The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-05-24

same purchasing price In 1894 as in 1913. Hence
free coinage cannot be urged as a Just means of
paying debts. More sOcalled redemption money
by the amount Of 81 Og2 100000 is in existence to-
day as compared with 1873, and yet prices have
fallen and silver has fallen still more. Prices
Enthusiastically have fallen because of the cheap
ened cost of production. Since we undertook
the purchase Of silver in 1865 it has fallen about
One-half in value, although we have purchased
about S5OO.OUOOO. It is perfectly evident there
is no use in the United States acting alone to
bolster up the price of silver when we have
failed even in concert with the Latin Union.
Free coinage Of silver at 16 to l means the
single silver standard OF silver monometallism,
Today the market ratio between gold and silver
is nearly 81 to 1. If we had the free coinage of
silver at 10 to l there would be premium OF
about 16 ounces Of silver as premium on with
drawing every ounce Of gold coin in circulation.
The free condition of silver under such cOndi-
tons as exist today would not mean the concur
rent circulation OF both gold and silver. 1t
would mean the immediate adoption of the
single silver standard. Free coinage of silver
would not increase the quantity of money. Since
gold must be inevitably driven out, the free
coinage Of silver would result in diminutiOn
of the money May 1, 1895, the official reports
of the gold circulation are $685. 10000. To adopt
the free coinage Of silver at IS TO /, when the
market ratio is about 81 TO 1, would mean the
instant retirement from circulation of nearly
S6O0OO0,0OO gold circulation, 1t would not
change prices, therefore, merely by increasing
the amount of the medium Of exchange.
The way it would act, however, would be to
change the prices of everything because reckon
ed in a cheaper medium than that Of gold. For
example, a pair Of gloves now worth 100 cents in
gold would exchange for about 2lO cents in sd
yer. A dozen eggs now selling at Is cents would
sell for about 30 cents, and everything would
rise in proportion. As free coinage Of silver
would inevitably result in rise in prices, 50 it
would Immediately result in fa1 of wages.
The man who gets $500 or $l,OOO a year as a fixed
rate of wages OF salary viii ind he can buy Just
half as much as now
1t is usually supposed that free coinage Of sill
yer is in the interest of the debtors. think it
viii be found to be quite the contrary. Not only
win it prevent person In distress from being
able to borrow money when he needs it, but il
viii create conditions which viii make it impos-
sible for the debtors 20 meet their indebtedness.
But greater than all other objections Is that of
public disbOnOr and gepudiation. No trick or
sophistry can make the scaling OF debt 10
mean anything but dishonesty and cheating
Is it possible there is something behind the
free coinage scheme. and is it really intended 10
serve the interests OF the very rich aud Of great
corporations? The bonded debts of the railways
in the United States is about S5.00O0OD If
free coinage Of silver we're introduced it would
enable these railways 70 pay off thsiF debts with
what is now equivalent to about S3.O03Gg0,000.
Those who belong to the rank of plain citizens
who are thinking only Of the country as a whole,
believe that when question Of right and wrong
is presented in campaign Of education, the
American people viii decide for the right. The
proposal OF free coinage was bern in the private
offices Of the silver kings, nursad at tho handsof
spectators, clothed in economic erroF, led On
Doodle, and as sure as there shonesty and truth
IN the American heart it wil dis young and be I
buried in the same igneminoas grave wherein
lies the nov forgotten infant oncs famous as the
bag BsbyH