The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-03-25
SOUND MONEY

If the howlers for sound money, say
the Brunswick Times-A Advertiser, wer
called to define just what they mean b.
the term so flippantly used they woult
be cornered to the pitiable plight of fig
urating in generalities, or comine
squarely down to the CleYeland notch o.
s'only gold" This is the Wall street
demand as represented by Carlisle ant
Cleveland.
Souudness only has reference to per
manency and stability, and the silver
dollar is just as sound as the gold dol
lar when unbiased by Legislative pro-
lection or prejudice.
The proposition may be laid down
that any money is sound which has a
fixed value and is not liable to disturb
ing fluctuations, whatever may be its
basis. The scarcity of gold gives it one
value. Legal protection gives it anoth-
er. The same law of supply and recog-
milton gives silver its value.
The difference is in the fixed estimates
of two fixed quantities. Without legal
restraint the value of an ounce of gold
would be liable to as much variation as
that of an ounce of silver, measured
from some other fixed quality that might
exist as medium of exchange. The
distinction of quantitiye value has no
bearing. 1t does not matter even if
thirty parts of silver are only equal to
one part of gold, 80 that the value is re-
liable and permanent. The question of
soundness only relates to permanency.
The Times-Advertiser is opposed to a
gold basis because, as metal, it is most
largely mined and owned and rated by a
government that has reached its full
measure Ct development, is our only i'm
mediate competitor in general manufact-
ures, is our rival in all finished products,
and our superiorzin every instance if
allowed to dictate our economic poll
cies,
AS an open and honest confession The
Times-AdYertiser favurs bimetallism,
because it will reduce the unit of value
AS relates 10 present creditors. it
wants a fifty-cent dollar; or, as honestly
stated, a dollar that's not so autooretie
as to only seek home with crowned
heads and massive vaults, that does not
destroy the value of everything else ex-
cept the dollar.
1t believes that plan of legislation,
whether state, national or international,
that creates distinction of so per cent.
in the favor of the man who has selfish
" boarded his dollars as against the
man who has periodically invested his
money in productive property and labor
supplying enterprises, is UNANIMOUSLY de
signing in its perfdy of purp Sc to de-
stroy the weak and rob the helpless.
There is no need to go into the shoddy
consecrated vaults of Wall street to
study the financial question. When the
system is wrong, the ebbing pulse of
trade and industry and the horde of
idleness tell the story.
When property ceases to have selling
value and no investment can be relied
upon to sustain credit it is because
money has been given fictitious value,
and the owners believe that by holding
it they can buy still more property as
the greater distress prevails.
When real estate will not bring it'
price of taxation and costs at the court
house door people should be impressed
with the fact that complete centraliza
ton is near at hand. And the silver
dollar is the only means of staying thu
calamity.