Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-08-11
More About Mr.. Blaine and Free Coinage.

At last the Bangor Commercial.
which for weeks has kept standing at
the head Of its editorial columns an
extract from the noted speech of Hon
James q. Blaine in the L. S. Senate
when the subject Of free coinage of sill
Yer was under discussion. has printed
other parts of the speech. hut not in
the conspicuous place and double
loaded style OF the extract. This latter
of all the modification of the context
and run so ii gave the impression
that James G. Blaine were h. alive to-
day. and holding opinions consistent
with his ideas eighteen years ago.
would advocate the free coinage Of sill
Yer at a ratio of Is To ] under existing
conditions 1t would be impossible to
more utterly misrepresent Alr Blaine's
position at that time than by publish
ing that extract, The Commercial
however. continued TO keep this mis-
representation standing, nutWithStand-
ing the fact its attention was repeated
ly called to the injustice Finally the
Commercial announced that it would
publish the speech entire This is in
adequate atonement. however, FOR un-
doubtedly many have seen the Haunted
| extract and have not seen the modest
| ly printed context BE that as it may
| we would suggest that the CONNER
T. ial dnuble-lead the following extracts
| from same speech 50 that all its read
ers may know that Mr.. Blaine's posi-
| ton at that time was that of n himetall-
| list. such as. in fact. are not q few OF
| the leading men Of the Republican
party. Al that time tho silver in dol
| lar was worth about 81 cents where
| Yet MIR Blaine did not believe that
| this country should stamp - cents
worth of silver bullion one dollar for
| the silver mine owners bat expressly
| stipulated that the government, NOT
| the mine owner should make thu
| rroft. He did not believe this govern
| ment could then. with silver at O.
| cents. keep silver and gold on a parity
| by free coinage at a ratio OF &c to- l.
| On the contrary he stipulated that tho
silver dollar should contain 425 grains
Of standard silver where it then con
| rent rates of silver. the free coinage OF
a dollar containing 412I2 grains, worth
| in gold about g cents. gives a
| legitimate profit to the owner of the
bullion. enabling him to take ninety
| two cents worth of it to the mint and
| get it stamped as coin and force his
| neighbor to take ii for fun dollar
| This is an unfair advantage which
| the government has no right to give t.
the owner of silver bullion. and which
| lefrauds the man who is forced to take
| the dollar. 1t assuredly follows that il
| inferior value and put ii in circulation
| We do so at the expense of our better
| coinage in gold; and unless we expect
the invariable experience of other ma
| tons to be in some mysterious way
suspended for our peculiar benefit, We
inevitably lose our gold coin. 1t will
flow out from US with the certainty
| md with the force of the tides.
In View of the above. does anyone be
ieve Mr.. Blaine would now advocate
| Tree coinage Of silver worth SO cents
| into a dollar for all the owners OF
| silver mines: that he would now argue
HAT the ratioof 16 to /, 4l2.5 grains OF
silver to 25.S grains of gold when hi
thought 425 grains necessary when tn,