The Cape Girardeau Democrat., 1896-08-08
The Demonstration OF Iron.


ties and to go them 100 points better.
Here are his declaration, proposition
and argument.
Having been deeply impressed by
the arguments of Crisp, Bryan
Stewart, Jones and others, and es'
pecially grieved, shocked and horrifieC
by the lawful crime of 1879 as sc
loudly depicted daily in the column:
of the Atlanta Constitution and other
silver organs, l have changed my
views on the money question, and an
ready to maintain the. propositions
following in joint debate or newspaper
controversy.
| accept the arguments of the advO'
cocates of silver and agree with theil
remedy. as far as it goes. However
it does not go far enough. Let us
have plenty of remedy, in fact enough
to make debt and poverty things oi
the past, relics of the dark ages.
am in favor of the free and unlimited
coinage of pig-iron at a ratio of IL to
l with gold. by the United States
alone, independently of all nations.
and can prove by the best authority
obtainable that such a policy on the
part of the United States will ''raise
prices" put plenty of money in cir
culation and give the honest debtor a
chance to pay his depts, thereby max
ing the whole country prosperous.
Now, in the first place, it may be
urged by some who do not understand
the subject of standard of value
that a free coinage act for iron would
not raise its price to ratio of l6 to l
with gold. To them | reply, that the
stamp of this government" and the
illegal tender qualities of the iron
dollar would instantly make the bull
lion of pig iron the same as the mint
value. For who would part with an
ounce of this precious metal for
anything else than the mint value?
Stewart. Jones. Bryan. Again,
it may be urged that our mint would
be over crowded with pig iron. | re-
ply, that the price of pig iron having
been raised from $3.50 ton to ratio
of Ii to l with gold the world over no
one would especially care TO .cayry it
to the mints since the mint price could
be obtained any where in the open
market.-Atlanta Constitution.
Next it may be urged that gold ;snd
silver would go out of circulation.
| reply, First, This is mere az
of the tolls of the money
power which they cannot verify.-At-
lanta Constitution.
Second. suppose gold and silver
do go out of circulation, is there not
plenty of pig iron to take their place
and give the people plenty of money?
Bryan.
And third Such an assumption
mixes the ideas of circulating medium
and standard OF value: gold and sill
YER would still be potential money
metals. though not in circulation, and
would lend their help towards raising
prices and causing genera! prosperity.
Crisp.
Then, again. II may h urged
against the pig-iron standard of value,
hat wages would not rise III proper
ion to prices The reply IS wages
will be compelled to rise sineeno man
would be fool enough to work for one
lollar Il day who could make $1,000
,er day by picking UP rusty nails and
I'D horse shoes and carrying them to
he mint for coinage. Hull
In addition it may he urged by the
money power by thu Wall street
harks 'andthe Bond street shylocks''
hat we could not blone go On = pig
ron basis without All International
agreement. To such dastards as
Iare to lay a limit to the power of the
American people to do what they
please, Independently of all nations
lurl their cowardice and lack of pa
riotism back in their faces.
The crime of demonetiZing iron
ook place about 2,2D0 years ago,
rhen certain goldolatorS and silver
tes in order to increase the purchas
ng power of their ill-gotten wealth
and like thieves in the night
rot that demonetiZation act passed,
the good old free coinage
Lct of Lycurgus, the friend of our an
estors' daddies.
To-day China is the only country
IN earth honest enough to coin iron
Ind hire the happy laborer who can
AIRY home the wages of mis- honest
oil in wheelba:row. Con-
'titution.
~ runjous fall III prices followed
he demonetization of iron and has
continued for upwards of 1000 years.
have calculated the loss entailed up
III the honest people of this world, by
hat ruthless act, but the figures are
10 enormous | fear Il revolution will
nsue if the people learn how greatly
hey have been robbed. but facts are
ats and ihe best way to right Il
wrong is to meet it squarely. The