Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-10-02
THE TrMEs's SPOONS.

AMY ABOVE inc common. III We uju NV
know that 1t was supporting Palmer with
view 10 elecing Mr. Mckinley. a stra-
bismic feat equally novel in Virginia poll
tics since Malone ran a Hancock ticket
to elect Garfield, we should be puzzled
to know where to find it's ballot on cleo
tlon-day.
IT contends that the country. In case
Of free coinage. will he flooded with dol
lars which arc not worth 100 cents, and
in the same breath complains that IL there
Is free coinage the mine-owner viii carry
his cheap silver TO the mint and get a
1OO-cent dollar for u.
II contends that free coinage will mood
the country with an amount OF currency
that will be cheap. from the mere fac.
OF it's abundance. and in the same breath
predicts that there will not be enough
currency because 500. OOo 900 OF II. IN the
form of gold, will be driven out OF me
country.
1t holds that free coinage Is bad for
the farmers. and in the Same breai
warns the mechanic and clerk that living
will cost them more because the 7Nrrner
will get higher prices for his products
with more than "A million worltmen oct
Of employment and the number datiy IN.
increasing II assures that class OF
our countrymen that the present hard
times. the result of the gold standard,
are good for them.
1t insists that the free coinage OF silver
will drive gold out of the country. ADD
vet admits to its columns the ofiic'sl
statement of the Treasury, showing that
between 1873 and 1880 che dates Of the
passage and repeal of the Bland Allison
acD the amount of gold in the Treasury
had risen year by year from Sl2S.00o 0OO
in 1878 to 1921, 100000 in 1890, though lO0.cjo,
those years.
1t admits the necessity OF having
stock of gold as primary money. apd
then I'm a series of well-written editorials
comes dangerously near proving that
there is no necessity for primary money
at all, the business Of the country being
done with notes. checks. and drafts.
And yesterday still watchfll to bsfuG
die its readers, II became alarmed over
the subject OF spoons-silver spoons. of
course-for our neighbor regards gold
spoons as primary money. 1t seems that
that arch-Anarchist. Mr.. William Jen-
nings Bryan, did on a certain day--to wit,
Monday, the 2Slh day of SUPPLEMENTARY
to certain voters of Providence, in the
State of Rhode Island-where, by-the-by,
they make more spoons than in any other
city outside of Connecticut-that under
free coinage a man could take sl.JO-worth
Of spoons TO the mint and have it coined
into a. sl.29-cent dollar-if he was fool
enough to DO IT," At this the spoonma-
kers and other listeners applauded. AT
this the Times shakes it's head, and pro-
ceeds TO show what stupid people both
orator and applauders were" 1t is torn
with anxiety lest the man with the
spoons should make something by the
exchange This profit of the vendor of
old spoons is more terrible to the Times
than the millions made by the syndicates
in taking our government loans. II backs
the spoon man into a corner. and, doing
al the talking itself assesses his spoon
bullion at Go cents the ounce, the work.
manship on 1t at p cents, and finds that
the rascal is about 10 get a clear profit
OF SO cents an ounce out of the govern
ment. Its whole argument in proof of
the stupidity" of Mr.. Bryan and his
applauders is based upon the impossible
lily that under the demand created by .
free-coinage law silver should remain
where it is to-day. 1t says that
"The case comes down to this: IL
free coinage raised silver to S.29 an
ounce, no one would coin spoons. But
nobody believes free coinage will do this
and if it does not, spoons will be coined
when silver is at price that will justify
the spoOnowner In giving away the labor
expended upon spoon"
The Times is mistaken. A great
majority OF the people Of this country be-
lieve that free coinage will raise silver |
to just where il was in 1873 when the |
silver dollar was demonetzed-SL2 an |
ounce. They believe that If the United |
States could keep gold and silver at a
parity up TO 1873 without the aid of Great
Britain, which has been on gold basis
since 1916. they can do ii now. They fur
Their believe, from sad experience, that
this revolution against the gold standard
is a great movement in the interests Of
humanity, and they deeply feel its right
eousness and justice.
And all this, even If those who are
lucky enough TO own old spoons should
evade the watchfulness of the Times and
sell them to the government at a profit