The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-10-03
THE SILVER QUESTION.
Some Interesting Questions Answered
by the Hon. Alfred M. WaddelI--
Good Reading for the Times.
Wilmington Messenger, 24)

city, having given much thought to
the financial question, and having care
fully read every speech during the
pending debate in the present extraor-
dinary session of Congress, we referred
to him the inquiries made in the sub
joined communication from an es
teemed subscriber to the MESSENGER.
The following with regard to the mat
ter will be read with interest:
WILMINGTON, N. c., Sept. 81. 1898.
Hon. A. N. WaddeU::
DEAR SIR-As you have given the
| silver question careful study, we would
thank you to take the enclosed under
| consideration and answer the questions
propounded. Yours truly,
JACKSON & BELL
NUTS TO CRACK.
The following was received a few
days ago by the Messenger:
MOUNT OLIVE, N O., Sept. 20
Editor Messenger:
VIII you please answer the following
questions through the column of the
messenger, to enable many Democrats
to come to some decision on the finan-
cial question:
15t. Can thu government maintain
the parity between It's gold and silver
coin In any other way than by paying
gold for silver coin when demanded9
2nd. If the parity is maintained,
how could the price of cotton be ad
vanced by free coinage" when the
South is compelled to sell two thirds
OF it's crop in gold markets.
3rd. If the parity is maintained,
would it not be as easy to pay debts in
gold as in silver?
4th. If the parity is maintained, will
the standard be the value of the metal
in q gold dollar or the value of the
metal in standard silver dollar2
9TH. Can there be a double stan,
dard, and what is it2
B. A HALLRTT
COL. wADDELL's ANSWER
WILMINGTON, N. O., Sept %, 1898.
Me88rs, Jackson & Bell, Froprietor8
Messenger:
A prominent and intelligent mer
chant of this city said to me recengly
that the only opinions On financial
legislation and money matters that
we're intelligent and reliable, we're
those of men who had money that
their views ought to control legislation
that the opinions of man who had
not been pecuniarily successful in life
we're necessarily based upon ignorance
and therefore worthless s-and closed
with Senator Vance as an illustration,
saying: There's Senator Vance, he
has made no money, and what does he
know about the fnances7"
This may be the sentiment of other
merchants and business men who are
ignorant of the fact that the greatest
statesmen, political economists and
financiers that the world has produced
were either poor or in moderate cir
cumstances-in Robert Morris,
the great financier Of the Revolution,
who spent several years in jail for
debt-apd, if so, they must, of course,
esteem men like Jay Gould to be better
qualified to legislate for the people on
money matters than our gray-haired
Senator. If the fear of criticism by
men holding such absurd opinions
could influence me, would decline the
service you ask me to perform, but 1
accept it, without the least pretension
to superior knowledge of the subjects
embraced in the questions
OF course, cannot go into an elabo
rate argument to prove the correctness
of the answers I make, as it would
weary your readers, and take up too
much space.
It is evident, from the nature of the
questions, that Mr.. Hallett is not in
favor of bi metallism and the free coin
age of silver. He probably regards
the silver dollar as "a dishonest dol
lar' which has no right to keep COM
pany with the honest gold dollar.
This talk about a dishonest dollar has
been in the mouths of the enemies of
silver for long time, and many people
have been induced to accept it as true;
and yet there is not dishonest dollar
in circulation. The general way of
putting it is to say that silver dollar
is only worth so, or 80, or 70 cents.
Worth it in what2 Not in labor, or
provisions or other products of the
field and shop, because a silver dollar
will buy 100 cents worth of either of
them just as a gold dollar did ten years
ago; but the complaint is that silver
dollar is only worth so, so or 70 cents
in gold, and this means not that the
silver dollar is deprecated and dishon-
est, but that gold has appreciated in
value so that while silver dollar will
still buy 100 cents worth of staple