The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1893-12-07
.SILVRR SUITS HIM
Robert G. Ingersoll Talks Of
the White Metal.
IT'S THE MONEY OF TEE POOR MAN
He Gives His Reasons Why We
Should Have Free Coinage of Sill
ver-NOt Near Enough Money
to DO the Business of the
Country Contraction.

Col. Robt. G. Ingersoll speaks for the
money of the poor man and the continu-
ance of free coinage of silver in the United
States as following:
I said I would say one or two words on
such vulgar things as gold and silver. [
am as satisfied as I am that [ live that
the few-who control the debts, currency
and the money of the world-have com
bined either conscientiously, to make the
debtor pay more than the creditor has a
right to ask.
The tendency has always been in this
world to put the burdens on those least
able to bear them. In barbarian countries
the women are compelled to do the work
simply because they are weaker-that is
all. And the other being stronger, do not
expend their strength in working, but
expend their strength in making the
weaker do their work.
This is precisely the same in civilized
society to-day. Petween the rich and the
poor, if the burden is to be borne in this
country, it is borne by the poor always.
They are the first to suffer. Let the
blast Of war blow over this country, who
goes to the front? The millionaires? Not
one Who goes? The presidents of the
corporations? No. The banker? No. The
men who preside over the great vaults of
gold? Not much, The poor go, because
nine times out of ten the poor are the
most patriotic. The poor man bears the
burdens of this country and of this world.
Only few years age our money was
gold and silver-moneY that had been
the money of man for thousands of years.
Silver was demonetized and gold made
the standard.
There is no man in the United States
with ingenuity enough to account for the
demonetization of silver in 1873 There is
not one. We need altogether more money
than we have. How much have we got?
-Four or five hundred in silver, four or
SIX in gold--six hundred million alto
geLher, maybe. Let me show you.
Last year the farmers of America raised
OF corn, wheat and oats, over 81 100000
900 worth and got money. Sixteen hun
dred million dollars just in corn. wheat
and oats-oYer $8O0,000,0OO in corn over
So0O,OOO,OOO in wheat just think of lt
Sixteen hundred million dollars, not
counting pork, Or beef, or petroleum, or
cotton or any of the manufactured art
ticles of this country.
Sixty-hve millions of people, the most
active, the most energetic and most pro-
gress1ve OF the world-on the face of the
globe.
We need twice as much money per cap
lta to 90 the business of this country as to
40 the business of any other country.
There is always somebody crazy for fear
there will be more currency. I want just
all the money we can get.
Silver is good enough for me- All
want OF money is to pay my debt. Yes sir,
and l want the law to make the other
FELLOWS take what l take. That IS good
enough for me.
Now they talk about hard times.
Well, we never have had enough as
matter OF fact. But in prosperous times
9very prosperous man initiates the cur
rency. He goes down to the grocer, and
says, II want S5 worth of tea, sugar;
charge it," He buys horse of neigh
Dor and gives HIM a note for $780, He has
7oItlO11oAoO d 1otI6i VI CI0QlU ana 1011at- |
9d the currency that much. Then we have
good times.
Then these bankers get together, and
'he money you deposit, they loan IT.
your money, not theirs. They never loan
heir own. Then comes a panic. Then
you go to the grocer and say "charge it,"
md he saws he won't. Then there comes
What is known as hard times. There is as
much money as there was before, but
here never was enough money, and I do
hink the less money the more misery.
N this country as in every other it is the
Medium of exchange.
! believe every ounce of silver that
s dug under the American flag should be
'olned free under the American flag. In
ny country they are mostly on the other
ide. They are with the bankers, the rich
ollows. They get together and say we
want gold. A man makes contract to
,ay certain sum of money in five years.
want the law SO can pay the money
When the contract is due, with the money
hat was money when he made the con-
ract.
do not think that few should have
he right to combine to increase the value
Il what people call money, against the
[ebtor and in favor of the creditor. T
want free coinage of all the silver you can
nine from the mines of America And if
here are those who are not willing to