Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-08-20

ratio. create a demand for silver which. taken
in connection with the demand already in
iStence, will be sufficient to utilize all the sill
that will be presented at the minis: They
agree in their defense of the bimeJallic princi-
pies and they agree in unalterable opposition
to the gold standard.
The Silver Supply.
In discussing this question we must consid-
er the capacity of our people to use silver and
the quantity of silver which can come to our
minis 1t must be remembered that we live in
a country only partially developed, and that
our people far surpaSs any equal number OF
people in the world in their power to consume
and produce. Our extensive railroad develop
ment and enormous internal commerce must
also be taken into consideration Now. how
much silver can come here? Not the coined
silver of the world. because almost all of it
is more valuable at this time in other lands
than it would be at our mines under
free coinage. If our minis opened to free
and unlimited coinage at the present ratio,
merchandise silver cannot come here because
the labor applied to 1t has made it worth more
in the form OF merchandise than it Will be
worth at minis. We cannot even expect
all of the annual product OF silver. because In
dia. China, Japan and Mexico and all the other
Silver-uSing countries must satisfy their an
nual needs from the annual products: the arts
will require a large amount, and the gold
standard countries will need considerable
quantity for subsidiary coinage We will be
required to coin only that which is not needed
elsewhere: but if we stand ready to take and
utilize all of it, other nations will be compelled
to buy at the price which we fix.
am firmly convinced that by opening our
minis to free and unlimited coinage at the
present ratio we can create demand for silver
which will keep the price of silver bullion at
81 90 per ounce, measured by gold
The Charge of Reputation
Perhaps the most persistent miSrepreSenta-
ton that we have to answer is the charge that
we are advocating the payment of debts In 80
cent dollars AT the present time and under
present laws. silver dollar, when melted,
holf Inc hc
true when we again establish mint price for
silver and leave no surplus silver upon the
market to drag down the price OF bullion. I'm
der bimetallism silver bullion win be worth as
much silver coin just as gold bullion is worth
as much gold coin. and we believe that a silver
dollar will be worth as much as a gold dollar.
TIL charge of reputation comes with poor
grace from those who are seeking to add to the
weight of existing de BITS by legislation which
makes money dearer, and who conceal their
designs against the general welfare under the
euphonious pretense that they are upholding
public credit and national honor.
In answer to the charge that gold will go
abroad, it must be remembered that no gold
can leave this country until the owner OF the
gold receives something in return for it which
he would rather have. In other words, When
gold leaves the country those who formerly
owned il will be benefited
The Restoration of Silver.
If it is asserted by our opponents that the
free coinage OF silver is intended only for the
benefit Of the mine owners, it must be remem-
bered that free coinage cannot benefit the
| mine owners any more than demonstration
took away; and it must also be remembered
l that the loss which the decentralization of sill
yer has brought to the mine owners is insig-
nificant compared to the loss which this policy
brought to the rest of the people
The restoration of silver will bring to the
people generally many times as much advan-
/ tage the miners obtain from it While
it is not the purpose of free coinage to especial
| " aid any particular class. yet those who be-
lieve that the restoration of silver is needed by
the whole people should not be deferred be-
| cause an incidental benefit will come to the
| mine owner.
International BimetaEism.
Our opponents make no adequate provision
| for the increasing money needs OF the world