Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-09-11
Q.-Why can't we pay for them in

lot Tb,OUO,OOO,ooO worth OF propert
with our scant supply OF gold.
q. How much gold is now in tn
United States?
Avery little. Two hundred mil
Lon dollars would fully cover it.
Q.-Under the circumstances, is i
not unwise to keep up the endeavor t,
sustain the gold standard?
Alt is foolish and impossible.
Q.-Why is it impossible?
A.-Because all our gold is nov
leaving us, and il something is no
quickly done to prevent it we will
soon be on silver basis.
Q-But isn't it better to be on {
free silver basis than on n single gol,
basis?
A.-les, very much; but what W.
need most is double basis.
Q-How should we go about get
ting on double basis?
A.-By readmitiing silver to free
coinage and thereby making the silver
in a silver dollar just as valuable al
the gold in a gold dollar.
Q.-How can that be done?
Avery easily. Ii the govern.
ment coins free silver at the ratio oI
IL to |, which is equivalent to 1.29
cents per ounce, holders of silver bull
lion would not part with their metal
at a smaller figure.
Q.-Would such process cheaper
gold?
A.-Ies, by throwing the demand
onto silver. Gold would then flow
into the country instead of flowing
out. Both metals, having the same
value, we could then pay our foreign
debt in either coin.
Q.-What effect would the remone-
tization of silver have on our exports?
Alt would greatly increase them.
Q.-Why?
A.-For many reasons. In the first
place there would be big influx of
silver from every country. This
would go into our mints and be coined
into American dollars. These dollars
would in turn pay for the products of
American farms and factories. In
other words, our products would go to
the countries from which the silver
would come. This is Just the condi-
ton OF affairs that the people of this
nation should aim for.
Q.-Then it wouldn't injure this
country to absorb the worlds silver?
A.-Did you ever know of ma ion
or all individual injured by too much
money? That is the best answer.
Q.-I see that some of the papers
say that the advocates of free silver
coinage are all lunatics.
Ayes, having no substantial ar
gument to make against our PROPOSE.
ton, they ridicule us, and in this way
keep many good, yet timid, persons
out of our ranks.
Q.-Have any really great statesmen
ever advocated free and unlimited
coinage OF silver?
A.-Yes; nearly all the greatest
men OF this and other generations.
Q.-Name some of them?
A.-James G. Blaine, James A. Gar
field, u. S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln,
Lyman Trumbull, Andrew jackson
Henry Clay, William Henry Harrison
Thomas Jefferson and many others.
Q.-Has William Mckinley ever ad-
vocated the free coinage of silver at I6
to1?
Ayes; when in Congress he voted
and spoke for it.
Q.-How do you account for his
present opposition to free silver?
Ale failed in business a few
years ago and two representatives OF
the money power, H. H. Kohlsatt OF
Chicago and Mark Hanna OF Cleve-
land, came to his rescue and paid his
debts. About that time his views on
free silver underwent a radical change.
Q-DO you believe that free silver
Republican should vote for McKinleyY
A sincere advocate OF free silver
cannot consistently vote for Mckinley
Q.-How should he vote?
A.-For Bryan.
Q.-One or two questions more
What was the price of silver when il
was demonetized in 1873?
About $l.3l per ounce. 1t was
at premium.
Q.-Then it is true that it was moi
demonetized because the silver dollar
was cheaper than the gold dollar?
Ayes; the silver dollar was worth
q premium of 3 cents over the gold
dollar. Since 1873 silver has declined
in value on account of demonetization
and all prices have declined with il
Admit silver to the mints again and il
will at once regain its old value. Ir
like manner will all other property
particularly the products of the farm
and factory, adding almost SO pc
cent. to the income of the real pro
ducer-labor. P.J.D.
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