Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-07-18
A Plea for Silver.
San Francisco. July 3. ,q5.

NIX LDirOH:-t read III your last
isssie several columns OF gold liters-
ture, indicating pre.lilection for the
single gold standard that may refuse
admission to your columns of any de-
Tense Of silver. Having written much
on the subject, | venture to submit a
brief statement OF the silver side for
Your consideration.
II the people of Vermont were suf-
fering great prostration in their prin.
Icipal industry, and values Of their
property Of all kinds even cut in the
middle,a and they conceived that il was
due to legislation of Congress, they
would no doubt ciamor for reversal
Of the legislation. The Rocky Noun
tain States were built up by the min
ing industry, under the protection of
legislative free miatage. Without a
single plea Of any debasement OF sill
yer, that protection was withdrawn,
solely for the theory OF a single STAN
dard. The result was a steady decline
Of the metal, made a commodity, for
the want Of the nancy demand, which
had always absorbed two-thirds OF the
production. The ratio of l6 to was
arbitrarily fixed by government as
the fixed measure Of value and as the
relative cost value, representing so
much labor and risk to produce; and
miners claim, and have proven, that
the same ratio exists to-day. The de-
cline iii commodity value is because
of its outlawry. While the gold
countries maintain the parity OF the
existing coinage OF their own, the
great volume Of silver has practically
been degraded one-half and the value,
or purchasing power, of gold has been
increased correspondingly. The ra-
Jies ouram is upon us, and IT takes
about twice the property to pay a
mortgage that it took before this bur-
dening Of gold with the redemption
of our vast volume of paper, yet II i
called honest money. paper and all.
| We claim that il is dishonest money.
1t has wiped out equities in real estate
all over the United States. II has de-
stroyed immense values in the noun
ltain states, especially in farms. rail-
roads and what not for the silver in
dustry ramified every other industry.
| 1t Is singular that in the East you 50
advocate gold when the bankers have
drawn it out Of circulation. Paper
YOU call honest money, although there
| is not ten per cent OF its volume in
gold back Of it. The issue OF paper i
given to capitalists without the reserve
of single dollar in gold, only green
backs, which take their chance for re.
ldemption from the 100000, 900 re-
serve. The banker gets interest on
his bonds and also on the paper issued
upon them. OF course he opposes
| the production OF coin, and grea'
Industry is thwarted by the printing
press. Primary money is not needed
they say, only a little. They thlnS
800. 00O, 900 is safe to gamble on. The
volume Of our 81, 200, 600. 600 Of paper
..honest money! can be presented on
lly in driblets. When this paper, now
uncovered. is backed up with actua
coin. dollar for dollar, it will De tlm'
enough to talk about flooding TN
country with coin. AT present IT l
flooded with paper. Danish even tn
one and two-dollar notes and all IN
silver in the treasury would be out u
| the pockets OF the people and 70.
Fasteners would soon learn to ike ]
better than rag money" :.
4 In California, very little paper y I
circulation. Our people despise u
| Won could not see dollar OF pape
an the counters OF our banks; oni.
cold and silver is in sight. II pape
1 Z asked for, it is produced from
drawer. as If contraband. In the Eas
| the reverse is true. Californlans sd;
that in New York gold in SINAI
amounts is doled out grudgingly. An,
;mportant check would have 10 walt
trip to the sub-treasury. Here II
rendered in any amount on check
PRIMARY money, coin, is wanted here
ana when this education Is EXTENDED
East there will be Use for all the silve
and gold we can produce, and we VII !,
not be trembling lest the reserve iaii
below the hundred-million mark.
GRO. PARTRIDGE.
We are glad to give Mr.. Partridge
; defense of silver q place IN our ~
lumns. Whatever our own opliiio'
on various subjects may be, we s'''
not refuse hearing before our reae
ers TO those who differ with US. ~
! ling up the thread Of the article
The Rocky Mountain states, wl'e'
: the silver sentiment is strongest ~
silver producing states. u = easy
understand how fully they are COZ
WINGED that the '.prostration' allude
: to has been brought about by ihe =
ton Of the government III ieiusii'
taa co;naoe to silver. LlkcWisc IL