The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-16

The sNsee Union sossisrs. fAsir widows
ana efphans. VIE are creators Of the
United States 20 the amount Of over G4o,-
49, year for services and sacrifices
In the Union army. 1t viii be an &C. Of
peEady and rneanness beyond expression
for this great country 20 pay them with
money OF less purchasing power than
gold coin. merely because the over-pro-
ductson Of silver in the Unsted States haa
reduced the market value OF silver hui-
lion contained In a silver dollar. To take
advantage OF this decline IN order 20 re-
eucs the value OF the pittAnce 20 those
pensioners is worse than TO rob the
sraves OF the dead
The-s is another class Of creditors that
he free coinage OF silver WIN greatly
sutuiions and kindred organizations, who.
according 70 the oficiai statistics. num-
Der nearly 5.oao.so people, whose deposits
amount 10 more than s.. so ae,one VIII
You cheat them by reducing the value ana
purchasing power Of the dollars they have
deoosiseos Free coinage viii also wipe
out nearly one-half the value OF life In
surance which the provident people OF
the United States have paid 10 secure In
case OF their death, some support ard
nroteotion TO wives and children II will
AFFECT intariously the multitude OF clerks
ana employees who depend upon monthly
pay. ana will reduce the purchasing pow
er or all salaries OF officers ana employees
In the public service OF the United Statss
and every stats. county. city or town
ship Ia this broad land.
Silver and the workingmsn.
But BY far the greatest injury result
ing from the free Coinage of silver win
ran upon the workingmen. Their wages
are now based upon money of the highest
value. upon gold coin of standard value
Under free coinage of silver. the value
or the silver doll4r will fall 10 IS cents in
gold. or. as I have already said. the 100
CENTS OF the gold dollar will be worth
ls4 cents OF the silver dollar. With free
coinage OF silver every workingman can
and ought TO demand enough silver FOR his
daily wages to be equal TO the purchas-
ing power OF his present wages in gold.
The struggle between workingmen and
employer viii then commence. and no one
KNOWS better than the workingman how
difficult II Is TO get an advance OF pay.
We have strikes and strife now. but what
VIII De the condition II the workinsman
is paid In cheaper money of the same NOM
inal amount but OF less purchasing power.
Every sentiment of justice will be on the
side OF the workingman In his struggle
for good money or increased wages in
cheap money.
The Evils Of Cheap Money.
'Of all the evils which a government
can infiict. none can be greater than cheap
money. whether of coin or paper. That
dollar Is the best dollar that buys the
largest quantity OF food and clothing.
That dollar is the gold dollar, for IL buys
more food and clothing than any other
dollar. and viii also buy silver dollar
worth 50 cents II the coinage OF silver IS
made free at the ratio OF Is to OF gold.
Experience has shown that the United
States can make the silver dollar buy as
much as the gold dollar. but IL can only
be done by the government buying silver
bullion as needed and coming 1t into dol
lars on government account. This has
been tried. Every country IN Europe. ex-
cept possibly Russia, republics and mon
arches, maintains the gold standard and
silver coins At parity with gold at even
less ratio than the United States, and
now Russia has boarded over 500. ooo, 900
of gold In preparation for the gold stand
ard which she will adopt.
Bankruptcy OF the Nation Advocated.
I'VE have now In the treasury belonging
to the government over 37s. 00o. 900 silver dol
lars represented by certificates. and also
silver bullion costing over s1lSooo,ooo. rep
resented by treasury notes in active circu-
the ratio OF Is to l. The free coinage or
silver Is an invitation not only TO American
miners but to all miners or holders or sill
yer IN the world to deposit their silver In
the minis OF the United States and TO re-
ceive In exchange therefor a silver dollar
for every 1924 grains of standard silver de-
posted. But that silver is worth in the
market only IS cents. Why should we re-
ceive this bullion from the owners OF silver
mines at nearly double Its market value
when We have such a vast hoard in the
treasury which we hold with difficulty at
par with gold7 The only object and effect
OF this measure will be to degrade the dol
lar. to lessen its purchasing power nearly
one-halt. to enable debtors 10 pay their
debts at IS cents for dollar. and 70 cheat
the public creditors who hold our bonds.
II this policy should be adopted the Unit
ed States will take It's place among the ma
lions OF the earth as a bankrupt. closing
its business at So cents on the dollar.
Justice To the Boudhoiders.
There 10 another element OF meanness
in this free coinage OF silver. Tho United
States has always paid its bonds In gold
coin or its equivalent. In the darkest
hours OF the civil war we stipulated TO pay
our bonds, principal and interest. in gold
or Its equivalent. All of the war debt has
been paid In this way. A portion of II was
paid by the sale OF bonds bearing q lower
rate OF interest. but we exacted from the
purchasers OF those bonds gold coin or its
equivalent, even while our notes were be-
low par In coin About tSi7Oeo. 900 of these
securities are now outstanding. of which
s2s2. 900 oso was sold by this administration
ana paid for IN gold coin. IL Is one OF the
objects Of those who advocate the free
coinage OF silver to force the government
to pay these bonds In silver coin reduced in
value. II Is harsh to express this opinion
OF measure favored by many good peo-
pie bat cannot regard Il In any other
light but both fraud and a robbery. and
all the worse n committed by a great. rich
and free people. A citizen who should COM
init such an offense would be punished by
the courts or denounced as dishonest, but
a nation like ours is beyond the power OF
any tribunal but the conscience and God.
Now. fellow citizens. I have said all
desire 70 say at present on the free coinage
OF silver 7 have the confident hope that
the great body Of Republicans and Demo-
Gratis, representing the conservative eie-
rent Of our people. will stamp their rebnke
upon this measure OF infamy and thus pre-
serve intact the honor. the credit and the
glory OF our great country This matter
OF the free coinage OF silver and the deg
radiation OF the Standard OF value Involves
not only questions of money, bat OF honor
and good faith When their honor is IN
volyed the people never fan to respond.
They have complied with every promise
and paid every debt contracted since the
organization OF the national government
as IL became due. They paid four-ifths Of
the debt contracted during the civil war.
and the prospect was hopeful that all OF 70