The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-10
The Standard Dollar.

Truth is truth to the end of the reck-
oning."
The contest over the standard dollar
Is only one phase of the old hght that
mas been going on from the beginning
between right and wrong, between single
hcartedness ana double-dcaling between
fidelity ANA knavcry. The common every
whore cries. aye take too nuch upon
You; we are as good you"
This leVcllng country Of ours has re-
pudiated sovereignty and set up every
man as king: ana, ma the name OF liberty
IL proposes TO maintain the rarity be-
tween all sorts. All through our life and
business the fallacy Is being fought for
OleCmargarine is as good as butter, paste
is as good as diamond, shO.dy as broad
cloth. With the Government brand, all
sorts Of men must be current and taken
as equal. The parity must be main
tanned. And 50, presently, the Pres
ident ana his coachman. the adj
miral and the sailor, the general and
the private, the masters and the appren-
tice must lock arms and 80 IN together.
The reign Of confusion aud disorder goes
on.
Tho establishment Of standards by
which worth is estimated is the very be-
ginning of reason and basis OF ciyilza-
ton. To find and hX the stand
ard weights and measures. single
and inyariable has been most
important problem witn oh enligh.-
ened nations The French have
claimed 10 nave solved IL In an are OF the
great circle which they have made the
basis OF the metre system. And every
nation keeps sacredly its single standards.
and sets rs seal only on those that CON
fo:m To them.
The one God is the beginning Of order
IL the Universe and the divine standard
is the very foundation stone OF the Chris
tian faith
a dollar is the unit OF measure I'm
American finance. The 4. b. Cs OF our
commerce are mills. cents. half-dollars,
dollars, half-eagles and eagle. But the
dollar Is the uni, and standard the others
fractions and multiples OF H. Just In
the same way as a metre is the unit Of
the metric system, horse power OF
physical force and a volt OF electricity,
so dollar IS unit OF purchasing
power Beyond any question the standard
dollar Is OF gold. and all things that have
value are measured by their gold value.
That Is a commercial ana fundamental
fact and principle The worth OF silver
is measured by its gold value and the
practical question or currency IS. how
much silver shall be put into a disc 10
make IL justly eXchangeable for a dollar
OF gold--to make IL equal 10 what We call
dollar-be OF standard value.
The great use OF gold is not as cur
re,scy The dollar is too small and too
easily lost: the half-eagles and larger
coins are too heavy aud unmanaGeable
for common use. IL is merely az a sta adj
ard of value. by divine appointment. and
in a mysterious way, that gold measures
value. Presently dollars worth IS meas
ured without any reference 70 gold or
silver. and things themselves and guam
titles are measures OF value. The in
stinct OF trade and business Judgment
and measures and determines
what thing IL worth. Dollars are the
mere language OF trade. And things are
said 10 be worth so much compared with
one another. One Is worth nifty dollars.
another a hundred dollars. because IL Is