West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1896-09-10

the United States without loss OF
at least per cent. to tho shipper,
besides cost of transportation.
The amount of silver in Europe
is 81, 4Si, 900. 600. all of which is
coined into money. None of it at
"a higher ratio than 154 to 1, and
most of it at " much lower ratio, so
none of this could be shipped To
this country without loss of at
least 3 per cent. TO the shipper, be.
sides cost of transportation. So
you see how misleading their argu-
ment is, for nobody but fool
would sell his silver for less than it
was worth at home, but instead of
being flooded with it, we will te
compelled to export it as we always
have done. Tho gold bugs also
claim that free coinage would drive
gold out of the country. These
same men told us that the compul-
sary coinage of silver under the
Bland act would drive all the gold
out OF the country, but it did not
do so. The report of the Director
of the mint shows that in 1873,
when the Bland act became law,
there was but $2t3. 900, 900 in gold
in the United States, aud that from
that time until 1898, there was
coined in the United States from
S2,000,0 900 to $4,000,00O of silver
every month, and that in 1898 we
had S646, 100000 in gold in the
United States. Instead Of driving
out the gold there was a constant
stream Of gold flowing into the
country. They were certainly false
prophets in 1878, aud we have no
evidence that they have received
any special inspiration since that
time. There could be no law en-
acted that would drive it out faster
than the gold standard is now do.
ing, and will continue to do so
until we won't have dollar. They
demand that all our transactions
shall be made on a gold basis. Ad
mitting we have all the gold they
claim we have, we would hnvo
percapita Of $3.50 aud our entire
Indebtedness OF all kinds makes
percapita of $4,000. Now they
want To compel the people to pay
this debt with what thoy call $40
OF honest money, and not n dollar
Of it in circulation except in Cali
fornIa. 1t is simply an impossible
ity To do so. 1t is surprising to me
10 sec men in moderate crcum-
stances, who to-day are producing
commodities which they must sell
on the market for less than the
cost Of production; men whose
every interest would be promoted
by bimetaIlism, that arc shouting
themselves hoarso for single gold
standard, simply because their lead
ers tell them to.
These men are honest, but they
are blinded by party prejudice.
But how about their leaders. They
cannot be honest; but instigated by
sellishness or by hope OF party
supremacy. In utter disregard Of
tho misery, poverty and absolute
serfdom and slavery that must be
entailed on the great mass of the
people, they have entered into the
most gigantic and Gondish con
spiracy ever conceived 10y man to
enrich themselves aud ensIaye the
the world. If the single gold stand
ard can be forced upon the country,
gold must inevitably appreciate to
/ at least four tImeslts present value.
I Commodities must decline to one
/ fourth The present price. and not
q dollar for all time 20 come can be
added TO the circulating medium,
but on The contrary there must bo
a constantly diminishing volume
Of money. This is the contest.
II the money kings can force gold
monometallism upon the world
they will succeed in establishing
the most gigantic moneyed aristo
cracy among tho rich, and the
worst system Of peonage, serfdom
and slavery among tho masses that
has eyer cursed the human race.
O. +. HARDEsTY.
HHHn