Evening star., 1896-10-28

WorkinGman's View.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
1t is an incontrovertible fact that the
free and unlimited coinage of silver at the
ratio of 16 to by this country, independ-
ent of the rest of the Worthwhile the real
ratio is 33 to will reduce this country
to silver moECmetallism. 1t will give us
the same monetary system now in effect
in Mexico, China, Japan. India and a ma
jority of the South American countries
while the principal and leading civilized
and commercial nations of Europe, with
whom we have our largest trade relations
Will continue under their present gold
monetary system, and gold will continue to
be the ultimate and primary standard of
value for the commercial world, notwith-
standing any Intermediary, Just as it now
Is, and just as it now measures all values
even in silver monometallic countries for
is not the very silver which they use first
measured or found by Its comparison with
gold? tc,,
Now the question Is whether silver mono-
metallism is good thing. beneficial or
desirable in the face OF existing facts, and
the experience of silver !Nonometallic coun-
tries?
And the question to be decided at the
November elections is not between gold
monometallism and ,himetallsm but be-
tween gold monometalfism and silver mono
metalism. "a
II is not necessary to discuss bimetallism
because bimetallism is of doubtful utility
ana deslrability. even were it capable of
accomplishment. 81,
That binetallism is a practical ;nonossi-
Dllity we have but to revert to history
PRACTICAL bimetalism means the concur
rent and indiscriminaie circulation and use
" VI ~, notn gnld and silver as money at GER
taiH nNed ratio, and rthat the CONNIE rcial
ana money value Of the two metals should
aLwaEs lana at all times be unyarying and
the same, and history tells us that such a
condition never obtained or existed in anv
age or at any time or in any country IN H.
face of the earth. e..
Now. since bimetallism is out of the
question entirely, the real problem that
confronts us, as we said before and tho
only question to be decided, is between the
Herlts or gold monometallism as afonted
py tne leading commercial nations of the
~ollu' ana silver monometallism, as in
erect IN Mexico, Japan, China India and
lhe other silver monometallic countries
we want TO say In passing that we do not
pretend to claim in comparing these sys-
@ teins tnat silver monometallism is the
cause or existing conditions in the conn
tries using that system and that goId
monometallism is the cause Of the ciy,iiza-
t!on, the enlightenment, the advancement
me prosperity and the power of the coun-
trles using that system. But on the con
trary, what we do aver Is that the condition
no" prevailing in SILVER countries" and
tne conultlon now prevailing in gold coun-
now nv moulu '.,o oe precisely the same as they
~" are were tne1r monetary systems inst
me reverse and that the medium of ay
change, whether gold monometalIism Gil
yer monometallism or bimetallism. does not
cause the civilization or the adyancemant
or produce the wealth and nou,ar os @
tlons, any more than your bushel measura
your yard stick or your scale baIanceNanI
ina that you might adopt, by the consent Of
ercbpnqn pe VINO are to use the medium of
eAchange-any known metal, paper wood
leather or anything you are a mind to. hnt
on the degree of civilization and enIishts
enment nn depends the selection, and civilized
nauons discard tin. paper, wood heads ~
Wampum in their selection Of a maIi,,.. ol
eAcnange, and select that commoditv wh;oh
10 nss. suited and which answers ali the
a.9oale. LII eilients menus or medium of exchange
among civilized communities.
Inc requirements of a Medium of ~
eharse are, value-above all things and he
lore everything else, medium of eycb.n~
u, mus, nave value; You could never EXCHANGE
IT LOT something Of value unless the narey
you are negotiating and eych,naa ;.i
recognizes and knows that your melinm
mas Vaiae equal to that which he is ahout
~ palo WIN: The other requirements are
ceInp,as.ctloillty, portability, durability. d.,
visibility and stability What KNOW chi
stance III all the world best answers these
requirements? What does, goes withon.
saying saying -, Ihere are other metals and other
.nlnss mat Will answer these requirements
10 the best of their ability, but their q hill
lty is limited, and there is but one hest
answer. Inc second best answer to tbosa
s,a nsd"llennents IS silver; and it can never,
ana never Will, be anything else but second
best. ~ ' 'eeohu
Now, having established what the best
medlum OF exchange is, and what the sec
u.lo ,,.n e res. is, we come to the question why
we are opposed to the change from a gold
tc silver basis, and 1t is not solely and
SIMPLY because gold recommendation is the
best monetary SYSTEM lh medium of ex-
change known to civiliI.al man becaI"o
the second best would. ba, good enourn if
we hao II and could gat no better. but also
because the change could not cannot and
VIII not add ore iota to ohr wealth, power,
peace or happiness ori3e Productive of one
solitary good or benefieiakresult
1t will not end the existence of a single
trust we now have or prevent the creation
are less oees or wi hS ahe one million
Will not reduce by oite cent the value of
any mlll1onaires possessions; it will not
prevent the concentrasicn1of wealth in the
nanas nan % OF TN, .ne 1eW' or repedy an existing
single coal trust. sugar! ffust, Gil trust. or
any or the 300 and oda trnsts we now have.
but on the contrary, will only add to their
already nl-gotten gans.t by raising the
price of their commodities to meet the de-
creased value of the dollar while only paw
1Eg wages and taxes at present rates; thus
rcsig,ling an advantage to the enemy and
trusting s.u,. TO ms mercy not to use it to your
Cestruction Not only are we opposed to it
for what 1t will fail to do, but also for
what it will do-for the panic it will pro
duce-for the deficiency it will cause in our
treasury. by increasing governmental ex-
pcnses. which will have to be met either
by increased taxes or bond issues, for the
cutting in half cf the value Of the small
savings possessed by the millions of. poor.
which they were able. by self-denial and
privations to lay aside for a rainy day, and
many others too numerous to mention. And
last, but above all other reasons, because il
is scheme which absolutely and beyond
of living, without the same incontrovertible
and absolute guarantee of an increased in