The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-08-29
BRYAN ON THE RATA
He Sang a Different so,
Subject When He was !, =" u
Congress.

On the 10th of August. lsas
hoor OF the House of Repress,,oa
Mr.. Byran said: seh'ativs
I'm fixing the ratio we sho.,,
one which viii secure the S,s 'e.ett u
vantage to the public and cans a .s
injustice. The present ratio !. ue "a
ment. should be adopted. jug
the ratio could be made Ia e1snee
reducing the size Of the ,ola ND
by increasing the size OF ,ha uaohar,
lar, or by making n change in ,h'er \
OF both dollars. A larger su .ne Wei,&
would help the creditor. A s doll
dollar would help the deb,o, Inef 90
Just 10 do either, but II ~
lie made. the benefit shonIa ml
the debtor rather than the c,ss;sN sven (
no one accuse me of defendin, .SL
ness or any change: but I ,o, sae JUS
We are given a choice bet,vaa,P "a. H.
which will aid the debtor ~ eaaal
the size OF his debt and cb:n1e onelp
VIII AID the creditor by inc-a Wild
amount which he is to receive Ing
increasing the number OF his liner
their SIZE, the advantage mus, ha
To the debtor" " Dc give
Legislation in favor ~ aah,.
creditors, as class, would hs oi@
islation and wholly unjusti6sbls lass
tons between debtors and craS;, vuel
properly settled in the courts. snS
court WI, mold that what is rich, ~ y
one ~ rlent Tor the other also NJ, ~
an. therefore. did well to disciaia.,
Nocaey o, any change OF the s,;,.N
Ia.io. should a change be made :, .a
to affect contracts anteds,; Tusn' nd
change. sue
But in advocating the unl;n,,o,
age OF silver bullion, at the nrases. coll
Tor the owner and without cos, - ' n.y.
Mt: Bryan does propose chance - n ~
entire basis upon which business \.
asted. We are informed nv r.. an ~
there are three ways by which Tie ,aa
between gold and silver coin car nu
tered; i. The shrinkage In si,a 80
gold dollar. 2. The enlargemen, :. ~
silver dollar. 8. Making a cbans. =. ~
size and weight of both dollars P.t
or these three methods contemn,a,..ae
nearer approximation of the coins,s
ito to the commercial ratio and Is -
forth honest. IL this apprnyims,;o,n
the two ratios were carried 10 the NJ.
of ideality. the change suggested hvp IA.
would be absolutely honest-nror;SSa
that 1t is not retroactive in its apolicssoY
to outstanding debts. '"'a''
This Is not. however. the change xh.L
would follow the adoption Of free coial
age at IL to I. There is still ano,bsJ
possible change to which Mr.. Brral
made no reference in his speech nsmsi.
the shrinkage of the silver dolls,
silver dollar containing 37iH grain,
pure silver, worth 50 cents in eold rb,.I
nevertheless passes current for i'm cs,,J
In gold. Is an anomaly in finance uns.J
explained. The explanation IL simnls
Fifty-three cents Of the current yalns n
this dollar Is visible: AZ cents of its v,lu'
is invisible. and consists in credit. Era
and unlimited coinage would DESTROY mn
credit. In advocating free COINAGE n
16 10 i. therefore. Mr.. Bryan proposes \,
make the silver dollar smaller-not 10 M
eve. but in fact.
This would be n change Of ratjo IN IN
purchasing power Of the silver dollar
compared with gold dollar, from ls.I
10 31:1.
To avoid this result Mr.. Bryan -ravs,
proposes that we should do one Of iva
things: double the weight of the silrp,|
dollar. or else coin gold dollars half tbei1
present weight. Anybody can see lhsr|
one of these would have 10 be done n
order that identity should be established
between the coinage ratio and The com.
mercial ratio.
Which of these two expedients eOs,
Mr.. Bryan favor? He tells US that "a.
larging the silver dollar would help IL.
creditor. 1t could only help him ly|
maintaining the present STANDARD ID
value. He also tells us that halying he
gold dollar would help the debtor II So
IL would be by change in the presen.
standard of value. Finally. he tells IS
that he prefers the latter expedent. be
cause the debtor has rights superior aI
the rights of the creditor.