Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-09-25
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IT,. AnC of the SILVER Question.

Tie A IL & Of the silver Question.
Let rs nCt get mixed up with COM
pick matters III connection with the free
silver idea
Let Us not befog our brain with ar
gumenis about the crime of 1878 or
bother with the many theories which
shc advocates Of free silver are giving Us
But Let rs take q common sense vie y
Of the situation.
Now, to start with:
suppose Bryan was elected and the
free coinage act had been passed md
that free coinage was an actual fa;t.
suppose that silver could be taken 70
the mint pnd coined into silver dollars
at tie ratio Of Is 20 /.
How would that affect us?
We haven't got any silver bullion.
A whole 10, g people who own silver
mines have il, ara so they could have
il coined into Is 10 dollars, bat not
having any ourselves we could not have
"a solitary, single dollar coined under the
free silver act.
Now, suppose, however, that all the
silver mine owners and others who had
silver took il all To Washington or Phil
adelphia or 70 some other United States
mint ami had it coined into is 10
dollars, and
suppose so much had been coined that
all the silver III the world was made
into Is 10 | dollars, and
Suppose that every one of these dol
lars was piled III one heap right on the
next block, and
Suppose every single one of them was
worth 100 cents here and everywhere.
What good would they do us unless
we had something we could trade by
which we could get one?
Well, we kave something TO trade ;
every body has.
Some have labor, so much for a dollar.
Some have lumber, so much for a
dollar.
Some have sugar or potatoes or hams
or coal or something else, all SO much
for dollar.
We have advertising and subscrip.
tioDs, so much for "a dollar.
When we want one of those silver
dollars, we cannot go and take il. They
don't belong 10 US. They belong to the
men who took the silver to the mint to
be coined.
If we took one, it would be stealing.
If we asked for one for nothing, il
would be begging.
If the owners gave us one for nothing,
it would be gift.
If we borrowed one, IL would cost us
interest, and SO
Most OF US, to get one, must trade la
Dor, lumber, sugar, coal, advertising or
something to get it.
This is absolutely and honestly so,
isn't it?
Well, being so, why do we take any
chances on the dollar?
We can get gold now.
1t is worth 100 cents on a dollar
everywhere.
60 we have supposed the silver to be,
but
Suppose 1t ism {. gNE
What then?
What Is the use of taking chance
unless we can do better? A silver dol.
lar won't be worth more than 100 cents,
will il?
We are getting that now.
Let well enough alone.
Some say duty compels Democrat to
back up and vote for Democrat You
have Bryan's word that he is no Demo
GRAFT Let him deny that he said it.
Some say it is pretty bad now. We
might as well take chance. 1t can't
be worse
What kind of tomfoolery is this?
Are things bad in business way?
Let us tell you something to try.
Vote down this crowd of repudiators.
Tell the world in trumpet tones in
November that we want the best money,
hat we will take no other, and business
will revive
Let the capital out that Bryan and
lis followers have scared under cover,
md prosperity will come Lumber
Trade Journal