The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-06-07


other commodities. 1t is an
universal law that price or value
is measured by quantity. Under
these conditions the rational and
proper course would be a change
of ratio, but this can only be eff.
fectiye as to these two metals by
concert of action among conner.
ordinations. Until this can be
accomplished the only logical
way Is for each nation to man.
tain the coinage Of the cheaper
metal at par by Limitation of
amount; and redemption when in
excess of thedemand for it. Such
is now the policy of the United
States, and of every great com
mercial nation, including every
country in Europe. Other ma.
tions adopt the silver standard
alone; not from choice, but from
poverty. i believe that the policy
of the United States adopted in
1858 of coming fractional silver
coins in limited quantities from
Silver bullion purchased AT
market price, and making them
a legal tender for small sums. is
the only way to preserve the
parity of gold and silver coins at
a fixed ratio. THIS is properly
called bimetallic money. | hope
and believe that the common in.
terests of commercial nations
will lead them, through an inter
national commission, to either
adopt a new ratio based on mark.
ct value of the metals or to coin
them and maintain them as we do
at the present ratio.
Referring to the relative value
of money Mr.. Sherman said
The policy now urged by the
producers of silver. and by men
who wish to pay their debts in
cheaper money than they prom.
ed to pay. is the free coinage of
silver. This means the single
standard of silver and demoneti.
cation ofgold. This is the mono.
metallic system. Its the degra-
dation of our dollar to fifty cents.
If applied to our national bonds
it is reputation of one.half of
the public debt. 1t is the repu.
diation of one-half of all debts.
1t confers no favor on producers
of any kind whether of the farm,
the workshop, or mine, for if
they get nominally more dollars
for their productions. their ad.
ditional dollars would have only
one.half the purchasing power
of the gold dollars. The great
hardship of this policy would
fall upon workingmen, skilled or
unskilled, whose daily wages
measured by the present standard
is higher than in any country Of
the world. Their wages will
purchase more of the necessaries
oflife than the wages paid for
similar labor anywhere outside
of the United States. 1t is false
pretense that the production of
money will be beneficial'to them.
The Republican party, in its ma
tiopal platform of 1892, demand
ed good money of equal purchas.
ing power, whether coined of
silver or gold, or composed of
United States notes and national
bank notes, based upon the credit
of the United States, maintained
at par with coin. This is the
blmetalllc policy. There we
stand to-day. ! hope and trust
there we will stand forever. We
will seek the cooperation of all
nations, and OF all parties in
maintaining the parity of gold
and silver coins. If they will not
co operate with US in this policy
the Republican party can, and, l
hope, will, do it alone. Good
money and plenty of it is as i'm
portant to all our people as
equality of rights and privileges.
Let us then with a nrm reli-
ance upon the principles, policy
aud wisdom of the great party to
which we belong nominate our
candidates and declare our plat.
form, and then make an appeal