The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-21

woRKISGMEN AND SILVER.

There Is a strike in Colombia against
silver. The laborers complain that the
purchasing power of Colombian silver has
decreased. and they ask more pay. They
ought to come up here and read he free
silver papers ard they would soon get
over that silly idea.
We were told TO look at Mexico. and
were assured that 1.-THE purchasing power
of the silver dollar has not changed"
Mexico II a silver country. so is Colombia.
According TO all free silver theories those
blessed lands ought to be the abodes OF
contentsd and prosperous workingmen.
But those men down there don't want
theories. They don't have TO: they have
the experience.
They say the silver coin is worth less
than IL used TO be. Well. what OF It? IL
II Is worth only 60 cents on the dollar.
doesn't IL take that much less to pay debts
with7
You don't have debts. YOU say. That
cuts no figure: some OF your neighbors.
who went into debt as far as anybody
would let them, want cheap money now
so they can pay those debts with silver.
and you ought to say cuckoo" aud fall
into line.
You foolish fellowsl /, is not silver that
has declined. Il Is gold that has advanced.
But what is that TO you? You have plenty
Of silver. Your silver is legal tender:
why don't you make those people take 1t
for 100 cents on he dohar7
They wont? You must pass another law
saying that u Colombian silver peso is
worth just as much today as 1t WAS in
1887: and IL that does not make It SO. We
don't know what will.
The condition Of Colombia ought 10 have
been better instead Of worse. For several
years the government has had m its pos
session $4,000 Of silver. which had been
held for the redemption OF paper currency.
Instead OF doing that. the government has
since late in 1894 usei Il to pay the army
and for other public purposes. Instead.
therefore. or contracting the currency, it
has been innatea. 50 that. according 20
all fre4 silver theorles-the greater the
quantity az money. the greater The pros
perity-ths times ought 20 be good in CO.
lomhla.
Precisely the contrary has happened
The rush OF Deprecated silver-although
Just as good LEGAL tender ms sver-has
weakened credit. workngmen are still
paid in ths legal tender. but storekeepers
viii only take IL e. IS true value. and
the result is that neeessaries have pro-
rartiouatelv advanced
Merchants Will make money. just as
Senior Romero says they 60 IN Mexico.
and the cost of production VII be re
6ucea." but In ooth cases Il means ths
sams-the workinEmsn hss 20 take the
deprsciatei money ard has 20 pay the
higher prices.
These are stubborn facts. Perhaps in
iSss. as IN lS9s. the WORKING naen ot this
country may he led away by specious the
Dries. Perhaps hey win denounce az enc
mics those Wa earnestly warn thpn az
the folly ~ attempting TO violate a COM
mere'al lsS IS 3.uolutahls "a she law Of
grsvita'taa. pm, wa hope 70 - remen-
hersi as among those who. IN spite az
ridlcu}e ard abuse. stood firmly BY their
true iuteves.s aa1 increasingly presented
u them she experience az the rast the
illustrations - Ire present ana the lney-
ftahte e-,.setstss~-a@ 90 the fu*t.~~