Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-09-27
OUTLINES HIS VIEWS.
TIE FINANCIAL FAITH OF A PROMI-
NENT PROHIBlTlONlST.


Why IIo Opposes Free Silver Charge That
the Law of 1873 Was II Crime Iins Never
Been Provcd-pnst Experience with De-
based Currency.
In letter published in Tho Now
Era, Chairman Samuel Dickio of the
Prohibition national committee outlines
his views OH tho currency question rs
follows:
Without undertaking an argument in
behalf of amy proposition herein, sub
NIT tho following rs in part dcclara-
ton of my financial faith,
First.-Upon any satisfactory plan
for equalizing tho intrinsic and NOM
inal value of our coins 1 nm Il bimctal-
list. An international agreement or an
Increased ratio might sufficiently ap-
proximato tho desired result. To de-
crease tho amount OF, gold i'll our gold
coins might accomplish tho Same end,
but would no "a palpablo fraud.
Second AS between gold mono
motallism and silver monomotallism
nnhcsitatingly declare for tho former
As to FREQ coinagc-sovcral years ago
when this question began to attract
public attention I found myself i'll
clincd TO sympat.,i.:o with tho advo-
Gates of FREQ coinage. Before commit
ting myself either way sought to mako
careful examination Of tho question,
md believe that l was ablo tn study tho
problem us II student and not ;is an nd
vocatc. began my examination of tho
Issue, however, with tho belief that n
studious investigation would only tend
to confirm and strengthen impressions
and prcjudiccs which, at tho time, l
knew rested on no we'll established
foundation.
An examination of tho Issue i'll MI its
bearings has led me, almost against my
will, to tho conclusion that ut tho ratio
proposed, and without international
agreement. tho free coinage of silver by
tho United States would DO Il calamity
of no mean magnitude. III this position
find myself i'll harmony with tho best
Thought of tho Prohibition party, us
witness the rejection OF FREQ coinage
plank at Cincinnati by the decisive vote
of $50 for to 900 against. Tho follow
ing arc among tho conclusions which
have forced themselves upon mo:
First.-Thc charge that tho law of
1873 was II "crime" and tho outcome of
a conspiracy" has never been proved
There is no direct testimony. tho cir
cumstantial evidence is utterly imado-
quatc, and tho absence of motive is I'M
portant
Second. Tho effort OH tho part of
tho silver men to poso as tho especial
friends of the worliingmcn and to hold
up their opponents in the guisc of "aris-
tocrats," "bondholdcrs, "rohhcrs."
gold barons," "Shyloclls, etc., is n
most disgusting exhibition of tho dema-
goguc's art.
Third. Equally insincero and absurd
is the attempt to arouse prejudice against
an inert substance by tho violent dec
lamation that "gold is Il traitor, t"gold
deserted tho country when Sumter was
fired upon, y gold never fought bat
Ito for us, !" "gold fled'in the time of
danger, " nobody saw any gold during
tho war;" Substitute "silver" for
gold Ill tho preceding quotations,
and they arc equally true.
Fourth. Cold measured by human
toll, which is tho only true standard,
has steadily deprecated in purchasing
power for many years.
Fifth. accommodates, produced by
improved methods of production, ought
to deprcciato i'll value, and such tcpre.
citation is 10 evidence of an apprccia.
ton i'll tho currency of the country.
SiXth.-Debtors contracting debts
during OF SOON after the war and pay-
ing dollar for dollar" in tho lato SOW
entities or since certainly suffered scrious
hardship. This hardship was incident
20 our recovery from an era of deprcci-
ated money and was not caused by tbe
"orimc" OF 1878.
Seventh.--Freo coinage, as proposed.
would mean silver recommendation de.
preciated currency and tho prompt dis.
appearance of gold.
Eighth.-To defend tho lebasement
OF our currency OH the ground that
cheap money will benefit the debtor
class, enabling them to discharge their
obligations moro easily, is to advocate
rank dishonesty.
Ninth.-A reasonable prospect of tho
enactment OF such legislation us ia ad:
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