The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-07-31
TIE SILVER QUESTION IN VIR
GINA.

The following letter written to a
gentleman of Bel Air will give a very
clear idea of the position of Nirginians
| on the subject of free silver.
MY DEAR Subtitle very best liter
allure that | know of among recent
publications OH the silver question is
| found i'll the pamphlets written by
| two very cold-blooded investigators.
| General Francis \. Walker and Henry
| Adams, OF Massachusetts, and the
| speeches of Senator Jones, of Nevada,
who has wonderful knowledge of the
subj ect and who is certainly no more
| interested on his side than are the
mere handlers of money on the other
| side. l wish you would read these
| people. Walker and Adams show
| with the utmost clearneSs the need of
| reSorting to some metal i'll addition to
| gold for legal tender money, money of
| final redemption. 1t is true that
| Walker while admitting that the con
ditiOn prior to the decentralization of
silver was far better than it is now
and that dead hand has been laid
| upon us by its demonetiZatiOu,a argues
| against reconciliation except by in
| ternational agreement, which is I'LL Il
| dream. Adams treating the matter
historically shows how the ups and
downs of nations have depended
largely on the supply of money and
he might hive gone to Grote's account
| of the money problem that Athens
| had once TO confront | am ut a por-
| feet loss to understand how any one
cun for moment. doubt that the
! question of the supply OF money - iIi
! extremely important one The grasp
ing of all nations after gold Is proof OF
it's importance and the concession II
| he desirability of the RECOMMENDATION
| bH the nations of silver furnishes
| further proof Senator Jones, strikes
me Us demonstrating the cXprdienCy
| oi the safe reconciliation of silver
| without international agreement, in
| hi; discussion of the supply of silver
i'll the world and the great and rapid
enhancement of its value that would
follow its employment 10y the United
| States as money Ia 1873 the silver
dollar was worth three cents more
| than the gold dollar, and | am no more
| sure Of my own existence than am of
| the foOliSiIncsS of all the talk about
the RECOMMENDATION of silver producing
II lifty-cent dollar. Silver would begin
| to raise before the ink dried on the
| President signature to Il free coinage
!
steadily advance towards the value of
| gold, and there never would he any
such thing us iifty-cent dollar The
| mass of people are suffering and be
coming poorer. The enhancing value
of the gold dollar is expressing the
debtors among them and is making
enterprises more and more dillcult
| The business interests of the mass of
people have been dreadfully depressed
| high tariffs have been tried, and low
| tariffs without benefit. Now the pro
| position is To try Il widening of the
| legal tender basis of Il currency Sys-
TEN, The main objection to that, is
| the declaration that it will shock our
business interests This means, that
| there will he II shock to the Interests
of certain classes that have flourish
ed while the mass have been getting
| poorer, Such predictions are always
made Ivy that class. They are in the
| habit of thus creating an alarm to
| prevent action. Since have watched
| public affairs | have known at least
four or five such predictions made in
| the most vehement way by the lead
| ing capitalists of the country. only to
be wholly disproved by experience.
| | Tor one do not believe that the
shock will take place; and even if |
| did believe it, | would not hesitate, for
perceive a spirit OF hopelessness and
hrlplessness among the people that
| will reduce them to the situation of
tho common people of Europe, unless
it is i'll some way relieved. l am II
silver crank, not because | want Of
flee, for think the struggle Il very
doubtful one and | am inclined to be
lieve that the money power will win,
but because am convinced that all
justice, right and humanity are on
that side