The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-08-19
THE FALLACY EXPOSED.
Them to Disconcert Bryan i'm nm
Argument.

Thurston's Mexican DOllars-He Used
Argument.
Editor Representatives:
When Senator Thurston comes to Mil
waukee next week he will bring memento
of the famous debate which he held with
VIM. ]. Bryan during their canvass for the
United States senate in Nebraska in 1894.
He has two Mexican dollars which he used
in his speech as an Illustration of the
effects of free coinage, and in connection
he asked a question of the Democratic
nominee which he has failed to answer to
this day. Senator Thurston says he pur-
chased two Mexican dollars at a bank in
Lincoln for one American dollar He held
them up to his audience and stated that
they contained five and one-half more
grains of silver than the American dollar,
but they bore the coinage mark of Mexico,
and two of these could be purchased at any
bank for dollar, he said, at the time.
He then turned to Mr.. Bryan and asked
him If, under the free coinage of silver,
the Mexicans could not bring two of these
dollars to our minis and have them re-
coined American dollars and have II grains
of silver left for third dollar. If this is
true, some one is the gamer, and it un-
doubtedly would be the Mexican; and, if
and the question asked Mr.. Bryan was,
"Who was the loser?" Senator Thurston
says that Mr. Bryan did not answer that
question then, and it is still unanswered.
He will carry these same Mexican dollars
while speaking in this campaign, and give
Mr. Bryan a chance to answer the question
he asked him in 1S94.-Milwaukee Sentinel,
Aug. L. 1885,
Now 1 wish to say it seems that almost
any school boy could answer this problem
In the first place we admit that under free
coinage, Mr.. Thurston having bought two
Mexican dollars for one American dollar,
could get them coined into two American
dollars and have eleven grains left provtd-
ing he bought them before and coined them
after the act; but as to the Mexican who
earned the two Mexican dollars in Mexico,
beg Mr.. Thurston to remember that when
this Mexican crossed the Rio Grande and
came into the United States, he lost by the
act one-half his wealth, because his Mexi-
can coins are not legal tender in the United
States, and only gets it back again by re-
coming at the United States mint, so that
while he gains at the mint, he only recov-
ers what he lost in crossing the Rio Grande
Therefore, / think that If the Mexican did
the gaining he also did the losing.
But Mr.. Thurston may be after those
eleven grains. If so, admitting that the
Mexican gained I $40 cents on each, or
2 3-5 cents on both. evidently the loser was
the Mexican bullion owner, who was COM
PEELED to furnish too much bullion.
In late number Of the Milwaukee Sen
tinel the awful statement is made that with
the free coinage act, the silver barons of the
United States would suddenly clear four
hundred and fifty million dollars ($450, O0O :
OOO by this single act. The gold-bug de-
clares it; I admit it; we are, therefore,
agreed But If it does this it is at once at
par with gold, and yet the poor G. o. P
declares free coinage would load us down
with so cent dollars. At the same time it
is trumpeting in terror: Free coinage will
make 100 cent dollars of 45O, 600 fifty cent
dollar"
Kilbourn, Wis. L, A. MURRAY