The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-25
COME TO THE ISSUE.

| The skilled talent of the millionaire mine
owners Is very keen and very adroit
! From the INSCRIPTIONS Coin Harvey tC
| the garbler of speeches, the paid lobby OF
| the bonanza mine owners have taught
| their demagogues and dupes to divert pub
lie attention from the main issue. So we
have had weary discussions about the
crime of 1873. The payment of the public
debt has been dragged into the discussion
| as If it had something to do with the issue.
/ A varied assortment of lies has been in
| troduced about the value of the currency
! in the past and now, just as if that had
anything to do with the question. Wheth-
'er or not the government is now coming
| silver dollars is made a matter of vital
| Importance.
As a matter of fact, none of these topics
has anything to do with the proposition
TO stamp so cents worth of silver bullion
one dollar. Unless he is large consumer
OF imported goods, distiller or brewer,
the American pays little federal tax cx-
cept on sugar. And when it comes to the
paying of the bonds, of what possible con-
sequence is it to the most of us whether
they are paid in gold silver? True, all
chased with gold or its equivalent but
why should men who pay no other federal
tax than the duty on sugar take so deep
an interest in the payment of the bonds
in silver? Why do men allow themselves
to be drawn into discussions over green
backs and demand notes and such matters
when they foreign to the silver issue?
The one question, far as the people
are concerned, is: Shall this country drop
to a silver basis in order to enrich a few
millionaires who own silver mines? Why
drop out Of company with the potential
nations of the earth into companonship
with Mexico and Japan by falling to their
money standard? Instead of listening to
calamity howlers while they lie about the
legislation of 1873 let us come to consider
the effect of changing to a silver basis
upon the affairs of the country now. VIII
such change cause a panic and involve
the country in years of business depres-
sion? VIII passing to silver monometal-
ism cut the wages of labor and rob the
prudent people who have saved a few dol
lars of half of their store against a rainy
day or Will it not? Stop listening to the
talk about plutocrats and Wall street and
seriously consider. in the light of history
and in the judgment of men of expert
ence, the probable, or rather, the inev
liable results of free and unlimited coin
age of silver. Refuse to be trifled with
by the agents of the mine owners Do not
be duped by demagogues who appeal to
your prejudice, but exercise. in regard to
this important question, the common
sense and shrewdness you consult when
you consider any business proposition.
1t is time that sensible men should re-
gard the proposition to permit the mine
owners to coin dollars out of so cents
worth of silver bullion, because, previous
to 1873, they had the privilege of having
log cents worth of silver bullion coined
into a dollar, as absurd-as absurd as it
would be to insist that because the grain
cradle was the utensil for harvest
ing in 1860, farmers should go back to it
now, or that all should insist on going
back to wagon transportation because it
was the method of the country years ago.
With the march of progress the farmer
has gone On beyond TIE grain cradle, aud
the commerce of the world needs the rail-
road instead of the wagon and the mules
There is no more sense in insisting upon
the free coinage of silver now, when it is
worth 60 cents an ounce, at ratio based
upon a value of $1.29 an ounce than there |
is in demanding that the harvester he set |
aside in order that army of men may |
have employment with grain cradles. 1t |
is time to cease to be childish about this |
matter of free coinage.