The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-07-12
WHAT FREE s1LvERITEs WANT.

Chicago Tribune.
Representative James E. Cobb of Ala
bama is reported by Washington news
paper to- have made the following declar-
alton:
"The one issue In Alabama politics at
present Is the silver question. / am in
favor of the free coinage of silver and
gold at a ratio of 16 to !, and / see no
necessity for waiting for an interna-
tional agreement. / believe that this
Is the sentiment of the Democratic party
in Alabama, but this does not mean
that the Democrats of the state are
are not as firmly determined to have o
sound currency as are the so-called
Sound money men. We believe that free
coinage would actually make the COM
mercial values of the two metals equal
at that ratio. We think that the demon
etization Of silver In 1873 caused the de-
cline In the value of the white metal,
and that again making silver a primary
money would restore its old value.
am sure that did the Democrats Of Ala
bama for a moment think that free coin
age would result in a deprecated curren-
cy they would not for a moment hesitate
in condemnlng 1t. There are no fat money
men in our party"
Mr.. Cobb Is big man In Alabama, but
either he does not understand the views
and wishes of the Democratic constdt-
uents or they are radically different from
the great majority of the free silverltes
In all the other states The advocates
OF 'free coinage at 16 to 1 without
waiting for an international agreement"
do not in general believe this. They want
free Silver monometallism, while falsely
pretending to be in favor of "bimetal-
Lsm," and IL they were made TO believe
the effect Of free coinage would be as
described by him nine-tenths of the num-
ber would abandon the movement in
supreme disgust, being intensely disap-
pointed at the thought that their dis
honest dreams would not be realized. His
notion that free coinage In this country
without waiting for an international
agreement ''would actually make the
commercial values of the two metals
equal at the ratio of 16 to 1 has no
businsss basis. 1t rests simply on the
fancy on some half-nedged politicians
that an act OF congress can make a
radical alteration In the estimate OF value
placed upon silver or any other ecommod-
ity by the commercial world.
Mr. Cobb claims to believe that "again
making silver a primary money would
restore its old value" But silver already
Is money Of full legal tender, and silver
dollars are pledged for the redemption of
o greab quantity of paper issued
against them So to u rather large
extent, silver is primary money" But
evidently the only circumstance which
prevents the money power of the silver
dollar from sinking to that of the bull
lion contained in the coin, the same
| as In Mexico, Is the sustaining power OF
| gold, which is exerted here and Is not
exerted In Mexico. The United States
already has leglslatsd as far as It could
In the direction Of making 16 ounces of
silver equal In value to ounce of
gold and has bought thousands OF tons
OF silver In the vain effort to establish
that ratio as an equality. The govrn-
ment OF the United States accepts silver
dollars as worth as much as gold doll
lars n payment OF customs dues and
other Indebtedness to the treasury, and
has eXerted Itself TO the utmost TO pre-
| vent the silver dollars from being dis
crlminabsd against among the people,
borrowing a lot OF gold for that express
purpose last February. Yet knowing all
this and much more. MIR. Cobb processes
to entertain the idiotic notion that the
throwing open OF the mints OF the United
! States to the free coinage OF silver would
double the commercial value OF all the
silver bullion In the world. The Tribune
strongly advises him to abandon such
a manifest deluslon. as he must IL ne
were 10 examine the matter for himself
with a sincere desire TO see II In the
true light. Perhaps. however. ne already
Is on the anxious seat In this respect,
and Is hedg.ng to get back among the
sound monsy Democrats. II so he Is
only waiting TO be sure that free coin
age would result In deprecated cur
rency." and he should be willing to do
this. and It ought not TO be dlflicult for
him to see that n an honest man ne Is
training with the wrong crowd. For the
great argument IN favor OF free silver
IN along has been that II would cheaper
the dollar so much as to give the cot
ton planters OF the south and the grain
growers OF the north twice as many
dollars for a stated quantity OF their
produce as they can have without It,
which would not happen unless by a
corresponding cutting down IN the buy
ing mower OF the dollar