Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-10-01
A PLAIN TALK TO woRKINeMeN
The u & Of the Silver Question
Clearly Put.

The A G Of the Silver Questio,
Clearly Put.
Let us not get mixed up with compile,
matters in connection with the FIRE,
silver idea.
| Let us not befog our bmin witt
arguments about the crime of 1873 OF
bother with the many theories which
the advocates Of free silver are giving
us.
But let us take common-sense view
of the situation.
Now, to start with:
Suppose Bryan was elected and the
free coinage act had been passed and
that free coinage was an actual fact
Suppose that silver could be taken 10
the mint and coined into silver dol.
lars at the ratio of sixteen to one.
How would that affect us?
We haven't got any silver bullion.
A whole lot Of people who own silver
mines have it, and SO they could have
it coined into sixteen to one dollars,
but not having any ourselves we could
not have solitary, single dollar coined
under the free silver act.
Now, suppose, however, that all the
silver mine owners and others who had
silver took 1t all to Washington or
Philadelphia or to some other United
States mint and had it coined into
sixteen to one dollars, and
Suppose so much had been coined
that all the silver in the world was
made into sixteen to one dollars, and
Suppose that everyone Of these dol
lars was piled in one heap right on
the next block, and
Suppose every single one Of them
was worth 100 cents here and every
where.
What good would they do us unless
we had something we could trade by
which we could get one?
Well, we have something to trade;
everybody has.
Some have labor, so much for dol
lar.
Some have lumber, so much for .
dollar.
Some have sugar or potatoes or hams
or coal or something else, all so much
for dollar.
We have advertising and subscrip-
tons, so much for dollar.
When we want one Of those silver
dollars, we cannot go and take it. They
don't belong to us. They belong to
the men who took the silver to the
mint to be coined.
II we took one, II would be steal
ing
II we asked for one for nothing, II
would be begging.
II the owners gave us one for moth
ing. it would be gift.
II we borrowed one, IL would cost
us interest, and so
Most OF us, to get one. must trade
labor, 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 the dollar
everywhere.
So we have supposed the silver to be,
but
Suppose it isn't?
What then?
What Is the use Of taking a chance
lnless we can do better? A silver dol
ar won't be worth more than 100 cents,
will it?
We are getting that now,
Let well enough alone.
Some say duty compels democrat
o back up and vote for a democrat.
'ou have Bryan's word that he is no
emocrat. Let him deny that he said
t.
Some say it is pretty bad now. We
night as well take a chance. II cant
)e 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 regulators.
Tell the world in trumpet tones in
november that we want the best money,
nat we will take no other, and bust
ess will revive.
Let the capital out that Bryan and
is followers have scared under cover
nd prosperity will come. -- Lumber
rade journal.