The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-01

for money; that the result of such use
would be dollars of greatly reduced pur-
chasing power az compared with the
present dollar, and consequent disar-
rangement of all business, bringing great
losses to some n great profits To others.
The opponents of free coinage contend
that our government can only safely use
either limiting its use, or increasing the
size and weight of the silver dollar. The
free coinage advocate contends that
neither precaution is needed, that it will
be perfectly safe to coin all the silver
that may come to our mints without in
creasing the size or weight of the dollar.
Catechist admits that the metal of
which dollar is coined may be SO plen-
ty as to make it unsafe TO continue its
free coinage. The opponents of free COIN
age claim that silver Is in that position
To our assertion that the free coinage
folks virtually admit that tho silver dol
lar under free coinage will be a cheaper
dollar, that is dollar which could be
got by giving lass in exchange for it in
thu shape of products and manufactured
| articles and other fruits of labor, by
commanding it specially to the debtor
class. Cateohist makes no real reply. He
kicks up tremendous dust, INDUCES in
what he calls bandlnage. has lot to say
about the pour farmer Of the Vest
who, he suggests, is n pugilist init
mates that he has been cheated by legis-
lation, eot, etc., but he utterly fails to
explain how it is that a silver dollar will
benefit the debtor class, unless it is to be
cheaper one than the one he will have
to pay his debt in without free coinage
and by cheaper one we mean one that he
can get by giving in exchange for 1t
less wheat or corn, or less
labor than he would have
to give for the existing one. If an expla-
nation were possible it would be forth
coming; because it is impossible and
Catechist does not want to frankly con-
TESS that such is the case he proceeds to
raise lot of collateral questions that
have nothing to do with the case, simply
to divert attention from the real one.
For the purpose Of this discussion 1t
makes no sort of difference whether the
debtor class is honest or dishonest.
whether it has been squeezed or not.
The question, and the whole question.
that we raised is as to the purchasing
power of the proposed silver dollar. Is 1t
to be Of the same purchasing power of
the present dollar, or less? : If of the
same, how is the debtor class to get any
benefit out of 1t?
'Catechist" talks about dsmagogism. For
the past four years farmers have no doubt
suffered hardship in common with most
other classes. But the evidence is entire
ly lacking that it is due to the act of 1879
in whole or in part. The free silverists
is deliberately advocating the overturn
of the financial policy of the country for
the last twenty years, without having
| any definite idea, as George Fred Will
lians confesses of what the result will
be, and in order to do it they are trying
to array class against class. Continually
| protesting against abuse, they are exceed
| ingly abusive themselves, insinuating MS
"Catechist'' docs above that everybody
who disagrees with their theories is igno
rant or without sense or in league with
wicked people on Wall street. Theil
solicitude for the western farmer is il
curious contrast to their unconcern abou
| the great mass of the people who worl
for wages and to whom their scheme
| will bring increased prices for all tn
necessaries of life without any equiyalen
increase of wages.