Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-01-04
Elk GOVERNOR LUCE

.,s Uses Some Views on tle Present
DhEs tiitions He Believes the Finan-
lo;S III Question Now AL Important.
"A 81 announced two weeks ago that
Ytc;u fshould endeavor to do, we publish
week a private letter from eX-
EPISsrnor Luce. In a subsequent let
ing Eat the urgent request of the editor
i the REPUBLI ban LEADER, he con-
FRhed to its publication. 1t is valua-
Din showing 10 our readers what the
das ernor thinks of the present condi-
pA,hs; and VI e know of no man whose
opinion woj lld carry greater weight
With the people of Gratiot county and
Me State AZ well.
J CoLHwArER, Mich, Dec. 20, "a.
INV III. C{HAsE, ESQ, St. Louis, Mich
HsMy fear sir; l am reading your
bid an bd silver articles in the KEruBLI-
IN LEADER, as well as in the Tribune
ud journal. with interest. You are
rssi 6g upon the attention of the peo-
e onAe important point that is ignored
M the1 opponents of bimetallism. and
Eat is \ hat the chief value has been
given Ito both gold and silver 10y their
use as Imoney metals; and that by drop
ping I re one as a measure OF values
and a metal of ultimate redemption We
have sdepreciated its selling value; and
III N V recurring the other to discharge
4 NIL ne duties heretofore imposed upon
d we have enhanced the value of the
Ered metal On the Sth of July,
: E3, IN reply to a circular letter sent
bt by Henry A. Haigh, secretary OF
t he Michigan Club, | said among Other
& hincs: but if the unconditional re-
p heal of the Sherman law means thai
Solver is no longer TO be used as stan
Il lard money, and that we are to take
Il are of all the coined silver, bulllOr
s liver and silver certificates, then the
lembers of congress will want to pray
rs well as watch. The results whici
thinking man could plainly discern
year and a half ago are upon us. Al
the products of the fields, mines an'
shops that are not controlled by ab
normal conditions, have shrunk in value
when measured by gold, twenty-five t.
fifty per cent. Or. IN other words, thu
alue of gold has increased because o
n too great demand beir 9 made upoI
il, from twenty-five to fifty per cent
Awhile taxes, salaries and fixed incomes
III which amount to one-half our expenses
remain stationary. The value OF COL
has been enhanced because OF the IN
Icreased demand made upon it. just a
usurelv as wheat would advance in valu
if some decree should prohibit the us
vof corn for bread. On the 4th
sMarch, '93, when Cleveland decree
that gold and silver must part, whei
was worth SO per cent more than now
live hogs so per cent. more, sheep
per cent. more, wool 80 per cent, co
ton 45 per cent, pig iron Az per cen
and we might follow the list to the en-
and the the same result would be ind
Gated, with the exceptions referred
above.
And still many people cry aloud Il
what they call ''honest money mea
ing gold alone. But is it honest to e
force policy that embarrasses bushes
impoverishes farmers and manufa
turers and drives thousands to ban
III ruptcy and many to insanity, suici'
and murder all for a mere sentimc
that we must have "honest money
n do not forget that tariff foohng h
contributed TO present conditions, b
money fooling had much to do wi
il. or course, you will understand tn
this is not for publication.
Sincerely yours,
G.. &. LUCE.