Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-05-22
"DISHONEST DOLLAR"

EDITORS AGrrAToR: 1t is justly said that
"honesty is the best policy" 1t is the best
because it is the true, just policy. Men OF
fair, but uneducated, minds will gravely ask,
"Would you offer me fifty cent dollar in pay
ment of your note?' and as gravely question
the honesty of offering legal silver dollar of
4I2H grains of standard silver, when silver
bullion has commercial value of only fifty
cents.
There have been but four years since the
foundation OF our government when our silver
dollar was not legal tender for face value, ex-
cepting as per the "god clause"
And why does silver now have only fifty
cent commercial value? The answer is plain:
1t is the result of avaricious class legislation
When the laws of '73 and IA were unwisely
passed by the Republican administration, silver
was fully equal with gold; but after the con-
sumation of the conspiracy by England, Ger
many and the Republican chiefs of the United
States, it impaired the demand of silver by
minimizingits usefdness and chiefly for money.
If the silver dollar has lost its old CONNER
cial value, the Republicans are responsible for
it, and should be the last to complain of hav-
ing offered to them what they shamelessly
characterize as fifty-cent dollar.
That vicious system of acts by England,
Germany and the United States, as was intend
ed, put gold on the highway of appreciation,
and at every advance, correspondingly aug
mented the value of their holdings. THIS
SUITS THEM They are unwilling to concede
that while silver, commercially, has receded,
gold has correspondingly advanced,
What silver apparently loses, gold at the
same ratio gains, This is inevitable, as silver
bullion, as we'll as all commodities, are meas
ured in gold. Practically, gold, in its repre-
sentation of commodities, is impartial If it
requires two ounces of silver to buy one dollar
wheat, cotton, wool, ETC., to buy dollar in
gold This relation must be maintained be-
tween gold and commodities, which is varied
only by the temporary huctuation of the stocks
of gold devoted to commerce, and the supplies
of commodities
If the stock of gold diminishes, it furnishes
the only money to be exchanged for all the
commodities in the market. AS the output of
gold-in comparison to the increase of the fac
tors of commerce-is actually diminishing, any
one can see that prices must continue to decline
Now, does it ever occur to goldite that he
exhibits freak of unfairness that should make
an honest man blush?
No matter how much gold advances, or how
much more of grain, wool or cotton must be
given in exchange for gold, he cQmplaeently
and firmly demands his full money in gold.
The legislation that sent silver downward
sent gold upward.
In consequence of this shameful act, produc-
ers have to part with their grain and wares for
prices under the actual cost of production.
But no matter how high gold advances, or
prices, i'll consequence, fall, they seem TO be
incapable of seeing any hardship the debtor is
subjected tQ, in answering his demands. But,
witness his trepidation for fear silver will be
rehabilitated doubling the quantity of the
money of commerce, and, consequently, doub-
ling the prices in trade. While this would
only reverse the condition wrought in 1884,
which has devastated the interests of the coun-
try for more than score of years, yet, it would