Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-03-17
Free Silver Coinage Once More.

Ed. Register-I intended my previous
| letter should be my last words on this
subject. I am quite sure these will be.
l try to use plain English, and yet
fail to make myself understood. When
and Mr.. Walker do not understand me.
It is evidence TO me that | am too
stupid to make clear my meaning, and
il is time / stopped talking.
tried. al the outset to make it clear
myself and the Free Coinage Silver
men as to silver being used as money
on party with gold. I am in favor of
that to the full extent that these two
metals are produced in this country
which in case of silver amounts to
some fifty TO sixty millions dollars a
year. Now. is that plain? | read it
over. and it does seem to me that it
need not be misunderstood. If that
much be settled, then next. AS to
volume or quantity of money, am in
favor of its increase to the full extent
it would be or could be. increased at
present By Free Coinage" Is that
clear?
II 1t is understood, then you ask how
- tba++o laa o.oor,,l;eba5 oo3 - ro,.-
being ripidly accomplished. by the
Government buying up as much silver
free coinage" were the law. and pay
ing for it in legal tender currency, re-
deemable by coming this silver when
needed for that purpose, or in gold
coin as might be elected by the Gov
eminent
You ask what then. is the real diff
ference, why any dispute? Simply this.
There is a profit in coinage of from 15
to 25 per cent. In the way l advocate
the country will get the increased cir
culation the same as in case of Free
Coinage" while the Government, the
tax payers. the farmers, the mechanics,
workingmen, everybody will get the
profits of Coinage; while by Free
Coinage" that is. by the Government
manufacturing the metal into coin for
the metal owner free of any charge, the
few men who own all the productive
silver mines of the country, get all this
profit and the taxpayers pay for the
process, The reader will take his
choice. There is no question of prin
ciple between US. Ii is simply a ques
ton of business management. As Mr..
Walker very happily expresses it, at
is the duty of the Government to furn-
Ish not only money. but money in suf-
dcient quantities to meet the needs of
the people Therefore, as the Gov
ernment undertakes to perform this
duty. this work. surely, it seems to me |
the Government. that is, all the people. |
you. and every other taxpayer, are
fairly entitled to the profits which ac
crue in making the money, instead of |
giving all the profits to the few million |
aire mine-owners. IF the farmers, |
-he working men, the taxpayers of the |
don't want any share of the |
profits of Coinage. but want the few |
owners to have it all. graf |
:. why, if they understand it and yet so
eel, all | can say is that it is d phe-
lomena thati is quite beyond my philos-
)phy, and | give it up as unsolvable.
Mr.. Walker seems to think. if ! cor
'ectly read him. that silver metal ought
lot to be a commercial commodity
ought not to be subject to speculation.
)f course no law could prevent that.
Iold and silver metal have always
1een bought and sold on the market |
Very few of the great commercial ma
ions as the world produce silver or
gold to any extent. They buy all they
want to coin and use. on the open
market, and always have. As a great
nation we must be careful
o have money, whatever it be made of
Is Mr.. Walker correctly says, Whose
-alue is fixed by the common consent
If mankind" 1t seems to me that Mr.
BANDS new silver bill is an admirable
measure, except that feature which
rives ali the profits to the mine own
rs instead of the Goyernment-the
people. Yours truly,
j. ". EMERSON