The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-07-02
Words With the Right Ring.

We take pleasure in publishing
the closing remarks Of an able
speech upon the subject Of silver,
delivered by c. s. Hall, Esq, Of
Ouray, Colorado, at the Western
Colorado Congress, held at the
above named place few days ago.
The subject was handled in mas
terly manner and should receive
the hearty approval of all friends
of the white metal"
"Mining for the treasures of the earth
has been carried on for thousands of
years. When Cain was keeping sheep
and Abel was tilling the ground, people
were mining down in the land of Nod.
Solomon sent his ships to Ophir and they
returned laden with silver and gold, and
precious stones. He must have had
miners there by the tens of thousands,
chased the vast treasures that adorned his
temple and added to the wealth of his
kingdom, aud he did not acquire them
by conquest, for he was not a fighting
king. Talk about the rich men of mod
ern times, If history is reliable, Solomon
accumulated $4,000, 100000 silver and
$4,000, 600, 900 in gold and still he was
not happy. It appears that some OF our
modern Cresuses are trying to ape that
corrupt king by robbing the masses and
building temples. Soon after this great
kings death his immense wealth fell into
the hands of prof1igates and was scattered
throughout q dozen kingdoms. The
wealth of our money kings will go in q
similar manner, for he who getteth
riches and not by right shall leave them
In the midst of his days, and at the end
thereof shall be FOOL Solomon was
silver bug. He was wise in his day and
generation. He chung to his silver and
parted with his gold. The sheen of his
temple was dazzling. It's exterior was of
silver. Within it was adorned with gold
and silver. In all ages silver has stood
side by side with gold, and at times was
superior to and more valuable than that
metal. 1t remained for a combination of
bankers and bondholders of Europe and
q few political hirelings of this country
to degrade it and destroy its usefulness
ana influence in the commercial world.
The banks are loaded with money but
they are Withholding it from the people.
Silver is commodity in the hands of un
spectators, and manipulated
for political and speculative purposes.
The legislation of the country is con-
trolled by the money power, and corrup-
ton stalks boldly and defiantly through
the halls Of congress. With the present
low price of silver mining is dragging
it's slow length along, and if relief does
not soon come depression will settle like
the pail of death upon every INDUSTRY.
It is shown by incontrovertible facts that
with the decline in the price of silver the
price of every staple product of the
CniteI States declines in corresponding
ratio. There can be no stability IN the
value of any commodity with that article
f1uctuating at the dicta.ion OF specult tors.
When the mines are highly productive
and remunerative all other industries are
benefited, money becomes plenty, com
merce reyiyes, anu renewed life, enter
prise, hope ard energy, 1uickens the pull
'es OF the nations. The minis should be
opened to the free coinage of silver on
IN equality with gold, and every ounce
Of the two metals the world can produce
should be coined aud put in circulation,
except the amount required in the arts.
The closing of the mines and the con-
traction of money have eliminated in the
downfall of nations. The free coinage of
silver would not he an experiment. II
las stood on an equality with gold at the
hints from the time the two metals were
irst coined and became factors of ex-
change.
productive mines, money plenty in the
hands of the people, labor fully employed
md amply paid, are the safeguards of
;ivil, political and religious liberty. No
nation can long exist where the fruits of
human labor are absorbed by the few,
hus ieaving the masses in Indulgence. For
years this country has had no legislation
% benefit the masses. 1t has been exclu
lively in the interest of corporations and
lie millionaires. And still the people (
walk up to the polls like cattle and vote
or their oppressors. They are so welded
% their old party affiliations that blind
less has come upon them. Until the
people break away from these traditions
md establish their independence they
will remain in bondage to the political
;harlatans and the money power"