The San Francisco call., 1895-10-14

same amount OF silver, with the same degree
Oh hneness, in silver dollar now as in the one
MADE under the old law repealed in 1873.
Inc truth ls the silver was then worth 81 OF
in gold.
Now the same silver is worth about SO.68 in
gold.
The quantity is alike
why has the difference come?
NO sophlstry can conceal and no fabrication
can destroy the fact that the change In lawn
demonet1zing silver-has reduced that metal
to commodity and left gold money. Let
golo lose its legaltender quality, given by
congress- and it would at once become a COM
modify, subject to the fluctuations of trade
Let silver be granted this debt-paying attribute
and Its commercial value would cease and it's
control.
Recognizing two facts, that the stamp alone
makes money and that the volume in use fixes
the banks, as special privilege holders to con-
ceel these principles. With bold hardihood
they make the effort in the face OF law and fact
In plain language, the endeavor must origin
ate IN either wlllful ignorance or deliberate
deceit; Tor the truth shines like the sun to
every seeker.
In harmony with this policy of mystifcatlon
Two main arguments are presented. They say
we need metal money for foreign trade. This
is clear fallacy. Our statistics, partly fur
nlshed by the bankers show that for the last
nscal year our foreign trade was about two
billions, but our domestic exchanges were
about five trillions. This is a ratio of / to
A0OO. IN OLner WORDS, we use Sl abroad and
$500 at home in the United States.
For which should our Government provide,
the small or large demand?
The next stock argument is that with free
coinage we should be flooded. There are about
three and a half billions of silver in the world.
suppose 1t all came to the United States for
coinage, 1t would make per capita of $50.
Would that hurt anybody? Well. yes; it
might relieve from beggary and starvation a
great famishing army of millions now seeking
ana crying Tor work. But two-thirds of the
human race have silver and use it alone and
will not send it here, and if they did our peo-
pie would find ready sale of their products for
1t IN exchange. Would that hurt the Cali
fornia farmer, whose products and lands have
fallen in twenty-five years to one-fourth of
their former values?
Third-The last charge is that of implied
treason, arising from an international agree
ment What, sir, does this involve? All
statesmen and publicists admit the power to
make money is the one supreme attribute of a
national sovereignty, for money is the meas
ure OF all values, including mental and physi-
cal labor. Now, it Is calmly proposed by you
to abdicate our own authority as to our own
people in home affairs and turn it over to some
other person or nation owing US no loyalty
aye, even bitterly opposed to us-glving them
full command over the kind and quantity of
our money. This Nation is selt-governing, en-
bodylng democracy. How, then, is it not
treason to let some one else govern US? Why
don't the monometallists ask England her
opinion on our divorce laws, interrogate Ger
many on hog cholera and our corporation
morality, turn over to France the serious mat
ter OF bloomers, invoke Irelands Judgment for
our code of police ethics. demand that the
Pope shall give us an infallible tariff whereby
taxation of ourselves will enrich us Why
don't the bankers invite other nations to act
for us as to all our domestic concerns?
Don't they knowfull well that there never has
been an international money, and that should
one be established then the whole internal
policy of our Nation would depend not on
our own will but on the consent of others, per
haps fully iuimical to us?
This scheme for an international monetary
agreement is wrong in principle, lacks patriot
ism, is limp in power for self-preservation and
would end in eonferring absolute supremacy
on gold monometallism. II Americans desire
to retain their freedom then let them discard
the proposition of an international agreement
as the vely quintessence OF wrong For these
reasons it seems to me American citizen,
sir, your resolution is full of error and danger
Very respectfully, TAYLOR ROGERS,
1888 Washington street.
San Francisco, October 10, 1895.