The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-05
ELKINS SPEAKS.
4 Gives His Views on the Re-
publican Platform.
ne FREE SILVER QUESTIONS.
- Coinage Would Produce . Panfc
"a Unsettlemenf Of Busfncss-As
. Producer He Protests.

Dn1dH4f21s us Country 14s1ts 4A1 HF y
erurpsSnsatfvs Of the Parkensburg State
1.nrnal Was asked shat he thought %
- 81. Louis nominz atoms and platform.
= replied thai be woalc not change any
1hlse ma. was dore there: that every
1Hioe was entirely satisfactory, and that
- foeis the best ticket waz put IN the
"a that could be. as well as the best
slafform mase that could have been made.
Have you any approximations about
- result Of the ticketzst
sEo7s In the world
sDon's you think that the silver ques-
90 VIII draw away = great many Re-
wbficaasr'
II think II win take from the party some
nepablicanx. bat draw IS many sound
neney Democrats 70 take their places
What have you to say on the subject
u siivsrg II In understood generally that
"a lived In the West and had some ex-
por4ence In silver mines"
1hs senator replied that be had been for
04ny years interested In silver mining.
ard had made the question OF silver and
- uses ~ money q study for more than
twenty years. Naturally, being a pro-
bucsr Of silver. he said, he desired as
much ~ any one that II should be nsde
esiuable and have the largest possible use
not want the use to go 30 far az TO de-
Glroy the soundness and stability OF the
eurreney Of the country. now the best
r the world.
mr.. Senator what n your notion about
- characterization Of silver "a 1s7s~'
The senator replied: aT DO not think
Dat has anything TO do with the present
depreciation Of silver. I think II what
= known a. the demonstration act had
cot been passed. our silver troubles now
would be even mort acute than they are
Il "a h.xs q
eore this reached point where we could
rot make use Of all the silver that would
save been brought 10 us for coinage. Not
v1fhstanding what Ii known as the de-
nonettzation act. We are using about as
such silver ~ We can and keep it's value
eqnal to gold. From f7sz TO 1873. the date
~ the act demonetixing silver. there had
been coined only about ~. 0f0 90 silver
eoalars. since 1873. In twenty-three years,
ss have coined over ba0 a0en 600 os silver
dollars. This don't appear like hostility
- silver or striking II down How eould
Ne. with safety. have coined more We
eant increase the use OF silver and paper
Unless We Increase cur gold reserve
WY should congress limit the use OF
silver ~ money!
because there In too much silver.
Under the constitution congress has
power TO coin money and regulate the
value thereof This means that congress-
has the right to limit the coinage Of either
gold or silver whenever II Is deemed en-
pedient- The trouble Is that silver IN
recent years. especially since us fenon
ssization by European governments ara
ne large production throughout the
world. has been too plentiful TO permit all
o. X 10 be coined that may be brought
10 our minis from Europe and from our
orr mines. There can he too much OF
anything to use u all probably We have
now fifteen hundred millions OF money,
about sas.S per capita. More silver and
more OF the money the world uses and
which IL infrlnsieaify valuable as prop
srty outside Of the money function"
What have ycn 10 say about cheap
money!
There Ia nothing In cheap money. re-
Piled the senator. Cheap money does
Dot mean anything. All money should
BE- The best money. particularly for the
vage-earners and people dependent upon
labor for means Of livelihood. The great
trouble l. that silver Is not worth IN the
markets OF the world more than 81 or 8
cents on the dollar or per ounce. Ten
years. ago II was worth 100 cents. and
about twenty-four years ago II sold az
premium. These ehsnges have been
ssoughf about BY the oversupply Of sill
IS yer. which has been enormous.
rampant IN the country Is founded on an
tasrt. wish or desire OF certain people.
a especially those who are creditors. TO try
2 get money 10 discharge their debts.
They shiak that free silver would make
honey more abundant ana more easily oh
tinsa. n zee had twice as much silver.
- ten tlraes as much silver. ard used IL
q money. II would be Just as dsfflcmlt 10
81 as gold II could not be had for moth
ms IN order 10 SET silver then a man
woald have TO part wlsh property. Just
ne same "a now. and ne would require
great deal Of silver before parting with
rs property.
y The question reduces ITSELF 20 this.
That no government IN the world has ever
Nes able by legislation 20 create values
III " sentiment IL the United gtste= hv
~ act 81 congress. can make en- ounce
sl~er worth a dollar. when the world
vi oaiy take il fer - cents as compared
+ VIII gold. AMI Il caa be bought for so
2rn's, then the government could make
hs silver ounce OF dollar worth two OF
We dollars. n the principle is admitted
PAT by legislation values can be created
ssen We have the solution Of the problem
eaniShsnK poverty from the world We
eisht ae we'll ieeisis,e at once TO make
reryeosy rseh. n the silver producer
owner 81 European silver can take hts
siFSr u the winf and have ft made into
dollar as good rs geld when Il Is worth
8ssv p cents. why not allow the iron ard
sepeer miner the same privilege. why not
sssslate 20 mate 70 ceats' worth 81 silver
r&d snc cF copper a dollar why not
~ Fxsiase 10 make = Ton Or coal worth $40
q tAe mines. or hushel Of Wheat worth
The fact =, that whenever there Is
5off silver than e needed for money
eesFress should stop lss coinage. n there
ssesd Suddenly he found 2 meuniain ~
80. surely congress would aot permit
re parties owning !; 20 ,ske q 10 the
sats and make money oat Of All 81 n az
A1 ss = could Be cainst. Congress n
s.es eases woaia have 20 limit she amount
soid 70 be coined. Just "a Il limits shc
s@oa5t 81 silver. Congress tried 70
sx'ssate % uphold the value ~ silver ~
peysng. first. ? essa essa ounces a month aas
s'tsfwart aeaess ounces Bur sn tase
80 nf the act - congress % purchase
onaces per noah, silver constant
aectSst. sna woal3 decline II W. bought
saeo ounces a month. Simply because
aSfess carrot create value or. beyond
FsSsonah1e amount. iaxeSt a commodity
80 valae when this vaiae = aos recnx-
sfes N the commercial world ~ rer-
NesS can serislate So that silver shan
saw more vslte ., TIC wish az ne silver
50 o~rsr. why not ieSislate thai wheat
corn snd al ether products shall have
SeFe xa'ue~'
Waa' would - the esec, Of free coinage
~ silv~re
he Tree coinage q silver ar tha rate
70 sy the J'nisea States alone wcasa
sHse the six hundred millions % xoia
soN - rise eat - circulation. because,
eaaseTS ana every ore else woaiA hearG
80 IT'S would feae . Tremendous
een1Tseste7, aaS 20 such raasc as the
se1rtry has newer knoNn OF az tha
a
sasr aerssafsns currency - the EreAs-
~ ard - al persons Hscss interested in