The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-08-25
BY Southern Associated rress.

phtcn 10 morrow morning, Governor
O'Ferrall sets forth bis position upon
She silver question. Ho says the let
ser has been evoked by requests for
ais views upon the subject since the
. publication of recent brief interview
IN the Dispatch. which several papers
have criticized as ''dodging" or "slrad
ding" the question.
81 am opposed" says the Governor,
"to the free coinage of silver in the
United States, except through an in
tsrnatlonaI agreement With the great
commercial countries of the world
II do not believe this country alone
can maintaln purity between gold aud
silver ut any fixed ratio.
1--WE are strong in resources and in
oil tho elements that go to make a
untion powerful, but we are not strong
enough to live within ourselves, trade
only with ourselves, raise and manu-
tacture all we need, consume and use
aH we produce and make, import
nothIuG and have no commercial re
hiuns with other countries,
1t muy he surprising to some to
Lnow 1t. yet 1t ls IN incoutrovertlble
!nc,, that gold standard countries fur.
ci>h ~ per cent. Of the international
,uiu:litrco of the world, and that
hc l ulitd States are to countries hav.
ing Guli standard. aud about 81 per
sent. ci ear imports are from couu
tres haNin., the sumo stsudard.
"SLuil We cut loose III our none
taiy tNstem from these countries of
such cu,nmercinl power and with which
He have such close, important and ex
fenslve relations, to which we sell
Henrly ell The surplus products of our
farms and factories and Of which we
iuy nearly all we want, and attach
ourselves To the small aud weak nation
Nlities to which we sell scarcely auy.
'blDg aud from which our purchases
are absolutely irsignlticaut
Free cu.uagc uivucntes, however
iusist TINT ON exports aud imports are
90 small thnt We run afford, for the
enke of free colunge, to build "A wall
around ourselves uud hnve no CONNER
clal dealings with other countries"
After discussiiG The free coinage
question at leug Il. setting forth his
Slews ns 10 It's affect upon the country
and giving statistics IN support of hla
contentious, the Governor coucludes.
For the reason given ] am opposed
TO the doctrine OF free and unlimited
silver coinage, with international
agreement with the principal countries
CT the world.
ave cannot adopt IL monetary sys.
tenn different from these great national.
tiles and force them to recognize it,
We cannot float n 90 cent silver dollar
as Il sound dollar in this country. much
less III the markets. of Germany, France
Austria or England, with whom our
Interests are closely identified.
''l am tor q sound dollar, and what
mean by sound dollar is ono that
will pass for 100 cents and he as good
0s auy other dollar anywhere within
abe limits Of the civilized world. Gold
~ that dollar now; silver may be also,
II kept on parity with gold.
"Bnt this can only be done by inter
national agreement. Whit | mean by
q sound dollar Is one TINT the farmer.
the mechanic, and tho laboring man
can use with purchasing power OF 100
cents and buy as much with it as apy
other dollar. What mean by a sound
dollar Is one that it's holder may Law
away to buy home. save for rainy
day. or provide for himself III old age
with absolute certainty that it will be
es good as any other dollar when he
wants to use 1t. Gold IL that dollar,
silver cannot be, unless by interim
honnl agreement 1t is nude equivalent
TO gold dollar.
81 am for sound dollar for tho
poor man AS well as for tue rich man.
shall never consent to monetary
eystem which will place 1t into the
gower OF the rich man to hoard his
gold and pay his poor creditor in a
deprecated dollar. 1t may be said
shat my views have undergone a
change. TO the superficial observer and
reader this may appear to be the case,
eut, In fact, my position while in Con.
Cress was one OF doubt as to the policy
OF independent free coinage nud it was
co regarded.
81 never INTENDED. and was never
invited to attend a free coinage or
sntlfree coinage conference. During
my congressional service | was Oh im .
portant committees where my duties
were onerous and eugrossiug and not
connected with the currency question,
and | had very little time to maturely
consider tho silver problem. Lately,
J have given the subject ss careful
study as possible, reading the argu-
Ments and literature on both sides with
an earnest desire to reach correct
conclusion, and the opinions now ex.
press are the result Of deliberate ex-
animation.
"If. however. L had bsen warm
dad aWowed independent free coinage