The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-18
Inconsistent Silver Shouters.

1t has been the practice for the chief
free silver men, like Senators Jones
and Stewart. to denounce John Sher-
man as the high priest of gold. bugism
and the willing tool of the bond sharks
and plutocrats of Wall street. With
this fact In mind. there are few who
VIII fail to appreciate the humor Of the
polite and courteous counter blow de-
hvered by the veteran Ohio financier
In his Columbus speech against these
standing assailants of him. It was not
printed in our abstract of that speech
in yesterdays issue, hence we give il
now:
1t has been said that the dropping OF
the silver dollar in the coinage act of 1873
was surreptitiously done. This charge Is
shown to be false by the debates in con-
gress, and especially by the declarations
OF the men who now make the charge
sixteen months after the passage OF that
act. Senator Jones, of Nevada, in a de-
bate in the senate, June II, 1874, said: "l
am opposed to any proposition, come in
Whatever form 1t may. that attempts TO
override what God Himself has made tor
money. believe the sooner we come
down to purely gold standard the better
1t will be for the country"
On April l, 1874. he said: Does this ccr.
gress mean now to leave entirely out Of
view and discard forever q STANDARD of
value? And what but gold can ne that
standard? What other thing on earth pos
sesses the requisite qualities? Gold
Is the articulation Of commerce. 1t Is the
most potent agent OF civilization. It is
gold that has lifted the nation from bar
barisn. 1t is the common denominator of
values 1t makes possible the classifica-
ton Of labor and the interchange OF coni-
modtics. Gold has interviewed in bargains
made between men since the dawn OF civ
ilization and 1t has never failed to faith.
FULLY fulfil its part as the universal agent
and servant of mankind. The value
Of gold is not affected by the stamp OF The
government"
Senator Stewart, of Nevada, in the same
debate on June 12. 1874. said: ''Sir, the la
boring man and the producer is entitled to
have his product and his labor measured by
the same standard of the world that meas
lires your national debt Give him
such a standard. give him money as you
require from him. iou require 1t from the
producer. You require from the laboring
man gold to pay the interest or your ma
tional debt, which is right, which cannot
be avoided If You mean to save national
honor: but then give him the same money
with which to Day that debt The ques-
ton will never be settled until you de-
ternline the simple question whether the
laboring man is entitled to nave gold
dollar II he earns it. or whether you are
going to cheat him with something else
That is the nDshot OF the whole thing
Everybody has to say that the laboring
man is entitled to good dollar There
have been great many battles fought
against gold. but gold has won every time.
Gold never has compromised. Gold
has made the world respect 1t all the
time"
In 1874 Nevada was not nearly SO
valuable mining camp as 1t became
subsequently and it's silver product was
not SO material q resource. Can il be
that the development Of the Nevada
silver workings was what converted
Messrs. Jones and Stewart from the
gold to the silver side of the money
question? 1t would seem that they
owe the public an explanation.
In 1873, with population OF 40, 900, 900