The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-03-21
NOT REPRESENTATIVE.
The Free Silver Senators Do Not Speak
for the People.


for the People.
The final vote in the senate on the
passage of the radical sixteen to one
free coinage bill was about what was
expected, but it was not representative
of the opinion of the American people.
much less of the interests of the public.
An analysis shows that the senators
voting for the bill represented about
100000 people, while those voting
against it represented 100000
Counting the paired senator's as voting
and allowing two sound money senators
to Delaware, the senate was divided
As for and AZ against the bill. Thus
popular minority numbering 30,0O0,o00
is represented by As senators, while
popular majority numbering 100000
is represented by only AZ senator's
Each cheap money senator represents
625, 600 people, while each sound money
senator represents $4,000 people.
The fact is far worse than this show
ing, for most of those who voted for
silver monometallism grossly misrepre-
scented the intelligence and the in
terests of their respective states. or
the rs affirmative votes, % were cast
by southern senators. All the senator's
from the three old slave states of Mary
LAND, Delaware and West Virginia are
counted against the bill. The sena-
tors from Kentucky, Louisiana, Texas
and Virginia were divided. All other
southern senators voted for the bill.
The sentiment of the business public
in every one of those states are strong
ly opposed to silver monometaIlism.
The true interests Of the southern peo-
pie are all opposed to a lowering OF the
monetary standard. They do not pro-
duce an ounce of silver. They produce
for the market cotton, sugar, tobacco
and rice principally, and it is to their
interest to get the best money for these
products, because they must pay the
best money for what they buy. None
but debtors would gain anything by
degrading the standard, and what they
would gain in that way they would lose
twice over in impaired credit.
The same may be said as to Indiana
and Washington, all of whose senator's
voted for the bill, and of North Dakota,
Nebraska, Oregon and Pennsylvania,
each of which was misrepresented by
one senator. Not one of these states
could possibly derive the least adyan-
tage from degradation of the stand
ard, while every one of them would be
injured.
The mining camp states have some
little excuse for fayoring free coinage
of silver. Most of them produce more
or less silver. But even in their case
the silver interest is of minor impor-
lance. The gold interest is nearly as
important now, and bids fair to be
more so in the near future, while their
agricultural, numbering, grazing and
other interests are in the aggregate OF
far greater importance. 1t is difficult
indeed to understand how the silver
mine owners themselves would be much
benefited by free coinage otherwise
than by paying their employees in cheap
dollars. They would get but little more
for their silver in the long run. and
they would not be able to cheat theii
employees for any great length Of
time.
But the mining states would be pow
erless for harm If the southern states
were represented according to theil
true interests, as are the northern
states with the exceptions above noted
IL southern states would have the cour
age of their convictions and make
bold stand for sound money as thei
fathers did we would soon see the las
of tAe cheap money craze.-Chicag
Chronicle.