Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1896-04-10

siiNet olO1ec rs then. standard tif yalrp
All history warns us against rash ex-
aeriments which threaten violent
,hanRcs in our monetary standard and
sho degradation of our currency. The
past rs full Of lessons teaching not only
lie economic dangers. but tho national
Snniorality that follows in Tho train Of
such experiments l will not believe
mat the American people can . per.
Snaded after sober delheration to leon
ardlzo heir nations prestige urd pro I'd
standing by encouraging, nnarc al ros-
rums, nor that they viii yield TO tho
talse a4larements OF cheap money, when
they realize that il must result in the
weakening Of that financial integrity and
i'ctitude which thus FAR in our history
have been so dCyotedly cherished rs ono
of tie traits Cf true Arericanism.
Our country's irdebtedpcSs, whether
OWING by the government Cr existing hoe
tween individuals, has bcCn contracted
with reference ca our, prcsont standard.
40 decree by vet Of congress that sheso
deb's Shai he payable in less valuable
dollars than those within tho coniem-
pla'ion and intention Of tho PARTIES
when contracted would operate 10 trans.
Ter, by the fiat of law, and without com
pensation, an amount Of property and a
volume OF rights and interests almost
incalculablo.
Those who advocate blind and head
long plunge To free coinage ina The name
Of bimetnllism and pre- Tossing the be-
lief. contrary TO all experience, that wo
could thus establish double standard
ard "A concurrent circulation OF both
pietals IN oar coinage, are certainly
reckoning from cloudy standpoint.
Our present standard Of valuo il tho
standard of the civilized world aud per-
mits the only bimetallism now possible.
or at least that is within tho independ-
cut reach 81 any single nation. however
powerful that. nation may be-
There Is "A vast difference between y
standard of value and "a currency for
monetary use. The standard mustneces-
sarily be fixed aud certain. Thccurrencv
may be in divers forms and of various
kinds. No silver standard country has a
gold currency in circulation, bnt an en-
Eghtencd and wise system Of finance re.
cures tho benefits of both gold and silver
ns currency and circulating medium by
keeping the standard stable and All
other currency at par with il. Such n
system and such standard also give
free scope for the use and expansion Of
safe and conservative credit, 80 indis-
pensablo TO brond and growing CONNER.
einl transactions and 80 we'll substituted
for the actual use Of money. II IA fixed
and stable standard is maintained such
as the magnitude and safety Of our com
mercial transactions aud business ro-
quire. the use Of money itself IL con-
veniently minimized. Every dollar Of
fixed and stable value has through the
agency Of confident credit an astonishing
capacity Of multiplying itself i'm finnn-
clal work. Livery unstable and nuctunt-
ing dollar fails ns basis Of credit. and
It's use begots gambling speculation aud
-undermincs the foundations of honest
enterprise.
] have vonturcd 10 express myself ON
this subject with earnestncss and plain
ness OF speech because cannot rid my
self of the belief that there turks In the
proposition far the free coinage Of sill
Vor. so strongly approved and su cnthu.
siastically advocated by multitude If
my countrymen, serious menace TO our
prosperity and an insidious temptation
OF opr people to wander from the ale
glance they owe 10 public and Ilrivato
integrity. 1t is because j do not tiis.rust
the. good faith ard sincerity Of those
who. press this scheme that Eavo ins
perfectly but with zeal submitted my
thoughts upon this momentous subject.
l cannot refrain from begging them TO
re-cxanine their views and beliefs in
the light of patriotic reason aud familiar
experience. and to woigh again and
again the consequences Of -snch, legisIa-
tion as theirefforts ,have invited. Even
the continued agitation OF the subject
adds greatly to the difficulties. Of dam
gerous financial situation already forced
upon u.s.