San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-02-03
SOLD BY ALL DRUGGISTS.
PRICE, sec. and $500.
Prepared by !. L. LYONS & co.
New Orleans. In.
The silver QUESTION.

Ibc StlNcF
translated from German (democrat(
Stats ZeituDg)
Anything a political wire puller
will not resort to for his interests
with the great public, is certainly not
worth mentioning. Nothing yet has
more plainly and surely shown the
above statement than the go called
silver coinage question, which has
for some time been moving the
minds of the opposing parties of the
country until now. Seldom ever has
has there been so much noise made
about question resting upon so II.
logical foundation and bearing
the imprint of nonsense than
both parties have made about this;
schooner still have persons claiming
sound discl elton and the title of states
men, been found battling for b cause
that promises them no victory but
might cause them to lose their repu-
tation as sensible and thoughtful men.
From this we naturally exclude those
who, through favorable turn OF free
coinage, would receive q direct ben
eft.
The concentrated focus of the W hole
question is that the mine owners of
such states where silver ore furnishes
the main commercial and export pro-
duct seek to create an enhanced value
for the metal by the enactment of a
coinage law. There would seem to be
nothing wrong In this and anyone
not initiated would volunteer to
question why this matter apparently
30 easy of solution should not be done
without so much blarney. The better
informed, however, do not find this
so easy, and that emboldens US to
draw the attention of our readers to
some of the difficulties confront ting
the question.
We will begin with the benefits
that the mine owner in the silver pro-
ducing states will have to see his bul.
lion metal converted into coin. The
American dollar has an intrinsic
value in pure silver, according to the
valuation placed upon II, by inter
course with the world, Of
about so cents (it may be
fraction more or less) yet
by act OF congress, these so cents
are made to represent 100 cents, prov
i3g ty example, ought to be upheld,
that if the balance OF the world wants
our trade it will have to submit to the
increased valuation we ourselves gave
our dollar.
The consequence of this was that
the majority of foreign countries
rather tnan abrogate commercial in
tercourse adopted gold standard
and only sold their wares for gold,
while strenuoUsly engaged to get rid
of their silver for our products on our
increased silver rate.
UnquestIonably the United States
has the right to declare how much
silver shall be contained her coined
dollar, no one will refute this, but
when it comes to debating to the bal
ance of the world at what rate it
must take our dollars, we have gone
too far, particularly when we declare
not to receive their silver at our own
standard. In consequence, as al
ready men toned, the gold standard
obtained in other countries and when
silver is sought to be made the pur-
chasing medium in place of gold, self
evidently the price of our articles of
commerce had to be increased. 1t is
easy to understand that this has not
been shown or published, neverthe-
less though, it has been the natural
consequence.
The fathers of the idea to increase
he value of the American dollar re-
sorted to another expediept to keep
up its over-value, by demanding that
only a certain quantity could annual
Iy be coined, and by q contracted
circulation believed to regulate the
higher figure. The scarcity of the
silver dollar as circulating medium,
and because large quantities of gold
left our shores, created desire to in
crease our coinage, and as the
wealthy mine owners Of the silver
producing states, naturally sought
the highest worth for their products,
they began the clamor for free COIN
age, which they are agitating still
if any one in reality furnishes the
mint only so cents of silver, and by
congressional enactment has its value
raised to 100 cents, there arises net
profit of 20 cents on every dollar
coined.
Since we have had no distinction