Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-09-18
IJTLINES HIS VIEWS.
4E FINANCIAL FAITH OF A PROMI- NEWT PROHlBlTlONlST.

|xvl,y He Opposes Free siIver-Gharge That
 4be Law of 1873 Was Crime Has Never
 7.een Proyed-Past Experience With De-
 based Currency.
 In letter published in The New Fra. Chairman Samuel Dickie of the |prohibition national committee outlines 6is views on the currency question as |fpllows:
 S Without undertaking an argument in Behalf of any proposition herein, I sub lnit the following as in part deelara- .flon of my financial faith:
 First.-Upon any satisfactory plan for equalizing the intrinsic and nom- hal value of our coins I am bimetal- list. An international agreement or an Increased ratio might sufficiently ap- proximate the desired result. To de-
 hease the amount of gold in our gold eoins might accomplish the same end, Ebut would be a palpable fraud.
 Second. d.-As between gold mono netallism and silver monemetallism I nnhesitatingly declare for the former. # As to free coinage-several years ago. Bhen this question began to attract public attention I found myself in clined to sympathize with the advo- Eeates of free coinage. Before commit ling myself either way sought to make 8 careful examination of the question, And believe that l was able to study the zproblem as student and not as an ad- pocate. began my examination of tue issue, however. with the belief that studious investigation would only tend to confirm and strengthen impressions :And prejudices which, at the time, I knew rested on no well established Foundation.
 # An examination of the issue in all it's Bearings has led me, almost against my Hill, to the conclusion that at the ratio Proposed, and without international <Rgreement, the free coinage of silver by the United States would be calamity pf no mean magnitude. In this position l find myself in harmony with the best Thought of the Prohibition party, as |Ewitness the rejection of a free coinage plank at Cincinnati by the decisive vote Nof 335 for to 596 against. The follow #lng are among the conclusions which zhave forced themselves upon me: < Flrst.-The charge that the law of zlS73 was 'crige" and the outcome of za conspiracy" has never been proved. =There is no direct testimony, the cir cumstantial evidence is utterly made =quate, and the absence of motive is inn *portant
 & Second. The effort on the part of 2the silver men to pose as the especial Friends of the workingmen and to hold up their opponentsin the guise of "aris tocrats, y bondholders, " "robbers, " gold barons," "Shylocl1s, etc., is 8 most disgusting exhibition of the dema- gogue's art.
 Third. Equally insincere and absurd IS the attempt to arouse prejudice against an Inert substance by the violent dec iamation that "gold is traitor, '' "gold asserted the country when Sumter was nred upon, y 'gold never fought q bat tie for us, y "gold fled in the time of uanger, !" nobody saw any gold during lhe war. Substitute "silver' for
 gold in the preceding quotations, and they are equally true.
 Fourth. -Gold, measured by human .oil which is the only true standard, has steadily depreciated in purchasing power for many years.
 flith. Commodities, produced by improved methods of production, ought eo appreciate in value, and such depre oiatlon IS no evidence of an apprecia- eion m the currency of the country.
 oixtn. Debtors contracting debts turing or soon after the war and pay ine dollar for dollar' in the late sev- .n'ies or since certainly suffered serious na'usnlp. This hardship was incident VI our recovery from an era of depreci- a'ou money and was not caused by the
 orime' of 1878.
 seventh. Free coinage, as proposed,
 "ou.o mean silver monometallism, de- paeo'ated currency and the prompt dis appearance of gold.
 Aighth. To defend the debasement o. M our currency on tho ground that oneap money will benefit the debtor s.ass' sa, enabling them to discharge their soueatlons more easily, is to advocate 1anx dishonesty.
 Ninth. A reasonable prospect of the s4aOsment of such legislation as is ad-