Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-10-29

much OF either metal produced is hePl
pace in the per capita with the increase
Of the population so that some other
cause than the output OF the metals
must be sought for disturbing the par
ity between them; and it viii be found
in the advice of Thomas Jefferson to
the members of Washington first cab
met when they assembled in 1892, for
the purpose Of framing mint bill to
be passed by Congress under that pro-
vision of the constitution of the United
States that says, Congress shall have
power to coin money, regulate the value
lereoi. and of foreign coin.
In that meeting, although Hamilton
was secretary Of the treasury, jefferson
. as in the Declaration of Independence
was the leading spirit he advised the
formation of the unit to consist Of 100
cents to be called dollar, to which
unit gold and silver were to conform
at ratio of Is $40 grains Of gold to
one grain Of ofsilyeraud that 4l2! grains
Of silver, including the alloy, were to
equal our unit, and that %! grains Of
gold, including the alloy, were to be
equal to one unit or 100 cents The
ratio and the equivalents were estab-
Iished, the next proposition was which
of the two metals was to form the basis
or the standard of value by which all
commodities were to be measured; some
of the cabinet We're in favor Of silver
constituting the basis or standard, as 1t
was the most in use in the transaction
of business among the masses Of the
people; others were in favor Of gold
as the standard, but jefferson was IN
favor of but one standard, consisting
of both metals, at the ratio and equiv
alent above stated, and gave as his rea-
son that if any one metal should form
the standard of value a corrupt and
powerful combination Of capital could
control it in the interest Of such COM
bination to the great detriment and
injury of the people, but if both metals
combined to form the basis Of circula-
ton, the one would exercise whole
some and salutary restraint upon the
arbitrary purchasing power Of the
other.
But we little wits, the farmers, were
taught a different system of Democ-
racy from that taught by the mono
metallsts Of the present campaign.
We were taught that Democracy that
had struggled for existence in the Gre
clan and in the Roman republics, that
had fought for the rights anI the lib
critics Of the people thorugh the re-
publics and the democracies Of Thebes
and Sparta, through the Achaean
League, the Athenian republics, and
through the Amphityonic Council.
/ But after an unsuccessful fight with
tyranny and oppression for thousand
years, Democracy, wounded, bleeding
and oppressed found a home, a country
and a friend in the western wilds Of
America a Washington to hberate
and defend and a jefferson to bind up
its bleeding wounds, to reform and to
correct its imperfections, to develop
its truth and its justice to mankind,
and to enable it to proclaim political
and religious liberty to the world.
Yes, this was the Democracy, regener-
ated, reformed and perfected by Thom-
as jefferson, of Monticello the Thomas
jefferson whose precepts and examples
are so ably expounded and followed
by that statesman and patriot Of Vir-
ginia today, John Warwick Daniels.
Butnot that Jefferson that the mono
metallic orators, the attorneys Of the
combines and trusts are quoting iin
their speeches in this campaign. Thom-
as jefferson, Of Monticello, never
taught the people monOmetalism or the
beauties of a single gold standard. He
opposed it in the framing Of the first
mint bill in 1892, and was really the
patron Of bimetalism. He never
taught Democrats to participate in the
primaries and in the district conven-
ton with all the industry, vigor and
the advantage that patronage could
bestow, and then when defeated by
an overwhelming majority in the ma
tional convention, that it was virtuous
and patriotic for small minority to
bolt that convention.
His motto was that where the ma
jority ruled it was Democratic, but
where the minority ruled it was tyr
amy.
A Word to the Farmers and Laborers on
Barking.
If, as Is generally supposed, the In
tellect of the farmer and laborer is In
adequate to, or incapable Of, the pene-
tration of the iutricacies. the mysteries