Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-11-07
GEN. JOHN B. HENDERSON.

Correspondence OF the Ledger.
Mexico, Mo, Nov. John is an out
and ont single gold standard advocate.
He saws so-says you had as we'll talk
about a double yard stick or two hall
bushels, as gold and silver to measure
values. Whatever may be said, MI.
Henderson utters no uncertain words.
lie endorses Cleveland in his cause
against silver, but says nothing about
the honesty, purity, integrity ana
fidelity of a man who was ~treacherous
enough to accept q nomination ana
pretend to stand on the platform the
Democrats made in 1892, which ne
did, and "wo hold to the use OF both
gold and silver without discriminating
against either metal or charge for
mintage, lis this not free silver
but the two metals, when coined must
be of equal intrinsic and exchanSeable
value"
John says this is IA clear as mud and
reminds him of the days of his classic
studies, when he tried to decipher the
utterances of the Delphic Oracle and
he likens it to tho Pope's bull against
the comet. Certainly that platform
means anything, everything and moth
ing. IL is like the fellows theory Of
salvation, which he explained as fol-
lows: "You must and you can't, you
shall and you shan't, you will and you
won't, you'll be damned If you do and
be damned if you DON'T"
The first coinage act passed in 1892
included both metals, and we lived
and prospered under that system for
one hundred years. From thirteen
feeble colonies we have spread over a
vest continent and our population has
increased from four or five millions to
seventy millions. If it took us a hum
dred a to find out that silver ought
not to be coined as money, certainly
our politicians were stupid fellows and
fit companions for that long cared an
imal BaIaam rode. On that Delphic Or
acle platform Mr.. Henderson says
ssno wonder that difficulties arose be-
tween the President and his friends,
when the necessity of Interpretation
came" The platform was bimetal.
The President was for the gold stand
ard. At least, the great mass of vot-
ers understood Cleveland to stand on
the platform and endorse the coin
age of both metals, and all the inge-
nuity he could command has been
wholly inadequate to form even a pre-
text for his opposition to silver. He
said he was for bimetallism, not at a
ratio of IS TO 1, but he has been as
silent as the grave on any ratio for
coinage of silver. All his emissaries,
including MIR. Carlisle, the Secretary,
have refused to coin it at 80 to l, the
commercial value. Mr.. Henderson says
congressional acts may declare legal
values, but intrinsic and commercial
values viii remain as deaf to the proc
lamations as did the comet to the bull
of the Pope. Supply and demand regu-
late commercial values, and intrinsic
values depend on the absolute use to
which an article can be applied
something that inheres in the thing
itself. With the mercury 80 degrees
below zero, a man in an open house
would not exchange a dozen blankets
for all the gold ever coined and spend
a night without covering. In this case
the intrinsic is far above the CONNER
cial value.
Lycurgus made iron money and the
pieces were so large that it would re-
quire one of our modern coal wagons to
haul enough to buy a half sack of flour.
Yet, these commercial value fellows
would carry us back to the days of old
Lycurgus. The best solution of the
whole question is to mix a little silver,
some alloy and stir i'll enough Govern
mental fiat to make it go and restrict
its legal tender qualities to ten dollars
and under, as between all private par
ties on contracts. Make a full legal
tender for all National and State tax
es, put all the minis to work and fix
the ratio at IL to 1. Call in all bonds
now employed rs basis for National
banks, pay them off in silver dollars,
require the National banks to call in
all their currency and pay silver for it.
This will afford all the means for a
general distribution of silver among
the people. If necessary have all
banks organize under State laws and
issue paper money based on coin, dol
lar for dollar. That is to say, for
every dollar of paper money issued
the bank shall keep a silver dollar
stored in its vaults. II this is done
you can coin all the silver in the world
ut 16 to 1 and never hear of deprecia-
ton and money will be abundant.
Call in the greenbacks and pay them
off In coin, gold il it Is on hand and
silver II gold is out, and declare, by
s~veryrnfnR- sacrra and right, that ex-
cept In time Of actual war, and to
preserve the life OF the country, not
another bond shall issue while time
lasts, wood grows or water runs.
I supported John for Congress in
this district in 1850 when he ran
against Major Rollins. II was a warm
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