New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-05
PLAIN QUESTIONS FOE PLAIN MEN.


What do men expect to gain by free coinage
of silver at the 16 to I ratio? Not what do
owners of silver mines and Spectators in sill
yer bullion expect TO gain. but plain ordinary,
honest American citizens-farmers, shopkcep-
ers, mechanics and the like-the people who
make up the mass Of the American Nation
what good would free coinage do them? Lay
aside the wild rantng about the Crime OF
1873" of which Senator Stewart, now most
blatant of all in denouncing it, was one of the
chief perpetrators. Lay aside all talk about
God having created silver and gold in the exact
proportions of 10 to l. which is scientifically
untrue Lay aside the blasphemous twaddle
about crucifying humanity on a cross Of gold.
Lay aside all such fubdub, the stOck-in-trade
of Juvenile DISCLAIMERS and antquated cfanks.
Come right down to the practical point, fellow
wOrkingmen and llow-cliZens. and answer,
If you can, what good will free coinage do YOU?
Suppose that you belong to the small minor
ity of men whose farms ere mOrtgaged. VIII
1t help you to pay that mortgage: Certainly
not if Senator Stewart or any other silver
lender holds the mortgage, for you may be sure
there is clause in 1t requiring payment in
gold But suppose some less rapacious money
lender holds it, He lent you gold, or money
equal to gold DO you, as an honest man, want
to return to him anything else! He paid you In
1OO-cent dollars. DO you want to repay him in
53-cent dollars? Or suppose that you belong
to that other small minority of men who are In
debt in other ways than on mortgages. Those
debts were contracted honestly. You are bound
to pay them honestly, in full DO you really
want TO repudiate AZ per cent of them? And
can you look your felOw-men in the face:
Perhaps you are a farmer with produce TO
sell. You think prices are now too low. You
want them to be higher. DO you think you will
gain that end by making the money you get
for your produce less valuable: Will it help
matters If, instead of 100-cent gold dollars, you
get paid for your grain ard hay and cattle in
53-cent silver dollars? Oh, but you say prices
will go up SO that you will get more dollars for
your crops than you do now Perhaps. But
prces-measured by the number of dollars
will have almost TO double before you Will be
getting as much as you do now. Do you think
they will double very quickly after Mr.. Bryan's
election? Even then, what better off will you
be? Will you be any richer with one hundred
dollars worth 80 cents each than with fifty
three worth 100 cents each! Ask your ten
year-old schoolboy to figure 1t out and see.
Or you are a mechanic and want higher
wages. That Is laudabe desire. 1t would be
pleasant to get four dollars day instead Of
two dollars. But If the dollars are cut in two,
so that the four will be worth no more than
the two now are, so that you can buy no more
with the four than you now can with the two,
what will 1t profit you: If your wages go up
in number of dollars paid-dOnt you suppose
the rent Of your house and the cost of your
food and clothes will go up, too? Indeed, hasn't
experience taught you that these latter go up
more quickly and further than the former, and
that wages are the hardest Of all to get up, and
go up least, and last? Would 1t not be the
height of folly to vote for doubling of your
expenses with the mere hope but no absolute
certainty, that your income would also be
doubled7
The chances are, however. that your farm IS
not mortgaged, for the majority Of farms are
not, and that you are not in debt, for the ma
jority of men are not. Instead Of belonging 10
the debtor minority, you belong to the creditor
majority. What good will free coinage do you?
Your life Is insured-that is to say, life In
surance company owes you money. You have
paid your premiums in 100-cent dollars Do
you want the policy paid to you or to your
family In 53-cent dollars? You have fire in
surance on your house and furniture, or on
your barns, or cyclone insurance, II you live
In the land of Bryan and PETER. 1t covers the
value Of your property. In case of disaster do
you want that full value paid, or only about
one-half Of It? What will it profit you to pay
for $1,000 Of insurance and then to receive
only $3.50?
There are other and higher considerations,
Of morals and honor, and the National wei
fare But let us look at the case from this
lower and simpler point Of view. Judged by
the elemental standard Of self-interest, what
will 1t profit the average, everyday American
citizen to degrade the currency and Hood the
land with half-price dollars?
SENATOR GORDON.