West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1896-07-23

mind. Lerued writer's affirm that
in any single thing, considered
apart from and not in comparison
with some other things, there is no
idea OF value in the money or ex-
change sense of the word value
The notion of dollar is a mental
conception of unit of value. The
material thing that Is used in ex-
change, the metal or the paper
dollar, is the symbol of value to bo
exchanged. The twenty dollar gold
piece and the twenty dollar sewing
machine are exchanged one for the
othor and each is measured by the
mental unit of value. the mind s
conception of what dollar is. Or
u twenty dollar COW is traded for
the twenty dollar sewing machine,
the exchange Is effected, two minds
measure both articles with the men.
tai unit Of value. the conception of
the dollar. The idea Of the dollar
as unit of value TO measure all
things marketable, exists as an alb
straction independent Of any metal
or material substance whatever,
precious or otherwise. There is u
monetary fetichism among some
people who think God made gold
expressly TO be made into money.
That is beautiful theory Of the
money worshiper. Others would
add silver and say that God filed
the hills with gold and silver to be
coined into money. But the fetch
worshipers quarrel among them
selves. The worshiper of the gold
standard says that silver is "a cum
bersome, heavy, inferior money
metal" Or rather that is what the
+. NJ. General says. "a cumber-
some, heavy, inferior money metaP'
is good statement Of the argument
for silver money free and untram-
meled by law. 1t Is too cumbe
some to be locked up in bank vanlts
and oornered by Shylock, as is the
case with gold. 1t is heavy enough
To lie around among the working
people. Why should superior peo.
pie with superior gold metal for
money deny inferior people the
pleasure Of having such an inferior
metal as silver for money? Silver
has been long The money Of the
plain working people. With silver
money iu their pockets the common
people could not suffer so much
when tie panics set IN. The argu
mont Of superior people against
silver a5 money metal is the best
argument for it IN tho ears Of the
weli-to-do and the poor.
"There Is no country in the
world that could make this sudden
change ia It's money standard with
out plunging headlong into an in
definite period Of panic, bankruptcy
and distress, with disastrous check
to its development and long idle
ness to its industries" Such IS
the opinion Of the +. NJ. General
with regard to the restoration to
the people, or silver constituent
constitutional part OF our money
system. Had Mr. Wilson uttered
this language in 1873 with regard
to the change from tho silver unit
basis to the gold standard Of Nc
Kinley and Mark Hanna and John
Sherman, his words would have
been prophetic aud descriptive Of
our own "sound money" hard
times. Some have reasoned that if
demonetization Of silver has 6oub-
led the price OF the dollar that re.
monotization would be only Just
and restore the dollar to It's normal
purchasing power. But the pres
eut double-priced dollar is sound
money. "The very threat and ag-
itation Of it (romouetization Of
silvor) however, have brought up
on us three years Of depression aud
stagnant enterprise, and The coun-
try today Is held back from starting
ON new aud unparalleled career
Of developement" There is moth.
ing theoretical about the p. M.
Generals assignment Of the cause
Of hard imes-fnancial system
paralyzed with fear at tho thought
Of free silver Glorious gold stan
dard that fails for lack Of con.
Gdonce at the very moment when a
.