Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-04-22
FREE COINAGE.


limited coinage " motto and subs,;
tut'ng free coinage OF American
silver" This idea gained ground for
awhile, but finally went out Of favor
and the cry was "free and unlimited
coinage or nothing" Advocates Of
unlimited coinage successfully refute
the assertions OF tie goldites that we
would be flooded with foreign silver
with free coinage. The scarecrow Of
opponents of silver has been an ,magi.
nary picture Of shiploads of silver
from England and other European
countries coming over to be presented
at our mints for free coinage, the for.
elgner thereby realizing the differ
ence between the commercial price
OF silver, now SO per ounce-and
its coin value-$l29 per ounce.
Even If this should be SO, the foreign.
ers could not dump their coin on us
unless we were willing to take it, and
If it should prove to be 70 cent dol
lar the foreigner could not be gamer
It'could not be exchanged for gold
unless the holder of the gold agreed,
and he would not if the silver dollar
were not the equal Of the gold dollar
In short, the foreigner could not in
luce Americans to take the silver
coin without giving value received,
and in that event we would get his
coin and he would take our agricul-
tural produce or manufactured arti.
cles, and we would be the gamers by
increasing our sales to foreign coun-
tries But the assertion that millions
of foreign silver would come to Amer
ica every year for free coinage is not
backed by either facts or logic, but
is successfully put forward by the
goldites as frightener of the tmid
England receives more for her silver
in India than the coinage value IN
America, so it is absurd to claim she
would have 1t coined here at loss.
No one who has studied the question
believes for an instant that foreign
silver, with our mints open to free
and unlimited coinage, would come
to America. But even if it should
we would profit thereby. Taking
either view of it, whether it would or
would not come, why would not free
coinage of American silver be pref
ty good thing for us? Silver advo-
Gates are sure that none but Amer
lean silver would reach our mints
with free and unlimited coinage.
With this view, theD, of the silver
advocates, what would be the differ
erence between free coinage of Amer
lean silver and free and unlimited
coinage? None whatever. Then
why not advocate free coinage OF
American silver? By SO doing the
|
goldttes would be robbed of their
chief weapon. Their one song has
been the dumping of foreign silver on
us and the drawing away of our gold.
| If it is true, as the goldites claim.
that foreign silver would come here
for coinage, free and unlimited coin
age would be better for us, as for
eipners would not leave their silver
without exchanging it for our pro-
ducts, unless they should be so kind
and liberal as to give it to us. But with
the view taken by advocates of silver
only American silver would be pre-
sented for coinage. If this is true
why advocate unlimited coinage
Free coinage of American silver
would very soon lead to free coinage
in Europe, and an international agree
ment would be reached whereby I'M
limited coinage in America would re-
suit. The quickest and sures'
way to reach the end aimed at
(which is sure to he reached, ou
when is a matter of conjecture anc
uncertainty the quickest way to &C
compish the restoration OF silver t'
its old position, would seem to be t'
substitute for "free and unlimited
coinage" free coinage OF American
s;lvern Such bill would pass Con
press. and it has been said chat Presl
dent Harrison would sign it. 1t
sure that he would veto an unlimited
coinage bill. With the issue ire
coinage of American silver the op
nosition would be robbed OF its de
ceptive, but nevertheless effective
alleged arguments.
Gov. WILEY has received lette
/. .la Rnss1an Famine Committe