The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-16
ATKINSON ON SILVER.

n o.s q re -ecsn, specie. MAJ. ~
NJ Nllllsr J. Bryan <zess Eorzs are r.
1o-red:
We say Increase -. 1@raau9 sow silver
~ legislation and TN. Few demand. act
m ~r.-a re demand aew n existence, VIII
Operate G212 TIE price g s.-Fs-. We SAP
t1zt 1sy demand x..l 20 sufficient - co--
s2Ez4- al TIE si4T@r >Clle1 - [1= mint, ard
being sufficient al ra-ss RE vAa1e q ST.
yer oaA34oE 70 It's Throughout -ze weird
We cave reason To- our oe1sf LEey
sD2ay say II wc1'r 90 IT. and taea 81.
oacz zzt propose aoso. ctely nothing
y We need rell4t fgors re xc.1 stang
ard Es r5Gzt secure X Fo- ourselves and
Z We En4st secure ms relief for 02rS@4Sss.
you can only secure x through = parry
Ea.ch oel1sTes n the restoration o. tas
t-ee and unlimited Coinage % sO@c and Sill
yer a. me present .egal ratio q Is % :.
without waiting sor ne a44 n consent Ok
any other 1aro1-H
II wta &c Inferred OF nearly every read
er o. ta.s Speech IA, Mr. Bryan ana us
supporters believe that oy only opening
re Iainss 81 ne linked States % ne tree
and unlimited c5l1ags o. silver al ths
present Legal rat1o O. IS . :. Ibat act cnay
VII Increase the demand toE silver n sAaca
4 way as 20 bring the value 3f silver ous-
Hon Throughout the ward from is present
price u 81 20 81 cents an ounce e goid %
T. = al ounce. The discussion % THIS CUES
ton by the advocates % free coinage 3 80
conducted as 70 convey thai impression
AID tia; impression only.
Let IL De assumed that what 1r. Bryan
calls FOR. namely. 20 increase tae demand
FOR silver By legislation. IS granted Let II
Dc assumed thar 5y legislation ne n!n-s
OK the United States are opened 10 M
free and unlimited coinage Of silver bull
Hon Let Il be assumed that bullion may
rfev~r e----, NV y
or o. ne world 20 De coined into silver dol
lars o. TIE present standard % -5.&S %
a. tAe expense q The taxpayers % his
country. There remains che question
which neither Mr. Bryan Ar. Sewlands.
Senator Jones. Gen Warner or any other
prominent advocate OF free coinage has
ye. dared 70 ans yer. It may happen that
not ons OF these uea VIII dare % answer
I, new when Il Is put. with tao or three
other questions which must o. necessity
follow the first one.
Mr.. William J. Bryan and he other gen.
s.enen named or any other advocate ..
free silver coinage IS now Challenged %
answer these questions:
F1rst-If hose xho now oppose you viii
support you in legislation for opening the
minis OF the United States 20 che free
coinage Of silver bullion a he ratio Of -
70 !. coupled with repeal q The lsgal
tender provision BY which these dollars
are 7os given 4 forced circulation. viii
you accept that measure?
II you do not accept. ihen
Seconds not your advocacy OF tse rec
coinage Of silver bullion al he ratio u Is
- wholly insufficient for your purposer
Thir1-D0 you not intend 70 maintain an
act % legal tender under which you ard
your supporters may force gae people %
this country % accept standard silver d.
lars al the ratio u SIS N gcsd whether
AL tn t.ssff
value u silver % that price n gold?
To Mr.. Bryan certain questions must De
put n get more 9lstlnc, rsrn1s. Y0u have
been a conspicuous advocate Of personal
liberty and OF free trade In goods On
~h2t ground do you and vaUr supporters
Propose 10 deprive IRE people u t'.ls c0ssn-
try oE-fg-e trade Or free caoice Z Il 1neyr
On what ground Do you deny The righ, %
private contract On whas ground DO yea
propose 70 deprive the workman. who
cannot wait but must take j. contract FOR
the future payment 81 wages. OF The right
20 demand good money made OF sold or
money which VII by the greatest guam
Iity o. goods in this or any other country
By what right and on what ground do you
force any one 20 take silver dollars at
s. 2 whether their bullion value Is equal
20 that or not7
IN orslsr words. III. writer does rot hest
tate 20 assert that any nan who supports
me sEeS coinage o. slyer a. 10 70 ! WITH
GU, explaining that IN addition &c lesssla-
ton 20 that effect his purpose cannot ne
accomplished without 2 legal tender act
forcing these dollars into use. IS natslead-
Ing the community. He : therefore keep
Ing back ar essential part o. his plan and
is not entitled 70 credit or support tor
thas resso&-
Il = necessary tia. this challenge should
Be given II Is right 70 use plain words II.
tenouncing tlis force bill under which ost
money is TO be put upon the people OF this
country.
These plain questions might well be pvt
- every speaker proposing 20 make an al
dress IN support of free coinage IN every
state or town In anticipation OF such
meeting II would be well that some one
should be upon the floor 10 demand re-
Plies % these questions from such speak
ers. Their sincerity and their com ore
hs1sion OF the subject may then ~ tested
either by their evasion % the questions
Or By their efro~. "a make 4 reniy BY
which hey shall not themselves - con-
demnea. EDWAFD ATKINSON.