The Meeker herald., 1895-07-13
POINTS FOR SILVER.
1T Is THE FRIEND OF THE
AMERICAN PRODUCER.
Gold Is the Only Hope of the Money
Lender md Usurer-The Issue Ii On.
J'tween Producers and Money
Lenders

inc reconciliation of silver, at
ratio OF 16 to l. would result in a vast
expansion Of the per capita circulation
Oh the country. Such is the strongest
argument put forth by the friends of
the white metal.
on the other hand the gold monomet-
ansts argue that the reconciliation of
shVer would drive all the gold out of
the country. This is their strongest
argument.
There ara other arguments on both
s'oes, but they are all more or less de-
pendent upon the ones given. All ar
suments for and against free coinage
oi the two metals must necessarily be
BASED upon either proposition. Thus
Inc coming national campaign with
one party In favor Of free coinage and
tne other against 1t the issue will be
greatly simplified. The two parties in
next years contest will make finance
tne dividing line, no matter by what
names they are known. The friends of
snvef VIII flock to the standard, which,
WITHOUT reserve, declares for free coin
ase. Inc friends Of the single gold
standard will flock to the party which
reptesents the gold interests. Party
a"hstions will count for nothing when
II comes to this issue. Especially
are the friends of silver determined on
this point.
But to the merits of the two propo-
si.lons on the financial question.
Ine claim of the silver men is
rounded on truth. No one will for a
moment claim that free coinage Of sill
yer would not result in an increase Of
inc amount Of money In circulation.
But what kind Of money would 8.
oe-cheap or dear or Just medium If
the proposition OF the gold men is cor
rect, Tree coinage of silver is not de-
sirable; for 30 long as we use metallic
money OF redemption 1t should consist
OF the two metals, so that the money
lending class will not know what kind
OF money their loans will be redeemed
In At any given time
To-day every political party, is, or
pretends to be In favor OF the double
standard. Yet we have the single stand
ard. Just because we use a large
amount OF silver money is no evidence
mat we are on bimetallic basis. The
silver must be redeemed In gold and
is therefore only doing the duty Of
paper money. Silver as it Is now used
is totally undesirable. Put 1t on a
plane with gold and 1t will go into hid
Ing Just like gold with the result that
more paper money than ever will go
into circulation among the people
something greatly to be desired in the
work OF finally solving the great prob
lem. But for present purposes all we
need Is to establish parity between
gold and silver. SO that neither metal
will leave the country. The condition
desired Is that which existed prior to
1873. gold and silver being then on a
parity at a ratio OF 16 to 1.
To rearrange the parity between the
two metals, 1t would seem that all that
Is necessary Is the re-enactment of the
law that existed prior to 1873. For in
asmuch az the act OF damonetization.'
passed in 1873. has resulted in a
decline in the price OF silver, an
act OF RECOMMENDATION will have like
effect In the opposite direction. For
all the purposes required for civillza-
ton silver Ia Just as valuable az 1t was
prior to 1873. SO IL wheat or oats or
anything. Yet the price has fallen.
Here attention may be called to the
fact that the enemies of silver contin-
uaIly point out the fact that the price
OF wheat and other farm products has
fallen because OF the Increased supply.
| They tell us that prices Of c0mmodl-
ties are affected by the laws Of supply
| and demand which is true. Every
! body knows that. But when you argue
to the same point with regard to silver
! the gold advocate becomes greatly con-
| fused for an answer. He knows that
the demand that would be created
for silver by an act OF remone-
| tization would bring the price up
to a parity with gold ut ratio
NJ is to 1, but he wont acknowl-
edge the truth. Nine times out OF ten
he will wind up tho argument on the
unot by telling you that you don't
know what you are talking about"
n ia Az simple as abe that remonc-
,,zation Of silver would result In bring
ing the metal UP to parity with gold.
who would be foolish enough TO sell
.,,ver at less than II dollar per ounce
vbcn Il could be exchanged for 81 at
the mint?
with a view OF inJuring the cause
=, FREQ coinage, the Reform club Of
| ..uIuripotIv mazda m nf q.