Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-09-25

Tirgiuia 5rse grsss.
BURROWS POSITION.
THE MICHIGAN SENATOR ARGUES
AGAINST FREE COINAGE.

In an address. delivered at Bay View,
Mich, Senator Burrows of Michigan
vigorously opposed the free coinage fal-
lacy and upheld our present financial
system. After reviewing our monetary
legislation he said:
''In the first place the free and un-
limited coinage of silver at l6 to
would in my Judgment expel from our
circulation not only our entire volume OF
gold, but every dollar OF paper money
redeemable in gold, and cause contrac-
ton of the currency and resultant
manic the like of which has not been
seen in this generation.
"This would follow as the inevitable
result of that law of monetary science
which where tive moneys are issued OF
uneaual value the cheaper will always
expel the dearer from circulation. 1t
certainly needs no argument to demon
strate the truth Of the proposition that
if two dollars are issued, one worth on
cents and the other 100 cents, the 80
cent dollar will he the only dollar IN
circulation and the 100 cent dollar will
be boarded by the banks and individuals
until the whole volume of such currency
entirely disappears This law is Of uni
versal application and has its origin IN
human nature itself No debtor owing
500 would discharge that Indebtedness
in the moro valuable Of two moneys He
would surely make use Of the cheaper
and retain the dearer. twas the knowl-
edge Of this law that guided the fathers
in fixing the ratio in the beginning at
- to ].
"They knew that dollars of unequal
commercial value could not be made to
circulate permanently side by side, and
so. having ascertained that 242i grains
of pure gold were Of equal value with
37114 grains Of pure silver, they pro-
yided for the coinage Of these two met
ais into dollars at the ration Of 10 to l.
But the truth of this principle has been
demonstrated over and over again even
in our own history. The gold and silver
coins issued at the ratio of 10 TO / IN
der the act Of 1892 shortly became OF
unequal commercial value, the bullion
in the gold dollar being Of greater value
than the bullion III the silver dollar.
The silver dollar became cheaper than
the gold dollar, and the consequence
was that silver alone circulated and
gold gradually disappeared. Indeed,
and for the same reason, the coinage OF
gold declined, for the 242i grains OF
pure gold provided for in the gold dol
lar were worth more unCOined than
when coined. and therefore its coinage
naturally ceased, and silver bullion
alone found its way 70 the mints of the
United States.
at remains only to he inquired what
would be the probable effect Of adopting
the silver dollar of 3ills grains ~ our
single standard of value. The first and
most patent result, as already noticed,
would be to drive from our circulation
every other dollar of superior value,
whether Of coin or paper. Our $780,
600, 900 of gold constituting one-thlrd
Of the entire goiumc of our money,
would be Quickly eliminated from our
circulation 10y being hoardeG ~ sent
abroad. followed by the retirement OF
our $500, 600, 600 of paper currency re-
deemable in gold. producing a contrac-
ton of the currency, uneXampled III our
history, Of over $1,000, 600, 900, to be
followed by fH9Icial CONFUSION I'M
precedented in modern fimes IL VIII
not do to say that with free and unlim-
tied coinage this vacuum would be
quickly supplied. for 1t would require
% years, With the present capacity Of
our minis, TO replace this vast volume
of currency with silver.
"This consideration alone ought to be
sufficient to deter Us from venturing
upon such hazardous policy. More
than this. The silver dollar Of 3i1b
grains produced under free coinage and
not maintained mt parity with the gold
dollar. as it surely wOuld not be, would,
as we have seen, at once sink TO the level
of its bullion value and be worth only
about 30 cents Every depositor in saw
ings, national and state banks, the hold
ers of policies i'll life, fire and all other
Insurance. companies, Investments in
loan and huilding associations represent
ed by great body Of people numbering
more than 10000, 600. would be forced
to receive in return for their deposits,
premiums and investments a dollar Of
only one-half the value of that with
which they parted, to the enormous and
incalculablr adyanIagc Of these great
corporations. Suppose AN importer OF
foreign goods should become indebted to
the government Of the United States i'll
the sum Of $4,000 for customs dues,
what would prevent him from purchas
ing So. coo of silver bullion and under
free coinage converting it into 10000
silver dollars. and with these liquidate
the indebtedness To the government?
Every pen>ioner would find his meager
stipend leSsened oue-half, and many of
them would be reduced 10 beggary. Not
only this, but all the recipients Of fixed
salaries, every clerk, teacher, railway
employee and receiver of Il stated in
come would Ice forced to take a money
which in procuring the necessities Of
life for himself and family would pos
sess only one-half Of its former purchas-
ing power. Cor il must be remembered
the price Of everything would advance
as the value Of our money deolineq.
But it would he IN endless task 70 at
tempt to catalogue the disaster which
such step would be sure to entail "
= snssr Monomaniac.
They say a fellow IL Henry ccnnty,
Mo, is 50 cranky on the silver question
that he digs up all the goldenrods and
marigolds, raises white com aud won't
sneak To- his wife because she has golden
3, f....,,,..;,,,, Tho oold