The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-10

twice as good or there Is twice as much
OF IT, Dollars are only the language or
buying and selling.
There is neither gold. silver nor bank
M tes in nineteen-twentieths of the in
terchanges and commerce Of the world.
Currency measures value ana seldom APP
pears. except in small matters. Credits
and bills OF exchange and books OF ac-
count stand for the oceans OF commerce,
the actual currency its small rivers and
streams.
Actual business has practically demone-
tized both gold Gad silver. In ordinary
life for business purposes, men carry
about them very little of either and IL
much is given them they turn 1t at once
into a bank credit that they may check
on.
But silver dollars the people have al
most absolutely repudiated and demon
etiZed. They have forced them back into
the minis and Government warehouses
until their bags and cases are broken to
pieces and the walls of the storehouscs
are unsafe. And yet the silverites cry.
Give! GiVei'
If there is one thing that the people do
not want it IS more silver. No man In
trade wants more silver dollars. Only
those who have nothing to give for II
want abundant money regardless Of
it's value. Those who have things
that cannot command good money
wish all money TO he brought down to
the level OF what they have for sale.
A silver dollar now has it's purchasing
power largely because the Government
pledges itself to maintain it equal to
gold dollar. In that vain effort our Gov
crnment has brought itself into extreme
danger.
The silver kings don't want silver dol
lars: they want a Government pledge to
make them equal to gold, and II the Gov
eminent undertakes that it will bankrupt
Itself and the people.
4 bimetallic currency is 4 mere notion
silver can only be used as a subordinate
and ancillary currency. Neither
the United states nor all the Gov
ernments Of the world can fix the
relative value OF gold and silver
any more than of iron and copper. or of
corn and wheat A bimctallic currency
could only mean that when we have
silver discs and gold dollars all contracts
of sale will be definitely for gold dol
lars or silver dollars II would be the
highest exercise OF tyranny and injustice
for government to compel men TO take
them as OF equal value In trade.
An international Conference Is mere
idleness. II will be a good occasion 10
ventilate ideas, and, perhaps. enlght-
en- the world Truth and justice have
NOTHING to fear In the light: sllverites
may dread worlds conference. Jus
tice is to them (as to the Irisl'mam the
very thing they don't want"
For the Government TO stamp the
gold dollar and the silver dollar as one
and the same would be a fraud. and its
silver issues would be counterfeit; Il
would publish a falseho)d and vainly
trust iu the craven image. Bank is
sues that should stdrd for honest dol
lars, 20 he liquicatcd in trade, would be
proferablc to solemn government fats.
The Government has caused all this
trouble by its issue of currency and at
tempt 10 make money. 1t cannot make
money: it can only give its imprmatur
to hneness, weight and redeem ability
The sooner it takes up all its
gold notes by the issue Of bonds
aud cancels them. and gives us "A
wise banking system. allowing Communi-
ties TO establish banks and issue sound
evidences of value the sooner we Will
gee out of our troubles.
The want Of the hour is confidence. our
business interests now are drifting daZed
aud bcWildered. on the uncertainties of
politics. mortally fearing the rising and
falling tides. the quicksands of silver
LEGISLATION. with all its confusion and
danger Confidence can only come with
a kev-nOte of honesty from the Govern
ment itself that tells the people not TO
talk two WAYS, but 10 say what they
mean. and squarely fulhl their promises:
by the maintenance Of public and private
character at par. ,..
JOHN j.. WILLIAMS.