The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1895-08-14
A SEARCH LIGHT.
Looking for stSOund Money! and De-
filming Its PrerOgatiYe.


that knows what the term sound
money means, we respectfully ask
him, her or it to answer the ques-
lions which we propose to ask. If
we have sound money now, what
sort of money did we have in 1892?
Does or does not tho term "sound"
money refer to the purchasing pow
er of the dollar2 II yes, does it re-
fer to the highest or the lowest pur-
chasing power ofthe dolIar2 If no,
TO what, then. does the term refer?
Would the dollar still be "sound" if
prices of commodities were to rise
to the level of 1873?
The organs will bear in mind that
the gold dollar would buy not quite
half the quantity of commodities in
1873 that it will buy in 1895. This
means, of course, that we had in
1873 what the Shylocks now call
fifty cent dollar. Itmeans, too, that
we had ffty-cent dollar in 1880,
and, as compared with the present
purchasing power of the dollar, that
we had a sixty cent dollar in 1892.
We call the attention of theor-
gans to this singular fact-that al
though the dollar was tremendously
deprecated in 1873 and as late as
1892, none of the Shylocks called
attention to the fact. What was the
matter with them? Were they
sleeping over their precious inter
ests?
Nobody talked about the fifty
cent dollar in 1873, for nobody had
ever heard of such an incongruity.
The fifty.cent gold dollar was at a
premium over the thirty-cent green
back dollar, and it seemed to the
banks and the Shylock class of that
day to be the most precious thing
that had ever been invented up to
that hour. The entire Wall street
gang were ready to sell their naked
souls for it at any hour of the day;
but we are now informed by the
same gang and its agents that a
dollar with tie purchasing power of
the gold dollar of 1873 would now
be fifty cent dollar and place this
country on a level with Mexico
Though it is we'll known that the
Mexican silver dollar will purchase
a larger amount OF commodities in
the United States in 1895 than the
American gold dollar would pur-
chase in 1873.
In view of these facts, which none
of the organs can dispute, the ques
ton, what is a "sound" dollar be-
comes of extreme Importance. In
1873 seventy five gold dollars would
buy a bale of cotton. In1895, when
part of the crop was still in the
hands of the farmers, twenty FIVE
gold dollars would buy a bale of
cotton. In 1894 only twenty gold
dollars would buy 500 pounds of
cotton But in 1888, when gold,
the money of the bankers, would buy
less than one third as much, nobody
called it unsound money. Why?
Will the organs venture to tell us?
aft "sound" money means the
highest purchasing power ofthe dol
lar-and it can mean nothing else
it means that the shylock class and
it's organs are doing all they can to
keep down prices to their present
profitless level. And that, in fact
is the end and aim of this whole
gold bug campaign. The whole
purpose of the money power-the
clement that boards and handles all
the gold in the worlds to make
their money just as valuable as pos
sible. "Sound" money is the money
thatsis SO scarce that it commands
a constantly increasing quantity of
the products of the labor of the
people.
The agents and organs of Shy
lock tell US that the free coinage of
silver would give the people depre-
ciated and dishonest dollar. De-
preciated as to what? Why, as to
its purchasing power. The claim
is made that if the dollar will pur-
chase less of the products of the
peoples labor than it does now it
would be "dishonest" dollar. In
other words only an "honest" dol
lar and "sound" currency can have
the effect of depreciating the prices
of commodities and of cutting down
the profits of the peoples labor.
The theory is now boldly set forth
that 123 cents a pound for cotton
and 81 bushel for wheat means
"dishonest" dollar and "deprecia-
ted" currency. The people must
en- limit 70 daprac;a tod apJ d;shopast