The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1895-03-13
"The Boy Orator Of the Platte
Talks to a Large Audience In
Cincinnati.
Able and Eloquent Presentation
Of the Silver Cues
ti0n.
Interesting Facts Plainly Set Forth
by One of the Greatest Expon-
ents Uf the Subject.
cincinnati Enquirer.l

ask your attention tonight to briel
discussion of three questions. First
What is bimetalism? Second. Why
do we desire bimetallism and, third
How can we restore bimetallism In
speaking upon this subject in Cincinnati
am afraid that can present nothing in
the way OF argument which will be new
to you, because The Enquirer discusses
this question with so much intelligence
and ability in its editorial columns that
it leaves little to be said. feel that
such commentator of The Enquirer il
only just, because l think that / can
assert without straining the truth that
no paper in the United States defends
the principles of bimetallism with more
conclusive logic or more apt illustration
The Enquirer deserves especial credit
also because it advocates bimetallism in
the face of local opposition which
might terrify man with less devotion
or less courage than Mr.. Mclean has
shown. What is bimetallism? The
word itself would seem to so clearly in
dictate its meaning that definition would
be superfous, and yet it is not an un-
common thing to find persons generally
well read on other subjects who do not
fully understand what bimetallism really
means. One person said that he was in
favor OF bimetallism as he understood it
that is, that he was in favor OF the gov.
eminent buying whatever metal it need
ed. He was buy-metallist. A member
Of Congress from the State of New York
stated that he was in favor OF bimetal-
lism, but that in bimetallism he thought
gold ought to be the standard. Bimetal.
lism means two metallism, just as mono
metallism means one metallism.
Bimetallism does not mean that one
metal used as money is promise to pay
some other metal used as money, but
that the unit, or, as we call it, the dollar,
rests upon two metals, or is composed oil
two metals, and that one is just as truly
money as the other. Bimetalism does
not depend upon any particular ratio;
that is, bimetallism may exist at any
ratio fixed by law. For instance up to
1873 we had bimelallism in this country,
at the ratio of 10 to /, while at the same
time France maintained bimetallism at
the ratio OF 154 to l, and Mexico m ain
tanned bimetallism at ratio OF a little
greater than ours. But there can be no
bimetallism unless there is fixed legal
ratio between the two metals. Bimetal-
lism at the ratio Of l6 to l simply means
that one dollar in silver shall weigh 16
times as much as one dollar in gold. II
the ratio were changed to l to "a, il
would mean that the silver dollar must
be either increased or the gold dollar
diminished to such an extent that the
silver would weigh p times as much as
the gold dollar.
WHAT FREE COINAGE MEANS.
By free coinage of silver is meant that
any one who has silver in the form Of
bullion can take it to the mint and have
it coined into silver dollars at the coin.
age value OF the bullion, just as person
who has gold bullion can take 1t to the
mint under the law and have it convert
ed into gold dollars at the coinage value
OF the bullion. By unlimited or unre-
stricted coinage we mean that no limit
shall be placed upon the amount of sill
yer TO be coined, just as no limit ID
placed upon the amount Of gold to be
coined. Under the present law II the
owner OF gold bullion takes it to the
mint he is not asked where the gold wai
produced or from what country it has
been imported, or whether 1t is the pro
duct OF our own mines, 1t is received and
coined. We ask that the same privilege
be given 10 the man who owns silver
bullion. International bimetallism
means the use OF both metals as standard
money at ratio TO be agreed upon by
several nations. Independent bimetal
lism, as the term is used in this country
means the restoration OF bimetallism BY
this country alone, regardless of tn.
action OF any other nation. | have beer
thus elementary in order that We ma,
understand each other in the beginning
no that we may keep together as / pro
coed to discussion Of the subject.
Why do we desire bimetalism2. II Il
because We believe that by the use o
both metals as standard money we car
keep the dollar more staple In its pun
chasing power. and therefore more near
ly honest. than We can by the use Of one
metal only. When a silver man talk
about being in favor Of IAN honest dol
Ian" the advocates Of the gold STANDARD
at once begin 10 question whether h