Free COINAGE 10 necessarily an expert
rnsnt and nobody can know. until The expert
msnt has boon tried just what tho effect on
will BE- But IN cur opinion Il can do pnt it'll
haru ct the worst 70 make the experiment. ans
~ % sSuasy " thar free eonsss IS just d
oae thipg nsedtui 10 develop this great country
81 ours and 10 mako great Industrial boom.
sThsrc ts an old saying mai the best way =
ret ria Of bad Iss u 70 enforce y, aud II fre'
COINAGE should prove 70 be- = bad Law u would e'
yepeslod In short order. Tho fact 10 that tbs
people q this oounxy make the laws, and 81
law Ia the American republic II but the expires
sion Of pubiic sestimenk
. Fne psopie sometimes m AXE mistakes and
foros fneir legislators 10 make bad isws, but a
eoon ~ shsy realize that mistake has been
rns6s they arc very prompt 20 ccrfsctit
y ~ psopls believe thst the frss ooinsge o.
oliver q baslneps secsssity. and sooner OF later
M ere eoise 70 hsys such Law teseted * "