The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-29

and rolling stock accidents ought not
to occur. He contends that 1t is per-
fectly safe to run so miles an hour.
SIMPLE QUESTIONS SIMPLY ANSWER
A correspondent in search Of light
asks some questions upon the silver
question. to which we reply as follows:
First-Do you mean by bimetallism that
all silver bullion may be coined up into
money Irrespective OF where the bullion is
bought or by whom held. and at the ratio
Of 16 TO l?
We do.
Second-Do you mean by a 16 TO ratio
that the value Of sixteen ounces OF silver
is 10 be equal to one ounce OF gold!
We do; that being the ratio liked By
the act of congress of 1887.
Third-Anyone can now get as much
value in merchandise for the necessaries
OF life for 81 in silver as for 81 in gold.
If bimetallism should be adopted would
this be changed, and if so, In what way:
1t would not be changed.
Fourth-We now have in measure BIZ
metallism, that Is. we now use as money
both gold and silver. What would be the
actual difference to the public in general!
Should we have, by the adoption OIL such
a mea sure more silver coin in ciruIauon!
The silver coin would circulate as
now. chiefly by means OF paper repre-
sentatiyes, and business of all Kinds
would improve.
FYfth-How would bimetallism affect
the general working classes. who are the
bone and sinew of every country? DO
you think they would be benefited In the
way of providing steadier employment and
at better wages?
That is our conviction.
Sixth-What, in your opinion, is the
reason that the free coinage OF silver is
mainly antagonized by the weather.
classes and championed mainly by the
farmer?
1t is opposed by the Weather classes
because they do not understand tnat
the real wealth of the country depends
upon the prosperity of the farmer and
other workingmen. 1t is advocated
by the farmer. because they feel that
the effect of demOnetizing silver mas
been 10 reduce the price of farm pro-
ducts, so that it now takes two bushels
of wheat and two pounds of cotton TO
paw the taxes and debts that could
formerly be paid with one bushel OF
wheat and one pound Of cotton.
Seventh-What 90 YOU mean by de
monetization of silver?"
Taking away from silver the right to
be coined into dollars at the mint for
the benefit of the owners, which was
done by the act Of 1873.
Fighth-Money. no matter what II con-
sists of, whether Of paper or metal, IS
recognized universally as being only
medium Of exchange. Now. this being
the case, can you explain why il is nee
essary for me TO have sixteen ounces OF
silver to equal one ounce of gold? Why
is ratio fixed at all?
Money is the creation Of law. 1t Is
that which pays debts and taxes. AS
a medium Of exchange its use is de-
pendent upon mutual agreement There
is no such thing as international money
except by international agreement.
The only money of country is that
which by law may be paid into courts
in satisfaction of a judgment and TO
the taX-collector in payment of taxes.
Gold and silver have always been re-
cogniZed as money metals. and all gov
ernments have, at various times, by
their coinage laws directed that GER
tain number Of grains Of coined silver
shall be equal to a certain number of
grains Of coined gold. The number
of grains of coined silver equal 10 one
grain of coined gold is called the ratio.
This Is an arbitrary enactment of law.
The original ratio 5000 years before
Christ was l to ]. julius Caesar. en-
peror of Rome. in the year 10 b. c.
was maintained for 1.249 years
throughout the civilized world, until the
fall of the Roman empire A. ID. 1904.
The ratio fixed by the act Of the United
States congress of 1892 was - TO /.
The French ratio at that time was
151a 10 1. In 1887 congress changed
the ratio to IS to l. The chief reason
for remonetiZing silver at that ratio
now is that il would be in accordance
with existing law. and would not re-
quire the calling in and recoinage of
any of the gold and silver coins now
in circulation.