Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-10-24
WHAT Is HONEST MONEY


The advocates of free silver coinage
are denounced rs the enemies Of
Sound" and "honest" money. They
are charged with an effort to ''debase
the currency aud workinglnen are
told that while everything else would
fa. to half value if the silver policy
prevailed, all the necessaries Of life
all they eat and drink and wear
would rise in price, and il would cost
them double as much to live and sup
port their families as it does now.
just how the necessaries of lite could
double in price when the cost Of rails
ing and producing such necessaries
was reduced 30 per cent. these econo.
mists do not explain. They cortent
themselves with telling people if the
volume of currency is increased by the
double standard il silver coin is joined
with gold coin at a fixed ratio as
legal tender for the payment Of all
debts, they will get no more salary or
wages than they receive at present
and will only he able to buy half as
much with their money as they can
buy now. How this condition of affairs
is to be brought about they do not
take the trouble to explain, any more
than they seek To offer an explanation
OF how the owner OF fifty-three cents
worth of silver bullion, who takes it
to the mint, can have il made of the
value of full dollar by coinage when
they tell us that after it is coined into
a dollar il will lie worth no more than
fitty-three cents, and possibly less
If there were nothing but gold coin
in use, and plenty of il for all, there
might be some sense in the talk Of
''debasing' the currency. But what
employe of a business house gets his
salary paid in gold Do the car
driver and the car conductor and the
railroad man get their two dollars or
two dollars and a half day in gold
coin? Do the musical gold pieces
chink in the pocket of the laborer?
Is not gold almost exclusively the
currency of the rich? Do not the
bondholders receive their interest in
gold Do not banks draw gold from
the Government and lock it up, i'm /
order to force bond sales, out of which /
they can realize millions, directly or
indirectly? Did not INSCRIPTIONS
spectators hoard gold during the war
for the purpose Of raising its price or
premium and trading on the nations
troubles, and are not the hungry
sharks seeking now to create a false
scare in the hope that they will be
able to use their gold to advantage?
American labor is intelligent. not
ignorant and dull of comprehension,
like most European labor Our work
ingmen know that the cry Of increased
cost of living il silver coinage is re-
stored has no justification, and is a
bald, unsupported assertion. They
know that gold is the pernicious power
by which the country has been brought
to It's present condition Of trade depres-
sion and stagnation They know that
corporations, trusts and multi million
aires are fighting against Bryan and
the peoples cause because they desire
TO keep up the policy that has made
them wealthy and powerful while
grinding down the toiling masses under
the subjugation of idleness and priva-
ton. They know that plutocracy has
grown into dangerous proportions in
this country of late years, and threatens
the liberties of the people by its
attempts to corrupt the ballot box and
to win with money what they cannot
obtain by honest votes.
Destrow the power OF gold, working
men of America, and you strike down
the most dangerous Anarchist, the
most threatening enemy of liberty and
equality the Republic can ever be
called upon TO encounter.
Remember that free silver coinage
does not propose recommendation, but
the equal Use Of gold and silver coin.
Remember that we have now one
currency for the rich and another cur
rency for the poor That the policy
championed by William J. Bryan
would overthrow this distinction, and
by breaking the dangerous and threat
ening power of gold recommendation,
would make gold and silver coin the
currency Of the workingmen.
Honest money is the money Of the
country in the hands Of the whole peo-
ple.-N. J.. Journal.