The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-09-12
CHALLENGES TO 10 TO ADVOCATES
wichita. Sept 10.


wichita. Sept 10.
To the Editor of the Eagle
II has been asserted over and over
that the United States had bimetallsm
from 1875 to 1873; that both gold and silver
were coined upon equal terms and circu-
lated as money among the people Tor
period of eighty years Bryan says: I'VE
are not asking that a new experiment be
tried" If gold and silver were ever
freely coined and concurrently circulated
So that IL might be said with any desree
of truth that the act of 1873 struck Down
ons-half our currency. the matter ought
to be easy OF proof. believe may safely
say there are 500 persons IN this county
who now intend 10 vote for Mckinley bur
who would vote for Bryan If they We're
satisfied upon the following proposition:
Proposition No. IL venture the pre6ic-
ton that Bryan would receive 800 more
votes in this county II his followers would
prove from any reputable historic author
ity that the United States ever had
practically successful binetailism. as con-
templated by any standard definition OF
the term; that it ever had the actual and
concurrent double coinage and double cir
culation Of both gold and silver money
at the ratio of is to l Tor any ratio) for
any period Of years. make the pred,c
ton that if this can be fairly shown from
history it will be worth 500 votes to Bryan
IN Sedgwscl< county. I believe this for
the reason that great many Republicans
believe in real bimetaliism. They believe
that a practical b'metallism giving con-
current circulation Of both metals "a
money would he preferable to the gold
standard. but that the existing gold stan
dard with our present use of silver Is bet
ter than the Mexican standard without
the use OF gold. IF our history could he
appealed TO in support Of a successful
bimetsllisnn. even when other nations
were coming both metals. IL would be
slight indication that law could regulate
the ratio and THAT IN the present instance
the legal ratio OF Is to might control the
market ratio CT Fl to l. and not be con-
trolled by it. A slight indication that
bimetallism would be a. possibility by the
United States acting alone.
Proposition No. 2-Bryan SAYS: Eve en-
sist upon a return TO the financial policy
epprovAd by the experience of history and
supported by all the prominent statesmen
Of our ration from the days of the first
president down to 1871 Now, viii
give $50 as a prize to the first person
furnishing me the name of a prominent
American statesman who. during period
named in Bryan's statement, ever pro-
posed to coin gold and silver upon a ratio
that did not correspond substantially with
In
port of any coinage proposi ton any argu-
ment that by reason Of the free and UNI
limited coinage Of the lower valued metal
a demand would be created which would
tendance the bullion value 'of such lower
priced bullion, "to the coinage value
throughout the world" II any promi-
nent American statesman took such posi-
ton or held such opinion would Ike to
know il.
Proposition No. 2Bryan Gays: ave
contend that free and unlimited coinage
of silver by the United States alone, VIII
enhance the bullion value OF silver to the
coinage value and make silver bullion
worth $l.29 per ounce in gold throughout
the world 1 offer DO pay $50 70 the
person first furnishing me with a stan
dard work upon the science Of money or
political economy upon which the state
rnent OF Bryan can be fairly predicated.
The only condition 10 the above offer IS
that the author and work shall be recog-
nized as standard. 1t win make no dlf-
ference whether the author IS u bimetal-
list or not. I do not assert that there
may not be a standard author who says
that the United States alone by free coin
age Of silver can raise he value Of silver
bullion from eS cents to N.oe per ounce in
gold throughout the world" I know very
many authorities that dispute Bryan's
position and none that support him. and
will be willing to pay a liberal price Tor
a standard work that supports Bryan IN
his quoted statement
Proposition NC. 4-Bryan's contention,
as quoted above, IS that free coinage viii
make silver bullion worth s1.29 per ounce
in gold throughout the world" in other
words "a silver dollar win be worth as
much as a gold dollar" I propos. 10
furnish from 40 to 800 ounces Of stan
dard silver bullion at a price not TO ex-
ceei S.ea FER ounce TO be delivered IN
wichita or New York. measured in gold.
CAV q free coinage act b. the United
States goes into effect. OR VIII agrees 10
sell and deliver 20 any person OF persons
n the city OF Wichita. Kansas, STANDARD
silver dollars. Of 4i27E g-ains standard sill
Yer. IN amounts ranging from so 10 500
dollars at % cents each. measured r. gold
and delivered within sixty days e4ter
Is 70 l free and unlimited coinage of silver
act by the United states goes into e.
feet, or as soon thereafter as the same
nav BE obtained from TIE United States
llirts
The only condition % this oTer - that
the parties making ard accepting the ocer
shan furnish satisfactory Enarantiss that
the same Is made AID accepted Il good
faith.
u the United States ey-er Rad = rrsctlcal
bsrletalIisul-a corcuTEsut coinage ent
circulation & OOth gold srd silver money
IL is easy 70 prove this fTou history y
aay law By tins NATION ever raised tss
prise % o1e bullion % correspond with 10
coinage value: ever maintained TIE coin-
age value and market ysiue a. 81 equal
ity or parity = ooGht . Re n ci.feult
matter 20 prove. II iris can bs ahoNn
tom history. the probability WI b vztse1
that law controls TIE relative vsiues g
god ara silver, ant ro- cc-zrerces aof
therefor the parity bstwesz Eola Al
SILVER nav - restored ard silver nay p
-1ise8 n vairs from = ce1ts 20 - Per
ouns- 81 xsIz thro1zhslt tfe Ee-i-- -
NJ Bran CA zpz-szl - hsErorT CT ziif7--f
scss1ce 20 show that lega2 rztioz e7silF'i
rnsarset rzsfoz. as f-szi premiums a. u.s.
oouuts hztuess TIE r1efzis ase -hls ~
vs-tes: ard = sAss aaa - zs-szfsTrs'1 y
couoetsnt o-snsoa q xsz.eszusz z-@ s1so-s-