Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-05-23
Thos. III. Gill on the Question of the
Hanr

To the Editor VI the Ledger.
MEXICO, Mo, May III dislike to
appear in the role of an educator or
instructor, and most especially TO go
into print on such q mission, but as it
appears TO me that some quite impor-
tant matters are omitted in the finan-
eial discussions now going on I have
yielded to the temptation. So here
goes. 1t may be well at the start to
say that my creed Is honest ''bimetai-
iism," but opposed to silver "mono-
metallism." A monomaniac is one
whose mind is wholly absorbed in the
contemplation of one idea and by rea-
son of which according to best obser-
yers of cause and effect is usually in
disposed to grant to his opponent the
proper and impartial consideration
due. ga man convinced against his
will is of the same opinion STILL" and
such is notably the case with enthusi-
astic would-be reformers of political
matters. How does an inventor of a
new method (out of the C of
which he, of course, expects to reap
reward) how does he proceed, I say,
in order that his conceptions may ''pan
out"? Why, most certainly, he notes
with the utmost care and scrutiny the
facts revealed by each and every ex-
pertinent, noticing infinitely, one by
one, every defect in the working
model, and it is only after repeated
trials and tests that his mistakes and
misconceptions Ire revealed to him
self. His triumphant entry into the
haven of solid truth has cost him many
times more labor and sweat than at
first was apprehended. How differ
emily does the discoverer of financial
theories proceed, and how prone is
he to disregard the possibilities of a
condition" as well as a theory being
involved? He is, of course, necessari-
ly right, because such men as Web
ster, jefferson and Jackson lived be-
fore his day, but if he would be an in
ventor, self interest (if nothing elsel
Immediately prompts a profound con-
viction that non of these illustrious
men would now be using "goose pens"
nor "fint lock muzzle leaders, (Which
does not, however, lessen our respect
for their intelligence, for surely they
were at the front in their day.. But
to the point. Our unlimited thorough
ly enlightened 'free silver or bust''
enthusiast, imagining that the whole
world is full of robbers, shylocks and
pirates Though he might himself rake
in a few roubles on a worthless opinion
or al essay liable to be "null and void''
when a thousand hills of corn might
have been hoed for the same price,
nevertheless is himself dead to the
possibility of one wheel at least in his
working model being short a cog or 70.
Now, why is this? Why can't you
who defy answers to your questions
accept the truth as revealed by evil
dence? "Why vas silver demonetized
in 1878" is one of the leaders in big
italics, and not having seer this stun
ner answered, I venture to reply by
asking more. Does any sane man sup
pose that as the preliminary arrange
ments for changing the unit of value
in Germany and France were inaugu-
rated in 1871, and considering our
commercial relations, viz: a large
amount of produce to sell Is well as
much to buy from gold standard coun-
tries, that we would not have been
robbed of our gold? Second. Does
any fair man suppose that the labor
ing mar and w~age-earner (your special
wards) would bob up as serene appro-
vers of a policy under which they
would be paid in money largely below
par in the markets our products are
sold? Will you please point out to a
blind man the way in which he can
see how you are going to raise the
price of farm products so long as we
have a.large surplus to sell, and none
but gold standard countries are able to
buy in car load lots (coon skins ex-
cepted)? How is this remarkable Wis
ion to become real and tangible? Do
you propose to run a corne on wheat
and cotton in Liverpool and squeeze
the "shorts'' even if you have formed
a syndicate with a few car loads or
such a matter of silver bullion, thereby
backing up your views with the conse-
Grated metal, failing to perceive that
wheat would go off faster than the
bullion? Your stock of bull argu-
ments, to-wit: free silver single hand
ed and alone. Why not like an hon
est bimetallist, wait till the crop was
short in Russia or India to drive in
your wedge? Is it not strange that the
silver man says nothing about the law
of supply and demand or how he pro-
poses to raise the price of labor when
he can't increase the price of farm
products? If you had plenty of cheap
money would you not inevitably turn
out a great surplus of goods, wares
and produce to seek a foreign market?
Why don't you say something about
competition in trade and the endless
production of labor saving machinery?
What is the use in humbugging the
people by trying to persuade them
that the panacea for all their woes
will be found in this ''patent remedy?"
What if the moneyed men and large
bankers hated you as much as you
despised them and told you respect
fully to go to =, that they would use
their means in a foreign country? Do
you propose to stop short of anything
in your power? Then you could not
blame them or deny that they have
the power. Some of you would be
pIPERhElD51EcK
|PLuC TOBACCO
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