New-York tribune., 1896-11-01
WE HAVE "DIVERS WEIGHTSv NOW
DIR. BOARDMANS CITATION OF SCRIPTURE
CONCERNING THE SILVER DOLLAR


The following paragraphs are Transcribed from
paper entitled "Tbo Just Scales" written by DR.
George Dana Boardman, OF Philadelphia and puh.
lishcd In 1.-The Prrceton Review" for March isaa
The paragraphs gain moral weight from the fart
that the article published more than ten years
ago. and therefore long before the mind Of the
author could be bIaeed by the political consider.
tions of the pending campaign.
After showing the transcendent Importance Of the
balance In the physical world Gas, for example IN
chemistry commerce.. etc., the writer passed to the
discussion of the earelly transcendent Importance
of tn. moral balance In the ethical world las. for
example In trade wag &. property. society. religion
etc) His discussion of the moral balance In coin.
age is In part as follows:
Let me illustrate from a Hebrew usage The
Jewish unit of value standard weight th0
shekeI the very word itself meaning 'weght"; %
also the Greek word talent meant balance" the
Roman libra" Compare the Italian 'lira" ths
French ..liyre." etc) meant scales" the English
pound" meant weight compare pennyweIght"
etc). Now. it is signicant fact that the Jewish
to be kept by the priests In the sanctuary for con.
stant reference: "All thy estimations shall be &C.
serahs serans shall 10 In be- the sheke Gevitcs xvii @ II
like manner Justinan decresd that standards Of
dec6Iv suggestive to recall that the famous Treas.
ury Of England was originally kept In chamber
dormitory OF Westminster Abbey. Indeed. the very
word money itself comes from the Latin Moneta,
Does not ali this hint that civilized man instinc.
tiveIy believes that money Is an emnently sacred
thing. the standard Of which must t be religiously
maintained in absolute integrity! Ihat there has
s~ays tb ons,arv sandard is evident from frequent
ancient warnings against deceitfu scales: tnat q.
dishonest money Here are some venerable scnps'
urcS: It'll -. Lo,..y
balances ,ps wshs b sha S, ye haNs naye IN an an
bap divers weights great and "A small; perfect
and Just weight shalt thou have that tny oaW
noS be long spo" false balance an abom
ton 10 Jehovah but a just weight Is MS deignt' G
etc Hevitcus xix S6 deuteronomy Xxx XIV 49, ITO. E,C
XIII XIII :: Micah vi. 1912 etc.).
ngs are not needed in this modern Christian iand
Let me apply them 90 single Sample OF lase
scales decsitu weghs,o w.t. vi dsc.s our suffen: =
an economic question; ! simply propose 70 test u
In the moral balance our g4a GSsr sb ou
according 10 which all our estimations are TO Do
made The Government declares the gold s dollas la
truth for this Is the actual worth OF me gold doi;
lar gold being the international weghmas,ert 9I. m -
also worth 100 cents. and Government tells what
is not true for the Bland dollar .this was Pup.
shed in 1850 Is worth only S cents to-day IL !"
For IL is important note that the silver dollar
enect: While the paper dollar is simply piece
Of paper on which the Government has stamped
nro,nise to pay 100 cents, the dollar mas IN ao'
6,ion TO the stamped Government promise 2
ructuating metallic value Of It's own; IN fact. y
Is lust because silver. like gold. has It's own metai'
lie value that the duel Of bimetallsm ana mono.
me,allism is being fought Now when Goyernment
declares that silver coin worth only " tfs, cents
shall be- so to speak qualitatlvey, eguNa!eht N
/ unlimited amounts to the standard dolaI or :
gold coin worth 100 cents. Government does az
;mnossIble a thing morally speaking as II woula
were II TO decree that three pecks OF wheat snaii
he 1uantitatiyely equivalent TO four pecks or
busheI In brief Government in coming the Biand bar
or Gat dollar virtually proclaims this astonishing
arithmetlcal equation. 50 (i3) equals lW .,.
AZ, &C. n genuine instance OF the forbidden divers
weights wher- II I may so say: twelve ounces
troy are as II were. forced TO balance sixteen.
49, e,uss 80 ,,vo;rdunnIs This dishonest coinage. IL
ners,sted in will sooner or later according 70 tno
retrlbuiye Iav. OF imitation plunge our Natlon n,o
dnanciai afastrophe What our American pe0po
mneds is 70 have ''the shekel OF the sanctuary or
the moral scales set up in our Capitol u 'on. on.
gross would add some grains OF scrupe 70 our
ssuver dollar. Congress Itself would not be so un-