The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-08-08
Gold Standards Impossible.

hanS;iS Illy IlincS-
That most plausible plea, "An hon
est dollar for the laboring man." made
by those who are opposed to bimetal-
lsm, bears strong family resemblance
to the battle cry of those big protected
who clamOr for ''Pro-
lection for American industry and
labor and then pocket all the profit,
part of which they claimed would go
to increase the wages of their laborers.
The highly protected manufacturer
who is really solicitous about giving
higher wages to his laborers may posi-
bly, have an existence when the lion
and the lamb lie down together and
when the hawk is the best protector OF
the sparrow, but until the heart of
man ceases to lust after gold it will
hardly be advisable for Il mill hand to
expect voluntary division of protected
profits from the manufacturer.
The cry, "An honest dollar for the
| American laborer," is so scductively
attractive that not only are those cred
itors of the government who hold its
bonds, quoted ut II premium of 11c on
the dollar, in favor of abolishing the
coinage of silver, but there are other
less thoughtful people who are decelv-
ed by it. What interest has the United
States government in keeping its bonds
at premium when the law requires
that Il certain portion of its annual
receipts must be spent in redeeming
| them?
| The monometalists claim that all
other nations have ceased to coin silver
and that we alone persist in forcing 1t
on this country after it has been dis
honored everywhere else. Look into
this. In the first place, are We to be-
lieve that the majority of the taxpayers
who will be most largely affected by
the coinage or demonetization of silver
are all so deluded as to eagerly desire
a debased and unequal medium of ex-
change? Are we tc believe that the
masses of those engaged in retail pur-
suits as well rs many disinterested
students of finance are deceiving them
selves when they claim that there is an
insufliciency in the money supply of
this country? Are we to believe that
those who are willing to accept stand
ard silver dollars from the foundation
of the government until February 12,
1873, when republican congress,
aided and abetted by republican
president, passed the iniquitous demon
etization bill, We're either fools or
knaves? Are we to believe that when
the government in 1871 caused to he
printed on the face of each of its bonds
as IA part of its obligation the words,
at shall be paid in coin of the stand
ard value prescribed by the law OF
. July IA, lS70,n it intended to demone-
tie or stop the coinage of standard sill
, yer dollars? Are we to believe that il
the coinage of silver were to be stopped
t the business of the country would pros,
per with gold or national bank notes as
I its money? As all the gold mines il
the United States produce but about
S32, 900 900 in gold annually, why
2 should the gold bugs he permitted IL
= DEFY the constitution and send out oi
4, the country to buy gold bullion for us'
$ as currency III the country? why dc
: the eastern manufacturers want all the
protection for themselves and none fol-
the a~riculturist and miner?
5 The claim that all other nations
have ceased to com silver can not b'
n substantiated by any well authenticate,
4 facts. The laborerS in France, in En-
| gland and even in Germany are to-da.
= paid in silver. France and othe
. countries maintain their silver in al
y transactions ut par with gold nnde
: greater difficulties than the Unite,
| InN ~.
: Why is it that the great hue and or
S raised about the difference i'll til
n market value of gold and silver i
London does not drive silver out {
circulation in France?
e With industries tagging throughor
our land. with almost every buSineS
II man worrying over whether or nj
y Wall street will shut down on his bas
of supplies, with nearly all the none
IS of our country under the control of
= few men who would not hesitate, if
% were tn their interest, to withdraw
" from circulation and throw out
% plumb the affairs of trade, with Eurol
" drawing enormous amounts of gold
S' the shape of dividends ON our Sccur
l. ties, which if necessity of interest d
!" mand she can sell back To us, thcrel
st taking more money from our alreaf
II, ,e inadequate supply, the people will Is
III and demand that the next cnnSre
hl pass such measures rs will enabi" u
ne business interests of the country to
y, less liable to overthrow than the
must be under any system with go
p' alone as the basis for circulation. II
nc people are not the unreasomng ere
lures they are accused of being by u
hs gold bugs. They ask for nothing e
~ cept simple Justice, but they are sl'
re of that sort of conservatism" whl'
benefits a few at the expense OF L