The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1896-05-29
Why DO aOLpITEg WANT aOLpl


ing products that under the gold stand,
ard have declined to less than the cost
of production. The real inWardness of
the 5O-cent dollar argument is that it
would reduce the 2OO-cent gold dollar
to 100-cent dollar.
The gOldbug is also against the re-
monebizatlOn Of silver because it would
drive gold from circulation and food
the country with foreign silver. If
gold hasn't already been driven from
circulation it is because it has been
kept here by the issuance of 1862 5000
worth of bonds in the last three years.
The business of the United States to-
day is conducted almost entirely with
silver coin and silver certificates, the
gold being used to buy bonds and for
boarding purposes. How the country
is to be flooded with cheap silver has
never been explained. Surely foreign
ers will not bring their silver here,
dump it at the mint and go off and
leave it as though it we're garbage, es-
pecially when its coinage value in
European countries is nearly 3 per
cent higher than here, and the i'm
porter whose malice toward the United
States took the turn of the flooding"
business would have to pay the trans
portation charges in excess of the
original loss. If foreign silver was
attracted to the United States minis it
would be to exchange for United States
products, and surely there could be no
hardship in creating such a demand.
The gold bug is further opposed to
the coinage Of silver, produced in for
eign countries especially, because it
would put the American miner in COM
petition with the poorly paid foreign
digger of silver. Those who know any
thing about silver mining in the United
States can readily believe the American
silver miner would be glad to get in
competition with the whole world if
needs be, providing he could again find
employment for his pick and shovel.
To-day there is practically no silver
mining in the United States and the
gold bug knows it as well as the more
intelligent class of people who believe
in free coinage. But why this soliei
tude for the free silver miner-who is
not at work and will not be as long as
the gold standard prevails-when the
gold miner is competing with the con
victs of Australia and the naked Hot
tentotts of the Rand?
The gold bug sees in the opening
of the minis to silver a scheme fol
the enrichment of the silver mine
owner. How about the enrichment
Of the gold mine owner? There is a.
much profit in gold as in silver, and il
is known fact that gold is otter
found at the grass roots, but silver
never. Suppose the silver mine owner
does receive a profit, is he less right
eous i'll the use of money than the golC
mine owner? Each one acquires wealth
in a manner depressing no one anC
! giving employment to labor that would
otherwise be idle. Is it not more TO
the public good to acquire treasurt
from the bosom of mother earth thar
to gather riches by rObbing the peopl
through the medium of trusts ant
monopolies as many moneyed men ar
now doing?
The gOldbug wants a gold dollar be
cause it is always worth dollar.
dollar in what? Why dollar in gold
and for that matter so is a silver dOlla
always worth a silver dollar, and
bushel of wheat always worth bushe
of wheat, and so on, ad inhuitum. TIL
great common people, however, want
dollar that is not a measure for itsel
only, but dollar shat is an equitsbl
measure for their products and thei
toll. Gold is always worth its face be
cause of its opportunity TO again b
coined free of charge, and SO woul
any other metal, provided it was give
the same privilege. When the Unite
States and several countries of EuFop
demonetized gold in the early years q
| the century, England alone upheld th
price of that metal by receiving ever
ounce that came to the doors of th
Bank Of England at its coinage valur
It was not the intrinsic value that 8
that time made gold worth, at eny pal
of the world, as much as in Londo
| less the cost Of transportation, bat th
guarantee Of England that il would b
bought AZ a given price and would
receivable by that country for ali pull
lie dues and private debts. Aud so