The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-10-22
BISHOP MGovERN TALKS FOR FREE
SILVER.
Believes the Coinage Of More Money Will
Be Boon to the Nalion- He Suggests
Remedies for The Financial llls..
Predicts Democratic Success.

tanning it was quickly exhausted. So
many inquiries for the article have
reached The Patriot that we reproduce
it DECENTRALIZATION Patriot.
81 believe the Democrats will carry
every state in November west of Penn
sylvania except California, and every
Southern state, even Kentucky. A
month ago, my opinion is, they could
not have carried single state. But
a great tidal wave is sweeping over
the country for free silver to which we
may attribute this change in the con-
dition of affairs"
These are the words of Rt. Rev.
Thomas McGovern, the beloved
bishop of Harrisburg. The bishop is
a practical rather than theoretical
man and his opinion on ecclesiastical
and public matters carries with it
great weight. He is convalescent
from a severe attack of malaria and
was feeling very comfortable yester-
day afternoon when a Patriot reporter
called at his residence at Sylvan
Heights.
"Oh, I am feeling much better than
l did a few days ago." was the bishops
reply in answer to a question as to his
health. "But it was one of the worst
attacks of malaria l have ever had.
And this is not good weather to get
rid of the malady."
The conversation then turned to
the political situation in which the
venerable bishop showed keen inter
est. He discussed the currency ques-
ton IN all its phases in a manner that
was as convincing as entertaining. He
showed a remarkable knowledge Of
the situation and suggested numerous
remedies to improve the financial
policy of the government. The bishop
did not indicate a preference for any
of the presidential nominees, but from
the tenor Of his remarks it must be
assumed that he favors the election Of
Bryan and Sewall
81 am in favor of honest money!"
said he thoughtfully. Snow, what l
want to know is, what is honest
money? We now have gold, paper,
bonds and promises to pay, and all
pass as honest money. There is not
enough Of gold in the world to pay its
indebtedness. The United States
government could not pay its indebt-
edness IN gold because it has not got
1t. She gives us treasury notes or
bonds and these are to be paid in
honest money, one paper usually ex-
changed for another
"What about silver p asked the
reporter.
''Sllver is surely as good as paper,
and fifty per cent. better. If the gov
eminent pays her Indebtedness in
silver she is paying it in better cur
rency than in paper. All nations
would be bankrupt to-day if they were
asked to pay their Indebtedness in
gold. Can we not take silver the
same as we are taking paper money /?
Silver will at least increase the volume
OF circulation, which is now, in our
country, too limited to carry on bust
ness and makes rates too high.
"Money after all is only com.
modify in the Market" added Bishop
McGovern earnestly. "When it is
scarce it rates high; when it is abun-
dant 1t rates low. If we increase the
circulation by the free coinage of sill
yer we are employing a better substi-
tute than paper, because silver has an
intrinsic value; paper has not. The
opponents of the free coinage of silver
assert that it will bankrupt us, but
there is no more danger Of our gov
ernment becoming bankrupt by the
free coinage of silver than there is by
an extra issue of paper money and
bonds.
"There is no danger of a general
stampede being made on the United
States treasury by the people or the
creditors. This thing of preserving
the credit of our nation is good senti-
ment, but our government discounted
Its own paper over its own counter
during the civil war. The soldier was
paid in paper money on the battlefield
and the custom house duties were de-
manded in gold. We sold $1,000
bonds for $25o IN gold and paid six
per cent. interest in gold on the face
value on them. To whose advantage
is the gold standard The Shylocks
Of Europe and the gold bugs of Wall
street. And at whose loss ? The toll
ing masses"
"Do you believe the prices of com
modities would rise five were to have
free coinage of silver at a ratio of six
teen to one, as declared for by the
Chicago platform ?"
"Some commodities would proba-
bly, increase in price" was the bishops
answer. "But wages would also rise