The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-01
rnn AUD4cIoUs "coRsAIR."
Col. Mosby Condemns >terniy Bryan's Free
silver Democratic Dogma.

Col. Mosby Condemns sterniy organs Free
silver Democratic Dogma.
Col John 5. Mosby. Of guerrilla fame
I'm the Confederate service. expresses his
interest in the defeat Of Bryan by a
terse letter to Mr.. William b. Jones, o.
jamestown. y. y. 10 Is as follows.
San Francisco. October %.
Mr. William b. Jones. jamestown. y. I;
Dear Sir. i ann just IN receipt OF your
favor of the 5th instant, and thank you
for Your cOmI.eudatiOn OF my recently
published letter. Coming from stranger
IL is appreciated AN the more. The silver
question has now become secondary
issue i'm the Presidential campaign. Inc
recent utterances of the Populist candi-
date-his appeals 20 those he calls the
common people. 10 combine against the
rlch-must arouse the conservative IN
stncts OF all who value the good OF the
country above their party.
The issue 10 be decided in the approach
ing election is not simply the debasement
OF the currency and the integrity OF the
government. If that were all, there
might still be a hope that we might re-
cover from q debauch with cheap money
and after passing through all the stages
of the Rake's Progress return TO sound
financial economy. But IN the present
contest civilization is at stake. The ques-
ton TO be settled is whether We shall De
governed by law or be governed by moo
1 had considerable experience with cheap
money in the Southern Confederacy; 1
don't care TO have any more. The imam
cial scheme Of the Populists would de-
monetize both gold and silver The pro-
pose that all money shall be paper, print.
ed by the government. This would, or
course. abolish taxation and bring on the
millennium. Why should people bear the
burden Of taxes. or dig for silver and gold
when printing press can supply an the
money they need2 In this Arcadian lie
silver would be used only for spoons and
gold for plugging teeth. Such a currency
could never be redeemed In coin, Tor the
plafn reason that the Metals would ue
banlshed from circulation, and the bonus
of the government would DE as worthless
as It's money. Fiat money might nave
done very well IN the Garden or Edeh' IL
doesn't suit the habits Of people VINO
want TO have intercourse with the OUTSIDE
world
Tbose who say that with free coinage
eilver dollars would rise 10 a par with
gold forget that there would ne no ue-
,nand for silver dollars except 10 pay
debts. Ii they rose 10 par with gold tne
demand would cease; everybody Wou'h
want gold. You can never have piiile-
tallfc currency except such as we no"
have. with silver as subsidiary coins, re-
decmable in gold. The only condition
then on which silver would circulate WIN
free coinage would be us depreciation IN
aa,,,no rison with gold. We know from the
experience OF mankind that we wouid
mn have no gold. II with free coinage
AZ the ratio of 10 10 l the silver dollar
BECOMES enual in commercial value 70 the
,,old dollar as n matter OF convenience
gold will be used. IL IL rises 10 pre-
MUM il will then become practlcaily ue-
,,,oretfzed AS IL was after the act OF lh3A
and we would stay on the gold standard,
where we are now. There is just as good
ground for believing that Tree coinage
would cause silver coins 10 rise 10 a pre-
MUM as 10 equality with gold COINS y,
the same denomination. The only sfouHu
that / can see for preferrinS the silver
10 the gold dollar is that the silver dollar
may become so cheap II w" P"' ~
counterfeit IL.
Those who speak oil the crime or % DO
NOT seem to know that the silver dollar
mad become demOnetized by custom long
before Il was demOnetlzed by law. IL IS
true that silver dollars We're the money
OF our fathers. and 50 were barley ana
tobacco Because Daniel Boone bought
his powder with coon skins is no reason
for our restoring the currency or the
backwoods. But the Kentucky hunters
never used fiat money; their currency
passed at its market value.
As I have said, there is In this cam
naien a broader question at issue than
the free coinage OF silver. Popular gov
eminent is on trial. With Coxey, Iul-
man, and Altgeld in power, the demon OF
social discord and revolution will be I'M
chained. Silver is simply the mask OF the
conspirators. Behind II. In the back
ground. are the red flag OF anarchy and
the spectre OF the Commune. Bryan IL
only 4 cork on the waters. The Silver