Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-05-16
MONEY SYSTEMS COMPARED.

moNE - j - IIhp ''nt hIi'b'
To Tho Town County Democrat:
Every once IN II while, Of late 1t has
been every twice in II while, the men
who advocate the free coinage Of sill
yer ut the ratio of sixteen To one, point
us the example OF France in her treat
menC of the silver problem and strong
ly insist that the happiness and pros
perity OF the French people il chiefly
due to tho fact that the country has
not demonetized " silver, that gold
and silver are maintained ut u parity
of sixteen to one with no difficulty,
and that too, with free coinage of the
white metal.
With equal emphasis we are assured
that the wise move for us to make amid
the fog in which we Iind ourselves, il
to follow the example of France, that
then our cup OF happiness will be fun.
There is no Disgusting the fact that
many sincere men believe we should
do what France Is doing, that il, re-
organize our money almost said money
system, but there Is no more system 10
our financial affairs than there is sys-
tenn In river fun of logs broken loose
from u boom matters upon ,the basis
In use In France.
Moreover the facts upon which to
base u conclusion are not 30 plenty
that we can afford to ignore anything.
intend to show one OF two things:
either those who urge rs to do as
France is doing either do not know
what 1t involves on our part, or they
know, they cannot seriously themSel-
YES desire 1t.
First, let ,ls settle u point or two
concerning the money in use among
the people of the two countries.
The last report of the director of the
mint shows the per capita circulation
Of gold, silver and of paper to be;
Franc. Sold G"Ih lily sIlyE 4 psp%r s !"'a,
4. S,...... o,0n n,uS $50 "1,0t
A glance at this table shows that of
each 500 in use in France:
Sas.00 Is gold $4,000 is silver; SG,lo Is paper
In the United States:
$4,000 Is gold; S3b.2O Is silver; S"i.l0 is paper
Here ARE wide differences IN the rel.
alive uses made of metal and plprr
money IN the two countries These
differences liz IN the habits, aims, ira.
ditons, and commercial needs Of the
people of the two countries. and can
no more be ignored than can the rota-
ton of the earth In geography.
But, assuming that we may ignore
these differences, what do the adyo-
Gates of SILVER expect of MS IN reurgan-
i2ing our fiscal matters to the French
basis?
With the per capita circulation re
manning as at present, the first thing
to do IN conforming to the percentages
in vogue in our SISTER republic would
be to take one dollar aud twenty cents
from each 800 of silver now in use
here; then add twenty two aud thirty
evnts to each 800 in gold in use here;
then destroy seventy live dollars Of
each 800 of paper in use here,
do not believe the advocates ot
sivler desire the less use of silver. Nor
do | believe they wish the use of gold
to be increased in the amount ot
twenty-five dollars in each 500. That
is what the scheme involves whether
they know it or not.
We have less gnld and more silver
and paper per capita than has either
Germany. France, or the United King.
dom of Great Britain.
And II we conform our money to
the French basis. we need between
three and four hundred millions more
of gold than we are now using, ant
we should know where it is to com,
from. Besides, what are we to d,
with four or five million dollars Of sill
yer and certificates based upon silvet
which we are now using and will
which we must part company in tn,
reorganization?
AS to the destruction of the paper