The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-20


standard. The United States dollar con-
tsins less silver than the Mexican dollar.
Mr.. Bennett tsncered q United States sill
yer dollar in payment for his dinner.
whose price was just dollar. The cashier
Of the restaurant gave him back In change
Mexican silver collar. Because Of the
difference bstsecn the stamp Of the United
States and Of the Republic Of Mexico
Mr.. Bennett received . larger dollar than
he gave. and got his dinner besides. This
simple illustration il conclusive proof that
the United States silver dollar. bat for the
stamp which gives 1t fictitious value, ID
worth only half dollar.
The friends Of free and unlimited coinage
ct the ratio Of l6 to claim that the United
States government Il 30 rich and powerful
that 10 can sustain In unlimited NUMBER
this kind Of Q dollss. This United States
government IL now sustaining over l19,-
000.0 Of standard silver doliara more
than SLIT .ooo. 600 Of uncoined bullion repre-
sented by treasury notes, and nearly ST.
900 of subsidiary siiver-makinx total
stock OF silver Of 1874. 0o0. ooo-wh!ch, with
out it, stamp guaranteeing redemption,
would b worth but 80 cents on the dollar.
Suppose We tried to sustain ct par an I'M
limited number Of such dollars. In that
event it would be only . question of very
short tims when the United States govern
msnt would 60 Into national bankruptcy.
It's dollars would be then worth by com.
parison with gold. iiks the Mexican dol
lars. only half dollar each. II the United
States should declare for free silver
coinage Mexico would Of course SEND her
dollars for coinage 70 the United States
mints, because she could double their
value ut the United States expense. The
silver bullion that the mints Of Mexico are
ccining would be sent to the United States
for coinage. Every dollar bearing the
Mexican stamp would DO sent up to secure
the stamp OF the United States The $50
o0o. 600 worth of silver bullion that is annu-
ally exported from Mexico would be sent
to the mints Of the United States to await
coinage and double its present value. The
United States would have dumped at the
doors Of her treasury for coinage sI7.ooo.-
600 worth Of silver bullion annually pro-
duced by Australia, s., 900 900 worth pro-
duced by Germany, s15.0co. 600 worth pro-
duced by Bolivia. and nearly 5000, 600
produced by Chilli. exclusive of the silver
boards that would open and dow from
every quarter. To coin all this bullion
would be impossible but enough would be
coined to bring as TO . silver basis. The
fluctuations in the value Of silver In Mex
leo are frightfui.
At Laredo. Tex, Mr.. Bennett exchanged
United States for Mexican money. The
cashier of the bank gave him IS cents pre-
MUM: another bank gave him 90 cents
premium. while the depot agent gave him
OF cents premium. The keeper Of q lem
onSde stand received Mexican money at so
per cent discount Many stores in Laredo
exchanged Mexican money for United
States money at tho rate Of two for one.
Mexican money Is quoted In the market
like wheat. cotton or sugar. In Texas
meals at dining stations are 80 cents In
United States money. In Mexico the
price of . dinner becomes 81 In Mexico
the iaborsng people suffer fsarfully from
their deprecated currency. The iaborers
are paid in Mexican silver. while the ex-
porters are paid in foreign money and
make profits accordingly. The wages In
| Mexico are miserable pittancs By COM
parison with the wages paid the laborsrs
In the United States The general average
Of daily wages in all the Mexican states
shows . minimum Of 2s1S cents; amaxi-
mum Of 50 cents; an average of 50 cents.
These wages. remember. are paid in Mexi-
can money. which Is worth only half as
much as United States money.
This con 3ition Is certainly not an argu-
men. Why laborins people shoali demand
free coinage Of silver. The common ssnss
| OF the question 10 this. The leading eoun-
tries Of the world have gait coming silver
and We are fools to persist in ecining thssr
silver for them The reduction in the
price Of silver bGIiion IL due to the IN
creased production. In 1878 the worlds
| production o. silver vas estimated a. ST.
so0coo In iSz2 IL wss estimated a. sla6.-
eoAeoo This shows an increase In annual
supply IA twenty years Of over 40 per
cent An increase in production of 100 Ter
| cent 10 very fair reason fer q decrease
| in market yAlas OF 100 per cent. Tn.
growth in population, 20 be sure, has
tended 10 increase the demand Cor silver.
| hzs this has been ossss By modern fsesal-
Ties for deias business BY means Of checks.
railroads and telegraph wires
Mr.. Psans.,'s Mexican srperienes Ia.
sas3s him al ssrass, himsiAlgi.s Who 10
anxious for the day when silver can BE-
| circulated sroand the world 81 . re.soa-
abe ratio ca . parity with geld. TIE
United States now recognizes bizaesailisz
By circulating over sooo. GOO 90 IN silver
and notes representing IL NoE dollar Of
this ssno. ooo, 90 Is dsmoassizs1. Every
dollar Of II. By Tire trien3linsss % the rev.
srnmsat. eireniasss At par iass IS vel -
II IL contained . dollars vertA Of silver
instead ef 80 cents wozsh-
Bat tas Uaitsd States cannot carry this
| Kind 81 q ee.lax forsveE. Nr. Bssnsss