The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-08-03
j. HOGE ITLLR,S IIEW US.
He Is in Favor of "The Good Old Ameri
can silver Dollar"


can silver Dollar"
LYNCHBURG, VA, August Especial.
The following open letter from Lieuten-
ant-Governor J. Hoge Tyler has been
sent by the writer to the Lynchburg
News:
Radford, Va, July o. 1s93.-Mr. Carter
Glass, Lynchburg, Na.-My Dear Sir:
Several demands have appeared in the
papers recently that the candidates for
gubernatorial honors should make known
their views on the silver question" and
many letters have come to me from
different parts Of the State within the
last week making the same demand
had thought my views were well under
stood on the subject. but as ii seems
there is some doubt, | will with pleasure
at once give them, for though / believe
this to be a purely national question and
that national issues should be left to
national representatives, and State mat
ters to State representatives. and If |
am elected Governor of my State 1t
shall be my prayerful aim TO give prac-
teal attention 10 our own State affairs.
with the hope of lettering the condition
Of our people, yet ! recognize that this
silver question is the principal one dis
turbing our people to-day, and the public
has right TO demand Of all men aspir
ing 10 positions at their hands their views
on such important subjects
/ will say | have always been In favor
OF our good old American silver dollars.
on this / stand hat-footed, and all ] have
read and heard recently has not caused
me 10 weaken in the least. ! take no
stock In the clamor that we should bend
the knee to the wishes and demands of
other countries. There is gold enough 10
supply the wants Of our foreign eN-
changes The argument that silver VIII
run all the gold out Of the country finds
no Judgment I'm my brain. Gold Is not
peoples money. II never did and never
will circulate among the masses. As TO
driving gold out Of the country | cannot
see that any policy could more eiec-
tually drive It and all other money out
Of the country than that adopted by the
Republican party at the dictation OF the
gold bugs. If there was ever country
destitute OF money, it is this country
Of ours to-day. / mean money distributed
among the people. and surely country
with no money circulating and a system
that virtually excludes IL from the masses
is i'm the most distressing condition i'm
agnable. There is not money enough
among the people TO much more than
pay the tax burdens laid upon them.
The brick without straw policy Is
being nursuod and no wonder frequent
mutterings and EXPLANATIONS OF despera-
ton are heard Man cannot easily con-
sent 10 having his hard-earned savings
mercilessiy taken from him. ] do not be-
ueve that farms in my county or any
kind OF property for that matter, II put
I'D even in small numbers. could be sold
for cash enough TO pay the tax assess
ments against them. Surely this is
deplorable condition Of affairs. farmer
Is virtually excluded from the privilege
Of borrowing money, and 1t seems 10 me
they ought to have as much right TO bor-
row money on their property when in
distress as any other class. Before the
war they were the money-enders. and In
those good old democratic days the
monev-holders sought around as vigor-
ously for the borrower as the borrower
did for n lender. Then you had true
financial equilibrium and perfect stability
Of prices. and only under such conditions
can stability be maintained
What money. the true measure OF
value. that can be gotten or borrowed
now is not borrowed at all. but is simply
bought. and only for a few days at that.
This policy has robbed everything else
except money OF it's value Nothing IS
worth anything any more except money.
A man may have n piece Of property
to-day. but tomorrow it is liable to be
gone AT the dictates OF a creditor or the
demands Of the sheriff. If the Democratic
party allows this state Of things to con-
tinue a day longer than necessary the
people will hold II 10 a fearful reckoning.
cannot help but believe the present
state Of affairs has TO a great extent
been brought about 10 cocrce public senu-
ment We are tired Of n dOllar-and-a-
half dollar. a fifty cent bushel Of wheat.
II we could be made 10 believe that silver
bullion lost its par value with gold by
overproduction or fair competition, or that
il had suffered depreciation from any
natural cause. We would consent TO a new
adjustment Of ratios. There is no such
thing as a sixty cent coined silver dollar
II is not known now. never was, and
never viii be so long as people have con-
fdence In their Government If there
is, the people are hungry and begging
for all OF them they can get and gladly
taking them in exchange for their pro-
duce. Why should debt be paid In a
dollar Of three times it's intrinsic value
when the debt was made? The people
whose rights and property interests are
involved in this question deserve as
much sympathy and consideration from
the Government as the money-holder
Foreign talk about foreign matters may
do very well sometimes but attention
TO home people and home matters is what
is needed, and badly needed at this time
our politicians had better give an occa-
sional thought 20 the suffering many
whose property is depreciating. rather
than so much attention TO those whose
dollar is fast approaching.
Let the ban OF dishonor be taken of
Of silver and put 1t back where 1t was in
1873, and If II cannot then hold its own 1
would be willing for a new adjustment
Of ratios. l believe II gold had been dis
honored It would be suffering the same or
a greater ratio of debasement to-day than
silver IN this country. Confidence In n
Governments ability 10 meet its demands
is, as with individuals, the basis
OF credit II the Government does not
back more money than the people believe
its revenues will justify It is always safe.
and certainly we should have lust as
much money as the Government can float.
and not as little. II suits the money-hol-
ders to have as little. the masses as much.
1 am for the masses because they are
right; and though these views may not