The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-08
The Silver Question.
We have received the following letters
among others on the silver ouestion.

liable paper and oblige a subscriber:
Nv hat is free and limited coinage OF silver
and which is the better policy for the gov
eminent to pursue relative to it?" BY de-
filming explicitly the above interrogatory
you will oblige many readers of The SEN
TINEL. Louis EITEL-
Vernon, Ind, April ,.
To THE EDIToR-Sir: Will YOU please
give an article in THE SENTINEL on free
and unlimited coinage from democratic
standpoint? If we should have free coin
age could other nations bring their silver
over and have it coined and demand gold
for il? What is the value OF the silver
mined in the United States per year?
u. NJ. FoUTs.
Hagerstown, Ind, March 81.
To THE EDIToR-!Sir: nave noticed in
several of our leading papers the express
sion OF many opinions on the subject,
Free Coinage of Silver" and especially
that OF Mir. CLEVELAND. l would like TO
zee an expression from you. 1 have been
reading TnE SENTINEL and il you have
given any discussion on this subject 1
have failed to see il. Yours, 81. s."
Farmer, Ind, March 90.
Answering these letters collectively we
will say that TIE SENTINEL believes in the
free coinage of silver 1t has frequently
expressed itself to this effect, and has
never seen any occasion to change its
opinion THE SENTINEL believes that the
supply OF the precious metals is none too
large to meet the worlds legitimate re-
quirements for metallic currency. 1t also
believes that it is peculiarly 10 the inter
est OF the United States, the largest silver
producing country in the world, to utilize
this great resource to the fullest possible
extent. Furthermore, it is convinced that
the country can absorb. with entire safety,
all the silver money that will be coined
for the next twenty years, under free
coinage. THE SENTINEL is also entirely
convinced that the present ratio between
the gold and silver dollars can be, and
ought to be, maintained.
Believing all this, THE SENTINEL is still
of the opinion that the silver question is
not now, and is not likely to be very soon,
the dominant issue in our politics. The
revenue question is the all important
question. 1t far overshadow the currency
question. While an increase in the circu-
lating medium is certainly desirable, it
would be of very little benefit to the
masses of the people so long as the pres
ent unjust and oppressive system of tax
alton (miscalled protection) was main
tanned. There can be no great relief 10
the farmers of the country from the free
coinage of silver so long as they are
weighed down with the intolerabIe burdens
of McKinleyism. Until they have ar OPP
portunity to sell in the dearest and buy in
the cheapest markets they can profit lit
tie, il any, by an enlargement of the cir
culating medium. The prices they get
for their products will still be regulated
by the market for their surplus-Europe
where it will be adjusted on a gold
basis. What will it profit them to have
more money in circulation unless they
can get more of it into their possession?
Free trade is the one thing that can
bring speedy and permanent relief to the
farmers and wage-earners of the country.
Not that it will cure all the ills from
which they suffer, bat that it will put them
on something like an equality with other
classes in the community and give them
an opportunity to work out their own sal.
walton. The duty nearest to the people
and the one which can most
readily be performed is TO wipe out
Mckinleyism. This can be accomplished
if the democratic party will devote itself
with earnestness. and singleness of pur-
pose, to the task. If it attempts, at the
same time, to reorganize the currency
system of the country it will risk every
thing and probably lose al. The party
is not agreed upon the currency question.
The eastern democrats, almost to a man,
are opposed to free coinage. Many west
ern democrats a1ree with them. But the
party is practically unit on the tariff
question. DAVID b. HILL and his hand
full of protectionists cut very little figure.
If the democracy goes into the fight next
year with "a tariff for revenue only" as
its shibboleth, holding the currency ques-
ton in allegiance, it will surely prevail.
After the tariff has been reformed the
currency question can be taken up. One
great question will have to be disposed of
at a time.
Answering the specific Questions nrO-