Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-08-08
BRITAIN vs.. TINE nEpuBLIc.

In recent issue we suggested that
the same considerations which now cause
nionometallists to seek the abandonment
of the use Of silver as standard money
may at no distant day make them quite
us hostile TO the yellow meal. The at
tractiyeness of gold to thcm Is not its
color. yellow or white, pea green or
sky-b,uc, is all the same to them
A late issue Of the New York Times
replies to the argument that there is not
enough gold In the world to serve as
universal prop TO circulation. The grow
Ing productiyeuess OF the Johannesberg
mines In South Africa is cited as an
evidence of the prospective suilicioncy OF
gold. The formation OF the veins Is de-
scribcd and scientific grounds are as
sigucd for the assertion that "a period
of life is promised the W.twatersrand
district Of which the end cannot be fore
seen az the present time" Other In
teresting facts are related:
The record or these mines Is one VI the
most wonderful In tile history Of the min.
erHl Industry. In 1857 their product was
only l3.l 0d ouuces, worth from $40 10
SiS2o por ounce; IN lSSS Ii was 2lSl2l
ounces; IN iSll 12n,2.iS ounces aud In
months Of the present year G1lnT nnncus
have been turned out and the Yield is Atill
Increasing. From presen, Indications It +
Africa will take the premier position among
tue goi-fr0iuclng countries OF the world.
In the meanwhile the yield OF gold Ia
Cept IN The United States. where II II sta,
tl5nary-- though not with ilie phenomenal
Satcs the output In 1872 was 1,jad.aIa
ounces. against ODl,s so In the previous
year, IN Aneirnlasla there was an Increase
frnn i.5is,iJ5 ounces to 1GiS.5Dp w Rus
sla. according TO the stailstcs Just re,
portel. an lncrease from iiO1,314 ounces
10 LIS, ia5, and IA british India .an In
crease from l2DuD1 OUNCES TO liLuu1
These countries produce over 81 per cent
OF The WORLDS supply OF gold,
The closing down OF The silver mlnes Of
slieht decrease IN the product " this coun
try. rs much OF their ore carries y small
nn'onut Of gold; but eycnlully there. VIII
stimulated by the less profit Ia silver min
lug In other countries. however, there y
promise Of notable Increase, which wi.
compensate for any deficiency on the par
Of the United States, aud LEAD 10 an ~
crease In the total production OF the world
as there has been every year since 1880
coinage Of silver assert that gold mining !
on the wanc and the production OF sold !
decreasing. they make statements whicl
are disproyed BY the statistics.
With the mining industry OF Soutl
Africa In an embryonic state, who cal
say what will follow It's full development
The men who witnessed an effort to de
monetize gold because Of the Cahforpi
discoveries may live to see another at
tempt Of that sort induced by the pre-
ductiveness of the African ninea
But these facts presented by IN
Times contain other lessons.
The chief objection to silver is n
cheappess Of Its production. The Time
here shows that one series Of gold min,
have within Ave years increased the
annual product from less than $1,000
900 TO more than so2,o00.o00. The q
act ratio Of profit no one knows save Il
owners, but It Is known that in this r
epect It exceeds any modern entcrpril
Of large proportions. Within the perlt
named a village has grown to a Gil
on tho profits of these mines. and the
British cwDera have fatteued in veal
beyond tho fEssms II orcesus.