Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-10-12

except gold, which has enhanced its
value. Gold is now doing the work
that both metals formerly did, and the
demand for it is greater than the sup
ply. To take away from silver the
principal demand for it (the unlimited
demand of free coinage) and then
abuse it because it is not SO valuable
as gold, is like winging bird and then
damning it because it can't fly. Sup
pose we were to take way from wheat
it's use as flour. No one would deny
the proposition that wheat would de-
cline in value. If the proposition of
gold aud silver had been reversed,
gold would have been made commodi-
ty and had its value measured in sill
yer, and would have declined as silver
has.
8. The gold man will say-Admitted
property has declined in value-a
corner lot in your town worth $4,000
three years ago is now only worth 81
500. but you can buy as much now
with the 81, 500 as you could then buy
with the $40, Who is hurt?
THE ANSWER.
Suppose the man who owned the
corner lot gave $4,000 cash for it and
executed his note and mortgage for
the balance 1900. The owner would
lose the $4,000; this is one man that is
hurt. He being without money can
not buy luxuries and many of the nee
essaries of life which he would have
purchased if he had not lost the $2,-
500. This hurts the merchant and
trader. When by legislation man has
taken away from him that which he
owned and had right to possess and
enjoy, society is hurt. The farmer
cannot pay off his mortgage with
wheat at fifty cents, and must lose all
he has. He is hurt. There are four
debtors in this country to one creditor.
1t hurts four and gives one what is not
his by right.
And again the statement is not true.
There are many things that have not
declined. The statistical abstract pub
lished by the United States Bureau of
Statistics shows that coffee, tea and
many other necessaries of life have not
declined. We also know that taxes,
salaries of public officials, which the
people must pay, and many other
things, have not declined with the
price of commodities and other proper
ty., Also many Incidental things such
as tstreet-car fare, Pullman car fare,
telephone, electric light rates, etc.,
which are more or less source of ex-
pense to large class of people.
4. The yard-stick argument. The
gold man will claim that we should
have a fixed measure for values. That
you cannot have this with two metals,
but you can with one. That if you
= :
have both your measure of values are
changing all the time, and asks how it
would do to have a yard-stick that va
ried in length, etc.
THE ANSWER.
It is not comparison at all. His
premises are wrong. Like the fellow
who stood with a companion by the
side of river, and said:
.'John can prove to you that you
are on the other side of the river"
..What," said John, '.that am on
;he other side of the river?''
.Yes.''
s.Weu" said John, s.for twenty
7ears you have been building up rep
ltation as liar, and for being awful
mart, but proceed
Nov, john" said the vender of
ogic, ''you see that tree, " pointing to
, tree on the other bank.
ssYes," said John.
ssWeH that is on one side of the riv-
r, isn't it?r
"Yes," said John
"Now, then. If that tree is on one
ide of the river, you are on the other
ide.n II
A yard-stick is fixed measure of
sngth. It never varies the fraction OF
D inch ii it is correct. There is al
.ays SO much superficial area in a
ard of cotton or yard of calico.
here are always SO many cubic inches ff
gallon of oil or bushel Of wheat.
hese are fixed measures of length and
uantity. But there is no such thing !
5 fixed value of property. Use gold
) the measure Of value of a bushel of I
heat. The latter may be worth 30
snts to-day and 60 cents Tomorrow. I
ou can't make yard-stick out OF a
old dollar in the measurement of
alues.
A yard-stick cannot be tampered Q
ith and It's honest measurement is t
asily secured. If gold is to be our
,andard OF values, it can shrink or ex-i a
and at the pleasure of those who are L
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