The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-12-13
Very Often mistaken.

The Voice, New York, was asked il
silver certificates could be exchanged at
the Sub-TreasuIy for greenbacks and re-
piled they could. The editor was after
wards satisfactorily informed that such
exchange could not be made. Another
seeker after truth wishes to know how the
same editor explains that standard silver
dollar is as good as a gold dollar and is
answered: because it is made legal
tender for all debts" Had the answer
stopped right here where the entire
ground is covered, it would have been
complete and conclusive. The Voice,
however, is quite muddy or financial
questions, but never misses on the whis-
key question. In place of stopping when
done the answer is spoiled by adding !:
land because the coinage of these dollars
is, and has been ever since 1873, limited
in amount" This is entirely without
foundation either of law or reason. The
same power, that of the United States
government, which gave upwards of four
hundred millions legal tenders power
could as readily give it to four thousand
millions if necessary. That illegal tender"
| function is the command of the govern
ment of the United States that these
silver dollars shall be a legal offer in the
payment of all debts and dues, public and
| private, within the jurisdiction of the
United States.
As long as there is not surplus of
money in the country-more than the
business requires to move it-so long
every legal tender dollar is as good as
any other legal tender dollar, let it be
made of what it may.
The internal business or commerce of
this country is equal to that of Great
Britain, France and Germany combined,
and almost half the railroad mileage of
the world is inside the bounds of the
United States, with more than four times
the combined territory and two-thirds the
population of these great nations. Ill
climate, SOIL production, undeveloped
wealth and geographical p >sition, the
United States is the greatest country in
the world at the present day, and if to
these we add the energy and intelligence
of the population we do not believe that
any nation since the dawn of civilization,
equaled in all these elements of power
the United States of America. In view of
these urquestioned facts to doubt that the
word of power of such nation could not
make every dollar of silver that could
pass through its minis as good as every
dollar of gold, is akin to outlawing human
reason. The hour which flashes the news
under the ocean to the whole world that
the United States has opened its minis to
the free coinage of silver, not another
ounce of bullion will be sold for less than
the coin value of the metal. There will
be no need of holding up but with
power like gravity they will adhere to
each other-the dollar and the bullion
throughout the world, just as gold bullion
and gold coin stick together.
All the gold and all the silver that can
possibly be brought into this country will
not begin to supply the demands of bus
mess for money, and it will have to be
pieced out with paper money, bank cred
its and similar substitutes. The ignorance
of the people of the unparalleled power
of this nation is astounding. This lack
of knowlege is not confined to the hum
bier class but it permeates the more intel
ligent. When such papers as the Toice,
papers that entertain broad views on
questions of political economy generally,
are found doubling the power of the
United States to be world within itself,
if it so wills, supposing it must limit the
number of its silver dollars to hold them
up to gold dollars, we are tempted to
exclaim Otmpora OmOreS It does seem
that all within the boundaries of Man.
haitian Island have been smitten with the
curse of King Midas except one solitary
man, w. P. ST. John, President of the
Mercantile National Bank, who seems
| to be
Faithful among the faithless
Faithful only he"
~ ~ Ntl, %