Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-08-20

There can be no sympathy or co-opera-
ton between the advocates OF universal
gold standard and the advocates Of bimetal-
liSm- Between bimetallfsm-whether indie
pendent or interna tional-and the gold stand
ard there is an impossible gulf Is this quad
rennial agitation in favor OF international hi
metallism conducted in good faith, or do our
opponents really desire to maintain the gold
standard permanently Are they willing to
confess the superiority OF a double stand
ard when joined in by the leading ma
tions of the world, do they still in
sist that gold is the only metal suit
able for standard money among civilized na-
tions: II they are, in fact. DESTROYS of secur-
ing bimetaIlism. we may expect them tn point
out the evils OF q gold standard and defend BIZ
metaIliSm as q system If on the other hand,
they are bending their energies toward the
permanent establishment Of q gold standard
under cover of q declaration in favor Of inter
national bimetallism. am justified In sug-
costing that honest money cannot be expected
at the hands Of those who deal dishonesty
with the American people
The test of honesty in money must be plainly
found in the purchasing power OF the dollar
An absolutely honest dollar would not vary in
its general purchasing power; # would be alb
solutely stable when measured by average
prices A dollar which increases in purchas-
ing power is Just as dishonest as dollar which
decreases in purchasing power
Is cannot be successfully claimed that mono
rnataIlism or bimetallism. or any other sys-
tenn. gives an absolutely just standard OF
value. Under both recommendation and BIZ
unetailism the government fixes the weight
and dneness of the dollar invests Il with the
legal tender qualities and then opens the
unints to its unrestricted coinage. leav-
ing the purchasing power OF the dol
lar TO be determined by the num-
Der Of dollars. Bfmetallism is better
than monometalliSm. not because IL gives Us
perfect 6oilar-that is dollar absolutely IN
varying in its general purchasing power-but
because it makes a nearer approach TO Stabu-
ity. 70 honesty, 10 justice, than gold
standard possibly can Prior 20 1873, when
there were enough open mints to permit all
the gold and silver available for coinage 20
find entrance into the worlds volume OF
standard money, the United states might
have maintained q gold standard with less in
jury TO the people Of this country but now
when each step toward a universal gold stand
ard enhauees the purchasing power OF gold
depresSes prices and transfers to the pockets
of the creditor class an unearned Increment
the influence OF this great nation must oe
thrown upon the side Of gold unless We are
prepared TO accept the natural and llleRttlmate
consequences OF such an act Any legislation
which lessons the worlds stock OF standard
money increases the exchangeable value OF
the dollar; therefore. the crusade against sli-
yer must inevitably raise the purchasing
power of money and lower the money value OF
all other forms Of property
Our opponents sometimes sdunit that it was
mis- axe 10 denoretize silver. buf insist that
We should submit % present conditions rather
than 20 return 20 the birnetallic system They
err in supposing that We haFe reached The end
OF the evil results OF gold standard; Ne have
not reached the enc The injury is . contiuH-
ing one. and no person can say how long the
world is 70 suffer from the attempt TO make
gold the only standard money The same in
haenceS which are now operating to destroy
silver IN the United States VIII II
successful here be turned against
other siiyer-uSinE countries. and each
new convert 10 the gold standard VIII
add TO the general distress So ioag the
scramble for gold continues prices must fab.
and general fall ia prices is bat another def
milton Of hard times Our opponents. whEle
claiming entire dIsiateresgedness for them
selves. have appeaSed TO ;he seIashness Of
nearly every class OF society. Resoxniziag the
disposition q shs fr1IvidnaI voter 70 co7sidsr
tse effect q any proposed legislation upoa
Himself, we preseas 20 the American people
the financial policy outlined Ia the Chicago
platform, believing that e VIII result in the
greatest good TO the greatest number
The farmers are opposed 70 the gold stand
ard because they have felt its elects. Since