Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-08-02
MEXICAN DOLLAR INJECT LESSONS.
they Plainly Tcii the story of silver
rInscmcpt

From the Chicago Times.iierald
Mexican dollars arc destined to play a
conspicuous part IN the coming campaign.
They simply and plainly teach the lesson
or depreciation and silver dehascment.
Many lind II difficult 10 understand why
American silver dollars are accepted in
London at their face valuc instead OF their
bullion value, and why Mexican dollars can
be bought In Mexico as well ms IN the Unit
81 States for abou, IS cents. Others ask
why tho dollar In Mexico does not rise IN
value In consequence OF free coinage.
1t appears hat one OF those who are pug
sled hy the Mexican dollar is the distin-
gIishcd parsonage whom the silvcrl,es have
nominated for president. MIR. Bryan. Sem
ator Thurston and MIR. Btyan met in Joint
debate" In 1884 during the canvass for the
United states. senate. MIR. Thnrston. Illus
irIting the effect Of free coinage, held up
to his audience two bright Mexican dollars
which he had purchased at q Lincoln bank
for one American silver dollar, and asked
MIR. Bryan whether, under free coinage, the
MoNlcnns could not brin. two Of their dol
lars TO our minis and have them reco!ncd
into two American dollars. with eleven
grains Of SILVER to spare for n third dollar
And II they could. as every silver advocate
admits, Mr.. Thurstun wanted to know VINO
the loser would be In this transactioh,si since
Mexico would clearly be the gamer.
MIR. Bryan did not answer this simple
question, and It is still unanswered Mr..
Thurston still has the two Mexican dollars
in his pocket and he intends to call them
into active service again In the coming
campaign. Mr.. Bryan Will be unable to
dodge them. and they will haunt him day
and night until he finds an answer.
\ leading Chicago banker informs us
that several local manufacturers have
bought thousands Of Mexican dollars. pay
ing - cents apiece for them, for eduea-
tional purposes. When pay day comes they
have these Mexican dollars side by side
with American dollars. and ask each en-
rloyc to choose between one American sill
Yer dollar and two Mexican coins. "Nou
can have two Mexican dollars for every
American dollar that We owe you,' the
firms representative tolls the men. They
are naturally puzzled and inquire into the
explanation OF tho matter. Then IL Is
shown that. while the American dollar is
really less valuable. as bullion, than the
Mexican dollar. the government, by keep
ing all Its currency at parity with gold,
gives the silver dollar a value which 1t
does not possess intrinsically. Nobody
cares 10 know how much the silver in a
dollar Is worth. any more than people ask
how much the paper in a greenback is
worth. y dollar l. a dollar, because the
government Is pledged to preserve parity
and redeem Its promises to pay In gold
dollars. Mexico. on the other hand. has
no gold standard and promises no rsdemp-
tion In gold; hence its silver dollar is
worth no more than the bullion it con-
tains.
IT, the manufacturer adds, 1--WE have
free coinage. the American silver dollar,
no longer r~edeemablc in gold. will be
worth no more than the commercial value
OF the bullion. and 1t will not even ex-
change for u single Mexican dollar
mi u nFELV V..--. 1T
the workmon. and they go home to refec,
upon the new irwin reyenloh to them.