The record-union., 1896-09-10

largest possible circulation Of silver
money consistent with reason and the
maintenance Of the public credit. and
believes that the demand for increase
dunn is. in q large degree, just and rea-
sonable; and while 1t has pointed out
how the volume Of silver money may
be increased without danger Of mono
metallism and be sufficient for all do
mestic uses. while leaving gold in am
pie quantity for foreign exchange and
commercial uses, 1t has only contempt
for the miserable pleading that argues
for cheap money for the poor man."
Silver is not more the poor mans
money" than is gold or any other form
Of money in use. If either silver or
gold are cheapened by unwisdom. the
poor man is most likely to be the suffer-
er. and to just that extent. and that
only, a coin might be denominated 'the
poor mans money"
But the poor man is entitled to just
as good money as any other. His
money should have just as great pur-
chasing capacity. Under the system
Is no more the poor mans money than
it is the money of anyone else. 1t is
gratuitous insult to the poor man, to
the wage-earner, the Industrious work.
&c, 20 in,
ate any money as set apart specially
for their uses simply because they are
or are not possessed of a certain degree
Of the worlds goods. It costs to-day
as much labor to get one dollar as an
other, whether expressed In coin or in
paper. When that dollar is secured as
just reward for the output of human
energy. it buys just as much as any
other dollar. and just as much for the
poor man as for the rich.
The reason Is not far to seek. It is,
as the Louisville "Courier-Journar'
wittily puts 1t, because there Is Gov
ernment prop beneath every dollar. and
maintaining the silver dollar at parity
with the gold dollar" Every silver
dollar we have was coined by the
United States Government on its own
account" says our contemporary.
'and every one of them was put into
circulation by the Government upon its
promise to keep 1t equal with gold"
When 1t is proposed. however. that
someone else shall issue the silver dol
lar; when It is proposed that the silver
miner may put 1t into circulation upon
his account, we come to g. scheme that
is too full OF doubt. uncertainty and
danger to be adopted out Of hand.
The Republican party has declared
that 1t is willing, however, to agree to
such a policy when. by reason Of the
obligations assumed by the other great
commercial nations In the same direc-
tion. there can be assurance Of safety;
and it is pledged to promote this inter-
national agreement with all diligence.
But silver is not the poor mans
money; he Is entitled to a cessation Of
that insulting and discriminating itera-
ton. He has and uses all the money Of
the Government equally to his needs
with the rich man, and, as has been
suggested. as the latter has more small
purchases to make the likelihood is
that the rioh man really uses more sill
yer than does the poor man.
But If we are to treat a particular
part Of the issue Of the Government as
the poor mans money" then he Is by
all reason and justice entitled to have
1t kept as good as any other money
bearing the sign manual Of the Govern
ment. Just why there should be a
poor mans money" no one has ever
yet been able to disclose to the under
standing Of q reasonable being. It is a
catch phrase, q mouthing that is sup
posed to appeal to and capture the
sympathies of the workers, wage earn
ers and the poor We apprehend, how
ever. that these are far more sensible
than the calamity shouters give them
credit for. and that they are neither
fattered nor captured by the bit of ba-
thos INDUCED In pretendedly in their
behalf.