The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1895-02-07


leges conferred upon them large part of
the wealth of the Nation. State banks
have by taxation been prohibited and to
prevent competition from any source the
national bond holders and millionaires
succeed in demonetizing silver. This
scheme was grand conspiracy and NOR
al crime oc the great capitalists of the
world that they might be enabled to hold
the masses Of the people in bondage. They
are the Shylocks who demand the penalty
of the bond although it be the pound of
flesh taken from nearest the heart.
The money lenders have the government
under their control and legislation is
made subservient to their avarice. The
money lenders know that the less money
there is the more valuable it becomes,
consequently the capitalists are engaged
at all times to reduce the quantity per
capita.
The National Banks were cnnnlnsly
devised system to enable the national
bond holders to engross the net earnings
of the people. These bond holders only,
were made national bankers to whom the
government handed over the treasury
notes TO be loaned out by them as bankers
and by this means they were enabled to
realize out Of the money invested in their
bonds, three times the amount that other
property holders could make out of their
property Of the same value. The reilet
needed is to return to the ancient land
marks and money standard adopted by
the founders Of this government and re-
store silver to its proper place. 1t has
been the ciyilizer of nations and was in
use Cor two milleniums before its demon
itization. In fact 1t was the first momen-
tary standard Of the principal countries OF
the world The money lenders say that
the coinage of silver will make money too
plentiful and as consequence enhance III
too great measure the prices Of oil com-
! modities. 1t is true TINT It will advance
prices to the same standard that the same
commodities commanded before the de-
mobilization Of silver and this is what
should lie. But to say that it would cause
an undue imitation in prices is fallacious.
| If we look at the quantity of silver and
gold dollars in the world we will see that
the coined metallic money increases very
slowly. Statistics show there are only in
all nations about 4,O00.O00,OO0 of silver
dollars and $500 millions Of gold dollara.
This would not be $500 per capita to each
inhabitant and would be only about 81 81
in silver per capita for each Individual
notwithstanding its coinage for upwards
Of 1900 years.
This should teach men that there 10 no
danger of having too much silver, the fear
is that We will not have half enough to
relieve the oppressed against the tyranny
of accumulated wealth. IN the y. S. We
have $GO4, 100000 Of gold and $GI5.O0D,0oO
of silver making in round numbers about
SIS 90 per capita, and when We consider
how this has been monopolized by the
wealthy corporations and milIionaires
| who have been favored by legislation the
nsufficcncy Of the metallic money for the
necessities of The people is clear and con-
yincing. a Nation to lie prosperous and
free from the grinding exactions of the
wealthy must have auificency of some
medium exchange that the debtor may be
enabled to discharge his debts by the sale
of the articles Of commerce at price not
less than the prices were when the debt
was contracted, the fall Of prices robs the
debtor. 1t is proved by history that the
nations which have the greatest sum of
metallic money per capita are the prosper
Gus.
No Nation in Europe are generally so
prosperous as France aud Belgium, the
former has $4,000 per capita, and the lat
ter has $4,000 per capita of gold and sill
yer and what contributes largely to their
prosperity is the approach to equalization
in it's distribution. The United Kingdom
of England. Ireland and Scotland has on
ly $500 per capita and llare it is held in
the hands Of the few. The great States
men of this nation we'll understood the
evil effect of monopoies and concentrated
weal th they know that if the legal STANDARD
money shonld be restricted to one metal
alone that it would double the value of
the debts due the creditors and to the
same extent would impoverish the debtor.
Consequently to prevent such catastro-
phe both gold and silver with fixed rela-
ton WAS made the money of these United
States. In fact the millcd silver dollars
was declared the unit rs value, and the
value Of the gold dollar was measured by
il, and this value in round numbers in
weight has never been more than l6 to
in either Europe or America, that is l6oz.
of silver is of the same value Of lOz. Of
gold. Both metals should be used as
money in this ratio. Wheu the bullion Of
one fails to supply the wants Of the peo-
pie the other comes in to supply the detc-
ency.
Jefferson said the mints should stand
on both metals and Webster held that to
displace either would be unconstitutional.
And Hamilton foretold the misery that