Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1895-05-07

| Our DolAsx Did In 1878.
| Referring to quotation in the Bir-
mingham Age-Iterald from speecf1de-
livered hast fall by Congressman Clarke,
of Alabanza, In regard tor the silver curs
rency of Mexico, the New York Post
wants to know what the able gentlemaw
meant by his remarks. Congressman
Clarke is represented as making the
same old remark about the Mexican
dollar. He said that the Mexican dol
lar, although it has more silver in it
than the American dollar, would buy
only half as much, and gave as the
mason that the faith and credit of the
United States sre pledged to keep our
silver dollar at a parity with gold
The Post twits the able gentleman
about this remark, and wants to- know
what bearing it has on the situation
here.
The real meat of the whole business
is thisS That the Mexican dollar will
buy just as much to-day as our Ameri-
can dollar would buy in 1873. AT that
date, so, far as the value of our curren-
cy was concerned, we were a little be-
low the Mexican basis for our green
back dollar was at discount in gold,-
while our gold dollar was at discount
as compared with the Mexican silver
dollar We were not only on the Mex
lean basis, but below lit
Let the gold-bugs consider this situa-
ton moment and them tell us how
our civilization stood the strain. The
gold dollar commanded d premium over
our green back dollar, and the Mexican
dollar commanded premium in gold.
And yet o,sS people seHmed 10 be get
ting along very well in 1878 until the
decentralization of silver, reaeting on
international values precipitsted a
panic. Our people showed NO signs of
adopting any form of Mexican civiliza-
tion, or of retrogading.- On the con-
trary they were progressing rapidly
until the characterization panic fell
upon them. They resumed their prog
ress in 1873 when the Biand-Allison act
partially arrested the decline of values
and prices, and they continued 10 pros
per until the'elose of the Indian minis
in June, 1899, created an0Aher disturb
Rnce of valves
There is, another TACT 10 which we
desire to GALL the aAStentbon of those
who may have BEEN confused by the
arguments. of ignorant or reckless
editors, to-zyit: That the Mexican dol
lar will purchase. just as much now as
it did in 1873, perhaps q little more.
This is the testimony of all intelligent
men who have studied the situation,
and it is borne QUA by facts that cannot
be controverted4 The only change
that has taken place since
that time. is that the gold doll
lar and the, money representing
gold, have more than doubled in value.
The United States dollar is worth two,
Mexican dollars i'm Mexico becauseit
will buy twics as mneh. wheat, cotton,
corn, iron or calico as the Mexican doll
lar will buy in Mexico Everything
that the labor of the people produces
in this country has been deprecated 10
less than half their value as compared
with the gold dollar, while the prodneas
of the people of Mexico remain at their
old level. In 1879 our dollar would bny
less than the Mexican dollar commands
in Mexico to-day. At this moment our
dollar will buy twice as much as the
Mexican dollar, and the additional
value is stolen out of the sweat and
hardships of the people. Atlanta Con-
stitution.