Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-11-27
WHAT DID IT9
CHEAP DOLLAR IDEA CHECKED.
Eight of Property Attacked b. Silver
ites-Fallacies and False Statements Of
Silver Mine Owners Exposed.

ites-Fallacles and false Statements Of
Silver Mine Owners Exposed.
Various causes have been given fer
tie rapid decline in the free silver Sou
tmcut. VII CD less than year aso
asemod destined 10 sweep every hiYg be-
flre l.. The mcs' 'eriy exposition Of tie
fundamental lr nciples If tie currency
qaestiou by Secretary oi the Treasury
Carlisle il . fcrics Ct speeches has
doubtless doae much TO check the free
coinage idea In The southern states IN
advance cf over co Ter cent IN the price
Of cotton destroyed the sole argument
of cheap cotton Oh which the silverites
relied for their support by farmers and
planters Throughout The whole country
the educational work Of sound currency
clubs ard similar organizations, aided
by tie sornd money press, las exposed
tie fallacics ard fake statements
through which The agents CT the silver
mine owners bad focucd following
Tor tie cheap dollar scheme.
These different agencies have al coll
tributed 10 the roUt Of the lG to sill
verites, bat more potcrt inauence
than any or all Of them was the rccog-
nition by the American people Of the
right Of prof. erty and the hope Of every
citizen to he some day property own
er. IL the progress Of tie currency dis
cussiou it soon became evident that the
free coinage ngitators were really at
tacking the right to LolJ property, ani
that their al guneuts against tie gold
standard and tho creditor class wore
directed against the na.aral right Of
lenders TO receive back frJln thoir debt
ors os much property IS was loaned.
The Popul.st papeis and tie speeches
ard pamphlets Ct TIE moie rabid silver
ties were filled with dc1unciatioEs Of
capital. rich ren and Lankers 50 that
the issue between e Id and silver was
geuerally dropped fcf the wider ques-
tion If tie poorer classes against the
wealthy.
Fortunately fcr the cause Of sound
money, the great rnajur.ty Of the people
Of this country own property or hope at
some time in the neM future to be prop
erty owners. When they were asked to
support a financial pJlicy which would
enable all the debtors If the country 10
repudiate one half Of their obligations,
thus practically taking by law half O.
the property Of oil creditors, they
promptly answered NO. Those who
had a little money leaned cat to bank
or to individuals; all who held pre-
miums in Il life or FIRE insurance compa-
ny CT were in any other way creditors,
saw that they could only be injured bJ
the adoption Of 90 cent dollars
On the other hand, those whose husi-
ness was carried on BY borrowed money
knew that although they might be lem
porarily benefited by financial repudia-
tiou, yet whCn they again wished TO
borrow no one would lend, while all
who look forward, as every Americaz
should, TO being tLerselves owners %
property were convinced that their best
interests would lie served ty maintain
ing q currency system which recognizes
the rights Of every man 10 all his pos
sessions. Tney argued that If the pres
ent silveriie and Populist demand for
the couGscat5ou CT half of the property
Of creditors lhould be granted, II would
not be long before there would be an-
other socialist agitation fer the conlsca-
tiou Of iii property, aud they therefore
refused 10 favor o scheme which threat
ered to destroy all their hopes Of a pres
porous future. It Is for this reason
..b<,,., o. oshors ffot cchpuCe Cf rauu-
diaticn ard attacks On property owners
can never ,ecuro n permanent footing
in this county.