Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-07-28
10 REMOSETIzs SILVER
Argument IN Favor Of a Return 70 the
Conditions Prevailing Before the De-
norallzaro % silver.


mornlizaro of silver.
CHARLES Town, w. Va,
July 20, 1893
TO tie EDITOR Of ns REGISTER:
SIR:-The Democratic party has be-
fore il two important measures 20 act
upon for the relief Of the pe0ple-Tariu
Reform and BimetaIlism. The party Is
pledged 10 these 10 its platform, and
the people expect the present Admins
tratlOn 70 redeem these pledges. The
last campaign was carried on ehieny 'on
the question Of tariff reform, while the
silver question was kept In the back
ground. In pursuance OF the Biblical
declaration, nat The first shall DO last
and the last shall be first" tariff reform
has been relegated TO the rear and the
silver question brought to the front.
But II matters little which one Is con-
sldered first, so they are both acted
upon wisely for the best interests OF the
people.
Upon the subject OF tariff the course
scomparatively clear, and there mas
been 50 much said in this connection
that it would be almost supernuOus 70
say more. But on the silver question:
the way Is not so clear at least 70 a
majority Of the people II Bimettallsm
had been as freely and honestly dis
cussed as the tariff and as much time
spent in educating the people In us
beneficial results, there is not the least
doubt that it would have swept the
country by as large majority as ala
tariff reform.
An extra session OF Congress has been
called especially to legislate In regard
70 the silver question, and let US trust
that honesty and justice 70 the people
will mark the course pursued. 4ne
masses are the ones that need RELIEF and
not the wealthy money-hoarders, stock
brokers and spectators. There Is out
one thing necessary for Congress- TO
do and the relief will come-REMONE-
TIE SILVER.
10 is alleged by some writer's that tnis
Is impractlcable, because OF the impos-
ability 70 keep gold aud silver on q par
itV with each other. So it is impossible
70 maintain this parity, so long as the
necessary legislation does not exist.
There must be a law creating the parl-
~ and establishing the equality, before
that equality can exist. Under the
present law there is no equality; silver
is subserVient TO gold. 10 order TO see
II il Is possible TO have a standard OF
currency made OF silver as we'll as OF
gold, it will be necessary 20 inquire,
what Is money aud what are its tune-
tlons? Money may be thing OF IN
trinsic value and IL may not. In this
country. several kinds OF money are In
use, but IL is only necessary TO discuss
three-gOld, silver and paper money.
Gold Is now the 6=st and the standard.
When the government issues a gold
piece and puts IL ia circulation, the re-
eeiver gets a thing Of intrinsic value oy
which the government declares 10 will
regulate all other money. There IS no
promise Of redemption on the part Of
the government, aud the receiver OF the
gold piece must take il for what II Is
worth, with the necessary governmental
safeguard, that when the owner owes a
debt 20 the government It will receive
the gold piece az the same value that
was placed upon 10 when 10 was put in
circulation. Nobody seems 20 be afraid
OF the gold dollar, but the great imam
ciers and brokers raise loud cry when
IL Is proposed 20 make the silver dollar
lust as stable. Where is the stability
of gold any more than ID silver? 1t Is
not because OF any governmental raspon-
sibllitleS, FOR the Zoystnment does not
-- .edv6m the gold. When 10
out the gold dollar 10 says 20 the
receiver. SEQ With it; take 10 for what
10 is worth; will never give you anything
in redemption of DC; all i will do. Is
70 receive 10 for any and all debts at It's
nominal value. 10 is thing OF value
aud stands on its own intrinsic worth.
Ny stamp is only guaranty that IL
has been adopted as money and will
always be received az It's nominal value
for debts sc. This does not guaran-
tee that the dollar Is dollar, but only
guarantees thas no matter how low its
intrinsic value may shrink, the govern
meut will recelye IL as dollar. Hence
the OwnQ4 hxS 90 risk 20 run and he re-
ceives De dollar 10 good faith. What
mOrekOes ho want, no meter whether
thTd0llar Is made of 5 II, silver or
1n? Now, why cannot the govern
meut take hold OF silver and treat 10 in
a similar manner and 10 will always be
good as gold? Let the government say:
besides receiving so many grains Of
gold as a dollar We will also receive SO
many grains OF silver as dollar, and
the silver dollar shall always be
as welcome in my treasury as
the gold dollar. Then the standard
Is established. the parity between gold
and silver Is created. and all that is
necessary, Is for the government 20 re-
ceiye the silver dollar for all debts
equally with the gold dollar. The in
trinSic value OF the two metals has
nothing 90 DO with keeping up the
parity between them so far as the gov
ernmeut Is concerned. The govern
ment}has nothing 20 do with maintain
lag the intrinsic value Of gold, and it
does mot maintain TO- The only func-
TOD IL performs, is 70 receive back the
? 8old dollar as OF the same value when
it was issued. The same can be done
with silver. or course, the fact that the
government issues the gold dollar and
will receive it always at its nominal
value, places gold on higher plane
thar other metals aud causes 10 70 reg
ulate their value. The same can be
dome With silver, and ali that is neces-
sary Is for Congress 70 establish the
Quantity OF silver that shall be used ia
the d6llar; then, remOuetize silver and
let tsAcoinage be regulated as gold is.
This dAne, the people will hear no more
about tine cheap silver dollar
Paper money has no intrinsic value,
aud Us wbrth is derived from the prom
ise os thel government 20 pay the bearer
IFS face value or 90 redeem it with cur
rency that mas intrinsic value; but IL is
impossible 20 redeem the redeemer.
Hence tne government cannot redeem
- IL can only racelva IL again for