Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-08-20

value; 1922 grains of pure gold Is .
dollar. Silver had mint" value also;
371.25 grains of pure silver was dollar.
These precious metals were taken out
of the list of commodities and given
fixed values relatively to each other,
in order that other things could be
compared with them; all other things
could vary with demand and supply.
Their mint" values at the ratio, fixed
in law, preserved admirable uniformity
relatively to each other and in average
purchasing power for ages. Restore
the mint value of silver and its mar
ket" value is as invariable as gold, just
as it was before, for centuries.
IL. The readjustment may cause
some discomfort, though the supposed
distress it might occasion has been
greatly exaggerated. Seldom can u
cure of any disorder be effected without
pain. Surgical operations are not pleas
ant. Anesthetics are usually admins
tered. In the body polite there may be-
also distress. The dislocation of silver
has caused inexpressible suffering. The
resetting and healing will not be with
out uneasiness, but who would permit
the wound to go undressed to avoid the
temporary discomfort?
The old basis restored would raise Ito
their former and just value) the value
of the farms taken from the farmers
through foreclosures. 1t would raise
the value OF the stocks which have been
sacrificed in the depression caused by
demonstration. 1t would make the
property owners richer; those who
have been cruelty deprived of their
property, however, would be no poorer.
The strain to accomplish this would
seem severe, but the indications are that
the suffering would be short, and, bar
ring a little soreness, the wounds could
be healed.
IL. Again, it is honest" A ratio of
fifteen or sixteen to one would be an
expansion of the metallic base. A ratio
of twenty to one would be a contraction
of the old base. Sixteen to one is the
ratio on which the salaries of the great
army of officials were fixed. The official
fees, professional charges, legalized
railroad rates, taxes and fixed charges
were established, and the great mass
of national, state, municipal and private
debts were incurred at the ratio of six
teen to one. The presidents salary was
increased to $4,000 when coin was at
great premium because of suspension of
coin payment, requiring two dollars of
currency to buy one of coin. That sal
airy is now worth about four times as
much as then; that is, it requires about
four times as much of the products of
human toll tic pay it. Indeed, then 25,-
600 bushels of wheat on the farms would
pay it; now 1t requires 100000.
13. There are some things very favor
able to this restoration at this ratio.
No public contract would be violated,
no bad faith could be charged. This is
our present ratio, and we have reserved
the right and we have paid for the privi-
lege of paying our debts in silver.
There has been a large coinage of sill
yer at this ratio, which is now in eircu-
lation, and all that is necessary is to
make all uncoined silver equal TO our
coined silver, in market value, by of
fering free coinage to all, as we make
all gold equal to our coined gold. Our
people are familiar with our silver dol
lars. There would be no introduction
OF a new and unfamiliar coin.
IA. These two metals added together
at this ratio will make a regular and
increasing supply none too large. The
tables of the production of gold and
silver in the world indicate that the
sum of the two metals is almost uni
form in it's increase or enlargement, in
harmony with the enlargement of COM
n1erce and the worlds need.
It is said that the amount of gold
alone now is about equal to the amount
of gold and silver combined in 1S4S, and
that therefore gold alone can do the
entire work of final money. But this
would require that the business of the
world to-day must be done with as mar
row a base as at that date which pre-
coded the great movement to Australia
and the enlargement of commerce over
the world as Christian civilization has
progressed. This would indicate that
the holders of the worlds gold have de-
termined to force the developed COM
merce of to-day into channels of COM
merce as narrow as so years ago; as
absurd and impossible as to compel the
matured man to compress himself into
the clothes of boy of ten.-J. c. Elliott,
in Ohio Farmer.
DANIEL WEBSTER.