Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-12-09
FIR BE
 COINAGE
 IN IVY ExICO.

the City of Mexico, l stopped to LOOK at the final balances in which the Mexican silver dollar is weighed be- fore it is turned loose upon the public. In one side of these balanc s K placed the weight the equal of which the silver dollar must contain; in the other, the dollar is placed. II they balance, the dollar is pronounc- ed ready for circulation. If the dol lar is lighter than the weight, it is cast aside.
 I stopped the weigher for mo- ment, begging him to test the weight of a United States silver dol lar by his balances It contained less silver than the Mexican. A few minutes later, l went into a restau- rant. The price of my dinner was just q dollar. I handed the cashier the United States silver dollar. He gave me back in change Il Mexican silver dollar. Because of the differ ence. therefore, between the stamp oi the United States and uf the Repub- lie of Mexico, received q larger dol lar than gave and got my dinner besides
 This simple illustration is eonclu- sive proof that the United States silver dollar, but for thestamp which gives it a fictitious value. is worth only half q dollar. The friends ol free and unlimited coinage at the ratio of sixteen to one claim that the United States Government is so very rich and powerful that it can sus tain, in unlimited number, this klnd of dollar. The United States Gov elmment is very rich and powerful It is so rich and powerful that it is now sustaining over four hundred and nineteen millions of standard silver dollars, more than one hundred and twenty-seven millions of uncoin. ed bullion represented by treasury notes, and nearly seyenty-seyen mil lions of subsidiary silver-making q total stock of silver of six hundred and twenty-fonr millions-which without it's stamp guaranteeing re demption, would be worth but 5t cents on the dollar. Suppose though, that it tried to sustain at par an unlimited number of suel dollars. It twould be only q question of time when the great United States Government would be ready for th, hands of d receiver. It's dollars would thel, be worth by comparison with gold, like the Mexican dollars only half a dollar each.
 Revert for moment to the min at the City of Mexico. If the United States should declare forfree coinage does any one think that this min would coin any more dollars thar the necessities of trade absolutely re quircd? Certainly not. A larg' number of the fifty thousand dollars that it is now daily eOining would b, sent for coinage to the United State hints and would double their valu, at the United States expense. Tn, other hints in Mexico would alst suspend, and the silver bullion tha they are coining would be sent to tn United States for coinage. Very few of the fifty million dallars now il circulation ill Mexico would be spen in their present form. Practical, every dollar bearing the Mexican stamp would be sent mp tos secure tn, stamp of the United States. Tn thirty odd million dollars worth 0 silver bullion that is annually OK ported from Mexico would be sent tt the hints Of the United States t. await coinage at double it's presen value. The United States would als, have the pleasure of trying to coil seventeen million dollars worth o silver bullion annually produced b, Australasia seven million dollars worth produced by Germany, fifteel million dollars worth proa ea b, Bolivia, nearly three million dollars worth produced by our friends tn Chilians, and boarded silver iron every quarter. To coin all thi bullion would be impossible. Bu enough would be coined to brin: us to q silver basis, and this evi would be intensely aggravated by tn scramble of the worlds nations fo aaa, .'ence at the United States hints p,atto, .sndition of silver in Mexico ii k anot; d worse by the authorizations il pois ss,ealue. At Laredo, Tex, jus across the Rio Grand from Mexico,
 went into the Bank of Laredo" t exchange United Str for Mexican money. The caet sS cents premium. Thee 70 mt 92 cents premium. s of [ lemonade stand receivea Mexican money at 50 per cent. discount; thai is. when gave him a Mexican dollar for a l5-cent glass of lemonade, ht gave me back B cents in change valuing my Mexican dollar at 5G cents, and pricing his lemonade in United States money Many stores in Laredo and the eating. houses