The Indianapolis journal., 1896-08-09
SILVER OBJECT LESSON
PARRY CART COMPANY PAYS ITS
EMPLOYEES MEXICAN DOLLARS.
A Pertinent Circular Showing How
Their Men VIII Fare Under
Free Coinage of Silver.

In paying off its employees yesterday aft
ernoon the Parry Manufacturing Company
took the opportunity TO work little free
silver object lesson. In each employees en-
velope the change was SO arranged that
to each one was given Mexican silver
dollar, the company giving it 20 the men
for fifty cents, about its bullion, as well
as it's money value In each envelope there
was also inclosed table showing the
prices of several of the commonest articles
of necessity and the wages paid in Mexico.
1t showed that while prices are higher
wages were much smaller. The following
letter was also inclosed in each mans en-
velope:
This is what free coinage at 1s to
means: During the period you have
been in the employment of the Parry Man.
ufacturing Company you have had no oc-
casion for a doubt that when Saturday
evening came you would be paid in dollars
which will bring as much as the pest doi,
these years it has been the policy or the
government to keep all its dollars, gold,
silver and paper. as good as gold.
Now a change is proposed. 1t Is that all
the owners of silver bullion shall have the
privilege Of taking 1t TO the mints. and
upon upon the o9ess ratio of Of S lS & to as nave ,h
bullion in one of those silver dollars is
worth about ffty-three cents. If this
scheme should prevail the country will fall
TO a silver basis. You will be paid in those
silver dollars, worth only what their bullion
is worth in the markets. The chances are
that you will not get more dollars than
now.
1.-The Mexican dollar which we inclose
contains five and quarter grains more
silver than the United States silver dollars,
it you will get only half as much sugar.
coffee or calico for 1t. Why is this? Simply
because Mexico passed years ago just the
same free coinage law Q612 to - IL is
proposed that our Congress shall pass. The
result is that Mexico is a silver basis,
and its dollar is worth no more than the
silver is worth in the market. 1t Is called
half dollars worth. Under our present
system only as many silver dollars are
coined as can be kept good as gold. The
Mexican dollar, on the contrary, rises and
falls with the speculation market the same
as wheat or corn
you or us? We have no silver mines or
bullion to be coined into dollars at the gov
ernmentS expense.
How can the coinage OF the bullion
owners silver into dollars at our expense
help us? Whenever a free-coinage law
shall be enacted we shall go 10 the cheap
worth fifty or seventy-five cents. 1t will
never have the purchase power Of the dol
lar the company has paid you all these
years. We are certain OF that.
why? Because 63. .267 oe0 ounces of silver
were produced in 1873, and 165 900, 600 ounces
in lS95-more than two and half times as
much. There was over 5000. .000 600 worth
of uncoined silver in the world in 1890. Con-
sequently, under no circumstances can the
silver dollar of free coinage be worth as
much in the grocery or the dry goods store
as the dollar you now receive.
with the example of Mexico. can you
afford TO favor the free coinage of silver
80 positively against your interests as we'll
al ours?
IF you can't spend this Mexican dollar
for the value of fifty cents bring il back
to us, and we will give you fifty cents in
good-as-gold United States silver in ex-
change.
There is no politics in this; but simply
a matter Of common sense business which
in our judgment, is of vast Importance to
you and US. We believe that the free cein-
age of silver would prove a disaster to you
and us alike"