The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-18
THE DEBATE BETWEEN HOER AND
HARVEY.

If Mr. Horr is equal TO maintaining his
side of the controversy between himself
and Mr. Harvey, now going on in CHI
oago. the discussion. which is TO be stem
graphically reported and published,
ought To be one OF the most valuable
publications that the American people
Rave ever had. 1t ought to lay bare the
true foundations upon which a sound
fl, ancial system must rest. and become
thereby the horn-book Of the people. out
of which they would always hereafter
learn the sound lessons of finance. In
reading the reports OF the FIRST days dis
cussion. we must confess that We were
ut fully satisfied with Nj. Horr's treat
nent Of MS side Of the case. We thought
we detected In il a slight leaning towards
batting his doctrines into what would he
PECULIAR form rather than a scientific
form. II Mr. Horr is actuated by any
such purpose. then he is not the man for
the discussion. We DO not want popular
discussion. but scientific discussion. If
Mr. Horr states a sound proposition, It is
of no consequence II 1t be resolved with
exocration by ninety-nine men out of
every hundred. II the proposition be
sc and. the hindrcdth man VIII make the
nnety-nine understand II ard assent TO
IL after a while. We want scientific dis
crssion. therefore and not popular dis
cussion. We want II see MIR. Horr plant
himself immova'y upon the proposition
that the value Of a money metal depends
iron the labor necessary to produce 1t
and the desire men have for II after 1t is
produced: that it's use is in comparing
the labor involved in II With the labor
involved in other products. ana furnish
ing thereby basis upon which products
may be exchanged one for the other; that
II takes only one-half as much labor 10
prodrce sixteen ounces of silver as to
produce one ounce Of SOLD: that the labor
basis for exchanging products furnished
by sixteen ounces OF silver is a totally
different thing from the labor basis fur
nishcd by one ounce OF go,d THAI bust
ness IS rot. as free-coiners think. pur-
chase OF commodities for money. but only
an exchange OF one commodity for anOth-
or. put through the forms OF purchase
and sale so as to get the use Of the labor
basis OF exchange which the money metal
furnishes. and that as the labor basis of
sixteen ounces of silver is totally diff
ferent thing from the labor basis of one
ounce OF gold; il an exchange OF COM
modties is made I'm which one man rates
his commodity according 10 the silver
labor basis and the other rates his ac-
cording to the gold labor basis. both men
arc going TO be badly fooled and one is
going 10 be badly swindled
We want 10 see Mr.. Horr plant himself
immoyably upon these foundation princi-
pies. whether popular or unpopular. and
leave all the applause 10 his adversary
contenting himself with the appreciation
which he VIII secure from those who un-
derstand the subject and who will ulti-
inately control tho opinions OF all.
Our distrust OF Mr.. Horr IS founded
upon what he is reported TO have said In
the first days discussion about an inter-
national agreement for the free coinage
OF silver. IL Mr.. Horr IS competent 10
deal with his subject. this is one OF those
de;estable tubs 10 the whale which
render most political debates 80 barren
OF instruction. for he must know that
while silver Is produced as cheaply as II
II now. no international agreement could
keep sixteen ounces OF silver circulating
upon terms OF equality. for any length OF
time, with one ounce OF gold. II Mr..
JIorr IL Mt for the place he has taken he
must know that neither international
agreements nor statutes Of any kind can