Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-31
WEDNFSDAY. July 81, 1895.
CO. o,r.rroI, on The silver Question

Our correspondent AT Allegheny springs
furnished our readers yesterday with an
interesting statement Of Governor OFef-
rails position on the silver question:
Tho Governor discusses that question III
n short. sharp. and decisive manner he
saws not one word in favor or DIVIDING
The Democrats of Virginia into two par
,ies or factions this year; but he tells in
a few plain. practical remarks what
ought to be done to bring about a real
himetallism. We cannot improve upon
the Governors language, and so we VIII
repeat what ne said TO our correspondent.
Here are his words:
II am not welded TO any particular
natal | am a silverite and goldite.
] want an abundant circulating medlum
OF both metals, which are equally recog-
n!zed in the Constitution as the lawful
money OF exchange. Nor am / wedded
10 any particular ratio of equalization
between gold and silver. If they can only
preserve q parity in the commerce and
exchange Of the world. But this parity
ought 10 be preserved. The trouble in my
mind IL upon the question of this country
undertaking alone to determine a fixed
o.
OF other leading commercial countries.
Without this. ! do not think It can be
done. believe we cannot safely enter on
the free coinage OF silver at a fixed ratio
without an international agreement. l
am. in short a bimetallst II there can
b. n concurrent understanding and agree
ment between the leading civilized nations
OF the world. / am for good dollar,
whether gold. silver. or paper. want the
silver dollar. which has been termed the
poor mans dollar 10 be determined as
everywhere equal to the gold dollar which
has been termed the rich mans dollar.
want a dollar. too. that can be laid away.
II the holder see proper. with the absolute
certainty that 1t will be worth as much
twenty years hence as now I do not be-
lIeve this can be accomplished by this
country going II alone"
q The Governors first remark reminds
us of Mr. Webster's legal proposition
that our government has as much right
TO demonetiZe gold as II has to dsmone-
TIE silver. Has II a right to demonetze
either? Mr.. jefferson once said: 1--WE
are all Republicans: we are all Federal
lists" Governor OFerrall makes a some
what similar remark touching the cur
rency. 81 am silverte and goldite."
says the Governor. II want an abundant
circulating medium Of both metals" This
use Of both metals is a necessity of the
case: for gold Is totally unfit to be coined
into single dollars. 1t lacks bulk. Silver.
on the other hand. is unfit TO be coined
into pieces OF more than one dollar each.
II has too much bulk So If we are to
have an abundant currency we must use
both metals.
The Governor favors. as everybody
ought to favor international free coinage.
But he does not think that this country
can. acting alone, effect that desirable
object. in words OF no ambiguity what
ever he declares that he does not believe
that this end can be accomplished by this
country "going 1t alone" Yet there are
many good Democrats who have failed
to appreciate what the Governor says
on this point Let us not foolshly at
tempt to $50 It alone"
Let us remark. by the way. that as no
ticular country needs. that fact renders
II all the more important that there should
be at least currency enough.
The Governor says ne is not welded to
any particular ratio OF coinage. Neverthe-
less. as he and we and all who agree
with us hold that the United States and
the great commercial nations of Europe
can fix a ratio that will bring silver to a
parity with gold. nothing need be said
at this stage of the game as to what that
ratio shall be.
Cooperative free coinage Is O measure
that may be styled one that promises
compromise Governor OFerran and Mr..
Sherman differ only on the point that
the latter proposes to "go II alone" II
the European nations decline to act con-
Jointly with us.