Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1896-09-03

for the few who are owners of silver
bullion, but would make silver coin
no freer to the many who are engaged
i'm other enterprises. 1t would not
make labor easier, the hours of labor
shorter, or the pay better. 1t would
not start factory nor make de-
mand for an additional days labor.
1t would create no new occupations.
1t would add nothing to the comfort
of the masses, the capital of the peO-
pie or the wealth of the nation. 1t
seeks to introduce a new measure of
the thing measured. 1t would not con-
serve values. On the contrary, it
would derange all existing values. 1t
would not restore business conf
dence, but it's direct effect would be
to destroy the little which remains.
What II rIeans.
The meaning of the coinage plank
adopted at Chicago is that anyone
may tatse a quantity of silver bullion
now worth fifty-three cents to the
mints of the United States, have it
coined at the expense of the govern
ment, and receive for it silver dol
lar which shall be legal tender for the
payment of all debts public and pri-
vate. The owner of the bullion
would get the silver dollar. 1t be-
longs to him. and nobody else.
Other people would get it only by
their labor, the products of their
land or something of value. The
bullion owners, on the basis of pres
ent values, would receive the silver
dollar for 53 cents worth of silver,
and the people would be required to
receive it as IA full dollar i'm the pay
ments of debts. The government
would get nothing from the trans
action. 1t would bear the expense
of coming the silver and. the COM
munity would suffer loss by it's nse.
The Dollars Compared.
We have coined, since 1873, more
than 4OO, ,OOO, 900 of silver dollars,
| which are maintained by the govern
ment at parity with gold, and are a
full legal tender for the payment OF
all debts, public and private. How
are the silver dollars now i'm use differ
ent from those which would be in use
under free coinage? They are to be OF
the same weight and fineness; they
are to bear the same stamp of the
government. Why would they not be
of the same value? / answer: The
silver dollars now in use were coined
on account of the government, and
not for private account or gain, and
the government has solemnly agreed
to keep them as good as the best
dollars we have. The government
bought the silver bullion at it's mar
ket value and coined it. Having eX
iclusive control OF the mintage 1T only
coins what it can hold at "A parity
with gold. The profit, representing
the difference between the CONNER
cial value of the silver bullion an(
the face value of the silver dollar
goes to the government for the bene
fit of the people. The government
bought the silver bullion coutainet
i'm the silver dollar at very much les'
than its coinage value. 1t paid i
out to its creditors, and put in cir
culation among the people at it's face
value of 100 cents, or full dollar. Il
required the people to accept it as &
legal tender, and lis thus morally
bound to maintain it at parity
with gold, which was then, as now
the recognized standard with us and
the most enlightened nations of thu
world. The government having
issued and circulated the silver dol
lar it must, i'm honor, protect tn
EhOlder from loss. This obligation 4
has SO far sacredly kept.
Not only il there a moral obliga
tiOn but there Is a legal obligation
expressed in public statute to main
tain parity.
They Could Not Be Kept At Par.
These dollars i'm the particulars
have named, are not the sam
as the dollars which would be issues
under free coinage. They would b'
the same in form, but different II
value. The government would hav'
no part in the transaction except II
coin the silver bullion into dollars
1t would share in no part of tn
/ TContinued On FOurth Pa0e1