Milford chronicle., 1896-10-16
CRIME OF
'73 0UTDONE.
BRYAN ARGUMENTS CARRIED TO AN
EXTREME AND REDUCED TO
AN ABSURDlTY.

Decentralization of Iron 1900 Years Ago a
Horrible Crime-Inaicted IncaIcuIable
Loss on Observation-Disclosures TaiI of Prices
Can BE stopped Only by Isemonetizine
Iron-Our Governments Big Enough ia
Do the Job "without Waiting For the
Aid or Consent Of Any other Nation"
Would Give Us High Prices and Plenty
of 'Per Capita" Money.
The following clever satire on "the
crime of rs" and the whole silverite
argument was written some time ago
by Alex P. Hull of Atlanta, Ga. 1t is
considered so good that some papers
have printed it several times, and mil
lions of copies of it are being distributed
IN pamphlet form:
Having been deeply impressed by the
arguments of Judge Crisp, Bryan, Stew
art, Jones and other silver leaders, and
especially grieved, shocked and Mortified
by the lawful crime of 1878" as so
luridly depicted daily in the columns Of
the Atlanta Constitution and other sill
yer organs, have changed my views
on the money question and am ready to
maintain the propositions following in
joint debate or newspaper controversy
/ accept the arguments of the advo-
Gates of silver and agreewith their REM
edy as far rs it goes. However, it does
not go far enough. Let US have plenty
of remedy-in fact, enough to make
debt and poverty things Of the past
relics of tine dark ages. ! am in favor
of the free and unlimited coinage of pig
iron at q ratio Of 10 to l with gold by
the United States alone, independently
of all nations, and can prove by the best
authority obtainable that such a policy
on the part Of the United States viii
''raise prices, - put plenty of money in
circulation" and give the honest debt
or a chance to pay his debts, - thereby
makipsthe whole country prosperous.
N0w,tiR fiIe first place, it may be
urged by some "who do not understand
the subject of standards Of value" that
free coinage for iron would not raise
its price to a ratio Of l6 to l with
gold To them reply that 'the stamp
of this government" and the illegal
tender qualities Of the iron dollar
would instantly make the bullion value
of pig iron the same as the mint value,
''for who would part with an ounce of
this precious metal for anything less
than the mint value?" (Stewart, Jones
and Bryan
Again, it may be urged that our
minis would be overcrowded with pig
iron Ireply that, "the price Of pig iron
having been raised from $3.50 ton to
ratio of 16 to l with gold the world |
over, no one would especially care to
carry it to the minis, since tho mint |
price could be obtained anywhere in |
the open market ATLANTA Constitu- |
ton.
Next, it may be urged that gold and |
silver would go out Of circulation Ire
ply, first, "This is q mere assumption |
of the tools of the money. power which /
they cannot verify" ATLANTA Constitu-
toms second, Suppose gold and silver
do go out of circulation, is there not |
plenty of pig iron to take their place
aud give the people plenty Of money!
Bryan, and, third "Such an assump-
ton mixes the idea Of circulating me-
dunn and standard Of value that gold
and silver would still be potential
money metals, though not in circula
ton, and would lend their help toward
raising prices and causing general pros
perity" (Crisp)
Then, again, it may be urged against
the pig iron standard of value that
wages would not rise in proportion to
prices. The reply is, Wages would be
TO rise, since no man would
be fool enough to work for 81 a day
who could make 81, 600 per day picking
up rusty nails and old horseshoes and
them to the mint for coinage"
(Hull).
In addition it may be urged by the
money power, by the "Wall street
and thu" Bond street Shylocks, !"
that we could not alone goo a pig iron
basis without an international agree !
ment "To such dastards as dare to lay
a limit to the power Of the American
people to do what they please, indie
pendently of all nations, I hurl their :
oowardice and lack of patriotism back
in their faces" (Bryan).
The "crime" Of demonetizing pig
non took place about 1900 years ago,
when certain 'goldolators" and ''sil- ..
yerites, =" in order to increase the pur-
chasing power of their i'll gotten wealth,
secretly and like thieves in the night" /
got the decentralization act passed re-
Dealing the good old free coinage act Of :
Lycurgus, "the friend of our ancestors
iaddies. " "Today China is the only
ON earth honest enough to coin
ron, and there the happy laborer can
larry home the wages Of his honest toll I
N a wheelbarrow" ATLANTA Constitu- !,
ion). =
A ruinous fall in prices followed the ',
Of iron ard has continu-
ID for upward of 1000 years / have =
calculated the losses entailed upon the !!
honest people of this world by that ruth :
ess act, but the figures are SO enormous I =
ear revolution will cnsue if the people
earn how greatly they have been robbed. u
But facts are facts, and the best way to =,
light a wrong is to meet it squarely. i
That loss is S2I, 900, 600, coo, O0o, OOO,- "
100, 600, 600, 600, 600" COINS Finan- II
ial SCHOOL,. :,
In conclusion, insist that the free
coinage of pig iron viii do everything
hat is claimed for silver and infinitely
more. The people will be rich and pros
ierous The once poor man can pay his y
iehts with his old stove Railroads cam y
Ioclare dividends on old rails and worn 81
ut rolling stock. The small boy can y
lick up old nails and horseshoes enough =
o support his family. In fine, poverty :.
nd debt can no longer exist. y
Cheating the Creditor. -
If these glorifiers Of the old order Of
hines could restore the conditions Tint