The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-10-04
MIR. Cleveland and Free Coinage.

Mr. Cleveland and Free Coinage.
A few DAYS ago, while Senator Vest
was making Il speech to the democrats OF
Boone county, Missouri, at Columbia,
General Odin Guitar, the republican lead
er arose and asked the senator about ME-
Clevelanl's attitude on the free coinage
of silver. Senator Vest made this reply
and we beg to call it to the attention OF
southern democrats:
1T is within my personal knowledge
that Mr.. Cleveland is in favor of the free
coinage of both gold and silver, and that
he ONLY differs with me in respect to the
ratio"
II will be observed that Senator Vest
speaks OF his own personal kneWledge'
and his declaration, clear and unmistak-
obIe. tallies exactly with statements re-
Gently made in these columns with respect
TO Mr.. Cleveland's real position on the
silver question.
In commenting on a letJer written some
weeks ago by Senator Carlisle, The Con
s,itrtion ycntured to suggest that the at
titude of the Kentucky senator toward
free coinage ives nearly related to that of
Mr.. Cleveland. Senator Carlisle, after
endorsing the financial plank Of the Chi
caco platform, which any CONSCIENTIOUS
froo coinage man can endorse. went on
TO say that IF an attempt should be made
now for the United States alone TO author
ize the free coinage of silver, and so fix
the ratio by legislation as to make
gold and silver dollar of equal intrinsic
hn OH
make the present commercial value OF
silver bullion the basis OF the ADJUST
mont The free and unlimited coin
age of silver under any ratio that might
be established would therefore have a
tendency to bring the value of the two
metals nearer TO each other and the true
value for the purpose of coinage would
be found at some point between 16 TO /,
and the present relative prices of siiye'
and gold bullion
III other words, giving Il broad AMI
liberal Interpretation to Senator Carlisle
position as set forth in these quotations,
ne would be in favor of the free and I'M
limited coinage of silver for the purpoS"
of discovering the true alto OF tue two
metals and adjusting our ratio TO suit the
facts of the case.
We believe this to be the position OF
Mr.. Cleveland We believe that, all
other efforts to secure cooperation fall-
ing. he would be in favor Of free and un-
limited coinage by the United States Tor
the purpose of adjusting our silver com
age to the true ratio. There is nothing
sacred about the ratio between gold ana
silver. Our government has tempered
with it in an arbitrary manner on more
than one occasion, and the skies failed to
fail.
1t is of course true that the free coin
age men believe that the free coinage OF
silver-the placing of the metal on an eX-
act equality before the law with gold
bullion-wOuli restore parity and fix the
ratio. Nevertheless it might happen that
a change of ratio would be necessary
1t has been necessary or at least desirable
once before and it may be necessary or
desirable again. We are sure that no
earnest free courage man viii peniit the
adjustment of the ratio TO stand III the
way OF the fulGllment of his desires.
The Constitution believes that Mr..
Cleveland is III favor of free coinage on
the terms suggested by Mr.. Carlisle.
The republican hcelers are preparing
F,l -