The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-05-24

Unworthy of Chicago, the favorite au- /
thority Of President Cleveland, took |
the negative side of the debate. The
debate was held in the rooms of the
Illinois club, which we're crowded by |
prominent business and professional
men, all eager to hear the merits of the
opposing issues.
The audience, although evenly divid-
ed as to the proposition, were unani-
nous in pronouncing MIR. Harvey the
victor. He said:
Harvey's Argument.
The first reason why Il am in favor of independ
emit action by this country is that we should not
be subjected to the influences of the government
of Europe, which are plutocracies. They squese
the lemon of the people about every so often.
The few control class legislation and the masses
are hewers of wood and drawers of water for the
titled few. Like the farmer who goes out and
robs the bees nest, they rob the people and then
give them time to fill the nest again before going
out to rob it again. Now, if financial legislation
is one of the classes of class legislation by which
the many are robbed and the few were enriched,
by which the lemon is squeezed, then it is one of
the institutions of the European governments,
that we, as nation of people, republican in
form, should declare our independence of. That
is the first reason why independent financial &C
ton should be taken by the United States.
If they say, 'we must have the same money
that they have in order to carry on business with
them, my reply is that the biggest business we
ever did carry on with the balance of the world,
and particularly Europe, was the time when
they had gold and silver as money and We had
neither"
1t is one of those peculiar arguments that
wears its way into a man S brain when reiterated
and mOnOtOnously given out by the daily press
that we must have the same money that the
other great commercial nations have. We never
stop to investigate. This nation can have an
Independent financial system without any refer
ence whatever to the balance of the world and
can carry on its own commerce by ocean and
land with the other governments of the world
notwithstanding. We do not now settle our bal
ances with Europe in coin except at its CONNER
cial value and by weight, Our coinage has
nothing to do with it. Primarily balances OF
| trade are settled with trade. We give them our
wheat and we take their silks, and the balance
that we may owe them OF that they may owe Us
will be settled just as the merchant between the
importing points may agree to settle. They can
settle it in gold for so much a pennyweight as
measured in the money of their country or our
country, OF in so much copper or so much Of any
other merchandise as may be agreed on between
them in their trade relations.
There is no such thing as an internatOnal
money What we are cOntending for is the
opening of the minis to the free coinage of sill
yer. What we want is bimetallism and scientific
bimetallism is this:
First-Free and unlimited coinage Of both
gold and silver; these two metals to constitute
the primary or redemption money of the govern
ment.
Second-The silver dollar of 81 81 grains
of pure silver to be the unit of value
and gold to be coined into money at
ratio to be changed if necessary from time
to time if the commercial parity to the legal
ratio shall be affected by the action of foreign
countries.
Third-The money coined from both metals to
be legal tender in the payment of all depts,
FouFth-The option as to which of the moneys
is to be paid in the liquidation of debt to rest
with the debtor and the government also to ex-
ercise that option when desirable when paying
out redemption money.
The minis are now open to the unlimited coin
age of gold. Such portion of the product of that
metal as does not find an immediate demand to
be used in the arts and manufactures is taken
to the mint and coined into money, and becomes
at once the object for which all other products
seek the market 1t thus has an unlimited mar
ket as the minis are open to all of it that comes.
This was true also as to silver prior to 1873 when
the minis were closed to the unlimited coinage
of that metal. Hence, when silver now seeks
the markets and exhausts the demand supplied
arts and manufactures and the small purchases
Of the government to coin it into token money.
the demand for it ceases. Gold has an unlimited
demand Silver has a limited demand. Silver
is now a commodity to be measured in gold. 1t
is an object to be gOred and kicked by bulls and
bears 1t is shut out from the United States
mint. 1t is token money. 1t has been deprived
of the unlimited demand it enjoyed prior to
1873 We would restore to it that unlimited de-
mand; we would open the minis to it again; We
would leave the minis open to gold as they are.
Restoring to it this unlimited demand would
cause the value of silver to rise as compared to
gold.
We would again make the standard silver dol
lar the unit of value as it was before 1873. Silver
is the peoples money. 1t was so regarded by
our forefathers and was the favored metal of
the two. 1t was given the position Of honor in
the coinage of our two metals by having the
unit of value made from it, and gold, its com
panion metal, measured in it. Gold was and is
the money of the rich. Twice when the com
mercial ratio between the two metals made it
advisable to change the legal ratio, the change
was made by recoining the gold coins This was
in 1884 and 1881. The gold coins were changed
in weight and size. In 1884 the gold eagle had
u grains taken out of il. In 1881 the gold eagle
had tvo-tenths of grain added to it. No
change was ever made in the quantity Of pure
silver in the silver unit. There was to be no two
yardsticls. The rich mans money-gold-was
recOined when the commercial ratio interfered
with the legal ratio. This is the law we would
reenact.
We would make both legal tender in the pay
ment of all debts We would give the option to
the debtor as to which Of the two he would use