The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1892-09-28
A CRITICISM OF MIR. oARLlSLE.
rReiected by the Anlerican Banker,l


ruslng your esteemed publication, which
makes its welcome weekly visits with
precision and regularity, and while dis
senting from almost all / see in Its col
umns, yet find the Banker an eminently
fair and candid medium through which
to become acquainted with "the other
side"
1t has been some time since have
troubled you with a communication, and
now wish the privilege of your columns
in which to offer few brief criticisms
upon the letter written by Senator John
G. Carlisle upon the silver question, such
letter being published In the american
Banker of August 13.
Kindly republish the following ex-
tracts from such letter.
Quoting from speech made by him
self, in the United States senate, Mr..
Carlisle says:
My position upon this subject Is briefly
this: am opposed to free coinage of
either gold or silver, but In favor of un-
limited coinage Of both metals upon
terms Of exact equality. No diScrlmins.
tlon should be made In favor of one
metal and against the other; nor should
any discrimination be made In favor OF
the holders of either gold or silver bullion
and against the great body Of the people
who own other kinds of property. A
great government should treat its citizens
alike, and whenever It attempts to do
otherwise it will engender a spirit Of dis
content, which sooner or later must dis
turb the harmony, if not the peace, of
society.
He then continues as follows:
The last paragraph of this extract
shows precisely what my position then
was and always has been upon this sub
ject. l believe that gold and silver
bullion should be treated exactly alike in
the mints of the United States-that is,
that dollars worth OF gold should be
coined into gold dollar, and a dollars
worth Of silver should be coined into a
silver dollar, and If no charge ls made
for coining the one, then no charge
should be made for coming the other.
Ia my opinion the declaration made |
upon this subject by the democratic
party at its recent national convention is |
perfectly sound In principle, and enuncl-
stes the only true public policy. That
declaration is In the following language,
which do not think can be misunder.
stood by any one who reads Ii:
SEC. Z. We denOunc0 the republican leeis-
laliOn known as the Sherman act OF 1890 as q \
cOWardly makeshiit, fraught with possibilities OF
danger In the future, which should make all Of
Jus supporters, as well as its author, anxious for
Its speedy repeal. We hold TO the use OF both l
gold and silver as the standard money Of the
country and to the coinage OF both gold and sill
YER without discrimination against either metal
or charge for mintage, but the dollar unit OF coin
age OF both metals must be Of equal intrinsic and
eXchangeable value or be adjusted through In
ternatt0nal agreement or by such safeguards Of |
legls alton as shall insure the maintenance Of the
parity Of the TWO metals and the equal power Of
every dollar at all times In the markets and pay
ments OF debts; and we demand that all paper
currency shall be kept at par with and redeem
able In such coin. We Insist upon this policy as
especially necessary for the protection Of the
farmers and lsb0ring classes, the first and most
defenseless victims Of unstable money and Q
1octuatiDg currency.
The gold and silver coins cannot be of
equal intrinsic value, as demanded by
this resolution, unless the metal con-
!sined in each Of them iS of equal value
While still In the form Of bullion. Coin
age adds nothing whatever TO the intrin-
sic value OF the metal, but only ascertains
officially Its weight and flneness, puts It
In convenient form for circulation, and
it by the stamp Of the gov
eminent The United States has coined
over $400000,000 in silver since the pas
sage Of the act Of 1878, but this has not
added ono cont to the intrinsic value of
the metal contained In them, nor has the
purchase and coinage Of its enormous
mass of silver during period Of fourteen
years caused any increase In the price OF