The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-12-26

The prosperity which began in
this country in 1850 and has pro-
crossed with almost constantly &C
celebrating speed from that day to
this, must be attributed to the great
mining discoveries and enterprises
which began in California and have
extended throughout all the region
of the Pacific coast and Rocky
mountains. We are not unmindful
of the fact that this and that polit-
ical partisan has more than once
claimed the phenomenal growth
and PROSPERITY Of our country dur
ing the remarkable period of which
we write as the result Of his party's
legislation. but all that is bosh Of
the worst kind. The unearthing of
the vast treasure-houses of the
mines of California, Oregon, Wash
ington, Nevada, Idaho, Utah. Brit
ish Columbia, Colorado, Alaska,
New Mexico and Arizona, and the
addition of their wealth of the pre-
cious metals to the money Of the
country, increased the volume Of
our circulating medium three-fold,
and the universal and inevitable re-
suit followed-better times, greater
prosperity and multiplied enter
prises. Legislation has in no in
stance promoted this mighty ad-
vance movement, but has crippled
and retarded it both by demonetiz-
ing our silver and by the wanton
destruction of our grecnbacks. Give
us back the free coinage of silver and
restore the volume of our circulat-
ing medium-our money Of circu-
lation-to $50 or more per capita,
and the old prosperity will be at
once restored, whether the demo
cratic or republican party is in
power, and whether We have tariff
for revenue or free trade. Law can
prevent but cannot produce pros
perity; it takes a plethoric circula-
ton to do that; but with a full
circulation a people can stand a
great deal of bad legislation.
But many pretend that silver is
not money. In truth it is not.
Neither is gold money. Nothing
is money until the law makes it
money; and gold is money and
silver is not money only because so
declared by law. Venice some time
in the 18th century, if we remem-
Der the date correctly, demonetizcd
both gold and silver, issuing paper
only until her power was broken
by Napoleon Bonaparte. Her COM
mercial strength was go great that
she could do this and have her
paper accepted by all trading ma
tons without a murmur, because her
paper was accepted by her people
in exchange for services and COM
modities. But our great financiers
Our Shermans and Cleyelands-
tell US that we, who can furnish the
world its meat and bread, must not
coin silver, lest Europe flood US with
hat metal! We must not lead but
follow in the wake or those effete
peoples and governments How
much longer will our people be
,uyed by such ignorant and servile
leaders,? We have but to coin sill.
FER as money and the whole world
will come to our standard, because
hey must have our products; for
aw makes money and necessity
makes law.
But if Europe, Asia and Africa.
'r all combined, should discover
hat they have the silver, and should
conclude to flood" US with it, as
'ur great leaders and wise men pre-
end to fear they would do, what
hen? They would not certainly
make us present Of that amount
If silver. They could not compel
Is to receive it in exchange for that
Of gold. They could not
wen force it onto US in payment for
'ur products-our corn and wheat
md beef and pork-how then could
hey dump their countless tons of
liver into our mints? There never
sas so glaring and dishonest pre-.
ense imposed on any people before
md the man who is now deceived
" it deserves a place in an i'm
'ecile asylum.