The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-08-29
ANOTHER VIEW
Eject u Free Coinage ON Railroads and
Farmers,

ANNlltEN NAtsNs
Eject cf Free Coinage ON Railroads and
Farmers
The following comprehensive state
ment ot the crcct ~ free silver ON rail
yoad laborers and farmers, made 10 the
Railway Age by General Manager \,
L, Mohlcr Of the Minneapolis and st,
Louis Railroad, is interesting reading
THE entect VI the free coinage ot sill.
YER ON railway companies would he to
stop new construction of lines import
ant improvements in old lines, improve
ments IN depots machine shops aud In
ro0dbeds Railway companies whose
obligations are payable In gold. would
without question be compelled 20 pay a
premium FOR such money 10 meet their
obligations. which would be an extra
burden op them, and which would have
to be met by an Increase In passenger
and freight rates which the public
would oppose and. II successfully op-
posed, It would throw the roads into
the hands ~ receivers \ further and
more serious eject under any condi-
ttous would be to reduce the number of
men employed, and all employees and
officers would he confronted with the
necessity of reducing wages.
The general effect or free coinage
or silver would be to bankrupt almost
all the railroads in the United states.
and would prove particularly disas-
trous To all business interests No one
will question the fact that II the bust
ness interests prosper the railroads will
certainly do SO, but the railroads can
not prosper II the business interests
meet with reverses. The serious el-
feet is that all thinking and successful
business men. who have by industry
and labor accumulated money, would
have no confidence whatever In securi-
ties offered Tor Investment. while the
men who are so strenuous for free coin
age would have little money to invest
to maintain and run the business in
terests OF the country. There might be
a temporary imitation In the price OF
silver as was the case several years
ago, which started up number OF sill
Yer mines until the product materially
increased, when the reaction came.
caused by overproduction; the same
thing would certainly occur again.
What makes our cereals today so
low in value Is lack of confidence de-
creased consumption on account ~ 50
large an amount OF labor unemployed.
and overproducuon; the same laws
would certainly govern the free coinage
OF silver. SO that the reaction would
bring the value OF silver Co Il much
lower point than II has heretofore
reached, and would cause business con-
ditions TO exist in the near future
which would make the present time by
comparison hilarious
This country is in no position to
maintain an independent standard con-
trary to the civilized and prosperous
nations Of the earth, with which 1t at
the present time exchanges its pro
ducts; until II has reached point
where it can consume practically all .
II produces and manufactures in its
own country all that II requires, The
people who live In the present silver
standard countries are about half-cloth- .
ed. half-fed. and half-employed. and
they live in a climate which promotes
idleness, does not stimulate ambition.
and under general conditions which
cannot properly be applied to the peo-
pie living in the United States. who are
better educated. much more progress
sive, much more industrious, have high
er ambitions and are advancing labor
to a position OF dignity greater. and es-
tabIshing a standard Of wages higher.
than elsewhere on the earth.
III the railroad interests Of this
country are paralyzed no thinking man
can for a moment doubt what its ef-
feet will be upon the general business
interests Of the country. The success
full, law-abidlng patriotic, and thinking
men are largely advocates Of the gold
standard. Some OF the most active ad-
vocates Of the free coinage Of silver
avow principles which would result, n
in the ultimate dissolution
IF this form Of government.
II can see no reason how there could
be justified a free coinage Of silver any
more than there should be a free
coinage OF copper and nickel. Each in
1ivdual man Is entitled TO his views
upon this question. There are many
men who are today advocates Of the
free coinage Of silver who are 30 from
an honest purpose. There is however,
little question in my mind, and the evil
iences are beginning to assert them
selves, that as the mass OF voters be-
gin carefully to study the financial
question and the business situation.
there will be change OF sentiment.
In fact, there is change OF sentiment
Iuite rapidly forming. which will de-
'eat the pernlcious free silver policy
Ind again reinstate prosperity in this
country by the election Of a president
lnder Republican gold protective
platform"
R0VAT R0D,nD Do,,,~yo