Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1896-09-17

, and only. II they can't do that they
, want to discuss the Mexican dollar
Chinese labor and fried beans anC
red pepper-anything but the rea
issue which is between Independent
American IBimetallism and the GOLD
standard until we can get inter
national agreement with the consent
Of the leading European nations
That is the issue Bryan has forced
from the first.
AN OREGON BOY
in letter to a Salem friend makes
some points that are about as well
stated as anything we have ever seen
Here are some extracts:
"Your former letter was somthing
of a disappointment to me-perhaps
the first time in all our intercou rse -
but probably you were tired. Or it
may be you despaired of making an
impression on me. / had thought to
bring out from you the scientific and
practical reason for supporting gold
STANDARD instead of bimetallic one.
When l wrote you my letter l had
fully made up my mind to lay aside
all prejudice and investigate the SUBJ
ject of finance as thoroughly as my
time and means would allow, and de-
eide where | stood on the raeritS Of
the cose. have been doing SO, but
am sorry not to have had your assist
ance. / have been taking tive papers,
and am still, one a Mckinley the
other Bryan advocate. On the Nc
Kinley side l have read the speeches
of Sherman, Harrison and Mckinley,
on the Bryan side the speeches of
himself, and some California orators.
see by the platform that there
is no difference Of opinion on the coin
age of silver except the question Of
time. The Democrats would have it
now: the Republicans would have 1T
as soon as they can get it by interna-
tional agreement. That is to say,
the free coinage of silver is what we
need, and is the right thing when all
nations are agreeable to it. However,
l am disposed to think that the Rep
ublicans don't really believe what
they say and that they are really in
favor of Gold standard and would
have declared for it if they had dared.
"If understood your position,yo are
a gold standard man, and not favor
able to bimetallism at all. So, on the
face of the two platforms; would vote
for Mckinley only because a postpone
ment Of the coinage Of silver would
allow time for the people to become
educated to the gold standard. Per-
haps there might be good politics in
it to elect Mckinley, then if the gold
standard is the proper thing it would
certainly be manifest by four years
from now, and the change of senti-
ment would come with such over
wheiming force that silver would
never be heard Of. On the other hand
if the gold standard failed to bring
its paOmised fruits, the chan ge to
silver would come so naturally that
business would not be overturned, as
may happen, if the chang comes now.
AS l said, have been studying
these speeches, and when 1 first read
EX-President Harrison's speech |
thaught l was converted to the gold
standard but after digesting |
changed my mind.
"The Goldites tell us in one breath
that free coinage of silver means so
cent dollars, and before that gets cold
they say that no body would be bene-
fitted by it except the mine owners and
the debtor classes. Now if l had
quantity of bullion worth 65 cents
per OF. in gold, and the choice be-
tween taking that price for it, aud
having it made into money
that would only pass for that much l
would sell the bullion and save time
and trouble. They must either
admit that the silver will be
worth more coined or quit charging !
the mine owners with dishonesty.
"Again Mr.. Harrison says, we now |
have S23 per capita and that the mo-
ment we get free silver gold will go |
into retirement, and leave us with
only Sl4 per capita, and that cOnse-
Quently silver will go down. That is
to say, the less we have the cheaper
it will be, which seems to me illogical.
1t seems to me that it must be ad-
mitted that gold and silver will circu-
late side by side, dollar for dollar, or in
failure of that, gold will hide itself
and silver will go to paI or to pre-
MUM. III gold is retired all indus
tries will be stimulated, prices will
and prosperity will return. \
All my observations are To the effect