The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1892-10-08
Neihart, Oct. 4, 1892.

ED. ~ ERA LID.
Neihart, Oct 4, 1892.
Editor HERALD:-I beg to sub
nit for your approval this communi
cation to doubling republicans whicl
sets forth the facts as nearly as
see them: AS a principal reason
great many of us are affilatins
with the third party this year is th'
unsatisfactory silver plank adopted
at Minneapolis, | desire to call atten
ton to a few facts and reasons WHY
the support of the third party, this
year will not only be disastrous tc
the interests of the country in gen
eral, but particularly SO to the inter
ests Of the white metal. 1t is an un
doubted fact that nine out Of every
ten in Montana are in favor of free
coinage, and that they believe the
best interests of the country in gen
eral demand it, Believing this tC
be the case it is certainly our duty to
do all in our power to bring it about
in the quickest, best and safest man
ner. All will agree that as long as
the currency Of a country is sound,
honest and always interchangeable
the greater the percapita wealth, the
greater the general prosperity; but
it has been very often demonstrated
that the prime necessity at all times
is that it be all of equal value or in
terchangeable.
1t has also often been demonstrate
ed that whenever one dollar is better
than another, i invariably creates
distrust, and that by far the greater
part Of the hardship to the people
which insues therefrom, falls upon
those least able to bear it.
An unreliable currency always
has been and always will be har-
vest for the ''Shyloclls'' and their
! ilk who fatten upon the distress Of
| the unfortunate and destitute. An
other point to be mentioned is the
fact that among the creditor class
there is constant effort to increase
the price of a dollar, or in other
words to contract the currency in
| order that their rates Of interest may
thereby be indirectly increased. In
proof of this | desire to cite the
reader to some of the Legislation that
has taken place in Europe within the
last twenty years.
Whatever may have been the
secondary causes or local clrcum-
stances under which this Legislation
has occurred, | claim it as an indis-
putable fact that the prime motive
has been to make money scarcer
consequently dearer, thereby widen
ing the gap between the creditor
and debtor class.
Silver was demonetized in Ger
| many about 1868. Within about six
years Germany sold S9,695, ,720 fine
Oh. silver at loss from face value
of 96, ,4Sl 900 marks ($23, 600, 0,OOO) of
| which II, l,372,600 marks was the
result of depreciation in value during
this time.
Roumania not long since melted
down and sold 25,OOO,O00 livres, (fr. }
at loss of 21 cents an OF. in order
to be more nearly on gold basis.
Not only has this actual demon
etization taken place but there has
been a very makred tendency among
the European nations, especially of
late years, to accept the gold stand
ard. Under such circumstances as
these the question of free coinage is
one which can not be disposed of by
rhetoric, or political platforms.
Briefly stated, the facts are these:
Europe has an immense amount OF
coin which she is ready and anxious
to exchange for gold.
Under free coinage one of two
things would occur: Either gold
would go to a apremium or else we
should have to buy a great deal Of
Enrope's surplus silver at $I.2s
per OF.
First let us suppose that gold
would 90 to premium. In tta'
case the price of silver would be sub,
iect to exactly the same disadvan.
tages that it is now, and the people
of the country would be subject tc
the loss and annoyance of a variable
currency, thus bringing more evi
than good therefrom. On the Other
hand suppose we kept silver at par
we should most assuredly have te
purchase a great deal of foreign sll
yer to do so.
Now the question arises how are
we going to maintain the silver a
par? In answer, | maintain tina