Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-09-21
THE BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM,
Some Reasons Why the People De-
mand the Free Coinage of Silver.

Some Reasons Why the People De-
mand the Free Coinage of Silver.
The people desire the free coinage
Of gold and silver at the old ratio
l6 to because they are honest and
want to pay their debts. In times
past they have borrowed large sums
of money and agreed to return the
same with interest. 1t was legally and
morally a part of their agreements
that they should return these loans in
money similar in kind and value to
that which they had received. With
out such an equitable and just under
standing, borrowing and lending
would have been impossible. But be-
tween the date of the loan and the
dete of payment money has become
the equivalent of gold. That, and
that alone can now satisfy the cove
uant of the bond. AS conse-
quence, the obligation has become
doubly onerous. The effort to dis
charge It's superadded burden is un-
availing; property has shrunken in
bankrupt. He realizes that, though
he has paid thirds of the Nation
al debt as it was in 1865, with inter-
est exceeding the principal sum, it
nevertheless requires more of his
products to pay the remaining third
than was originally necessary to pay
it all. He feels, and has a right to
hoE l., Il
itself with his creditor for bis undo.
ing, and he protests against its disre.
gard of the sacred purposes of its Gre
alton and existence.
The people demand free coinage OF
both gold and silver because the unre.
stricted use of these metals by the pub
lie mints makes contraction difficult
and the cornering of the money vol
ume impossible. Silver can only be
used for coins of small denomina-
tions. 1t does the work of the COM
mon people; it goes to and remains
among them; it is the measure of
their small, but innumerable transac-
tions. 1t does not seek the great tinan-
cial centres of the land, to be held in
reserve or utilized in the adius tment
of balances, but does sthe monetary
work of the world, when specie is
used ut all. 1t cannot be gathered by
the few and stored away to the disas-
ter of peoples and the confusion of
Governments. II is not popular with
those advocates of fsound money"
who confonnd soundness with scare
ity. 1t can not be utilized by syndi-
Gates for sale to panic-stricken debt.
ors or to Governments which they first
control and then debauch. Its use re-
lieves the pressure on gold, and, like
true helpmate, it bears with the lat
Ter the common burden of the hour.
1t enables the people to look upon the
ebb and flow of gold without fear or
apprehension. 1t places the total of
primary money at figure adequately
commensurate with the needs of
the world, steadles values, makes a ae-
cure basis for paper circula-
tion, and prevents the acquisition
by private interests of the sovereign
power to furnish the people with such
kinds and amounts OF money as IN
their Judgment may be necessary or
expedient, to be expanded as contract.
ed at their pleasure.
The people demand the restoration
of silver money because they are op-
posed to the further expansion OF debt
and see no other way to avoid it. The
annual interest charge upon the Ma
tion is enormous. Two hundred and
fifty millions of dollars are needed to
iquidate that part of it which accrues
to the foreign creditors and which
must be paid in specie or in commodl-
ties whose price is fixed by the COM
petition OF the Nations. More than
thrice that sum is needed to liquidate
the remainder. This must be earned
or borrowed to reap its need on inter
est in turn. Only net earnings are
available for interest charges and bor-
rowing can not go on forever. Why
should we beg for loans from the ac.
cumulated treasures of Europe when
we can dig from the hills the silver
and gold from which money has from
time Immemorial been coined? Why
should we pay tribute to Caesar for
the bounties with which nature has
endowed us, but whose blessings we
spurn al the behest of qvarice and
greed? With the restoration Of it's
money function to silver and its ad.
mission to the mints on equal terms
with gold, in accordance with the
spirit of every Nationpl political plat,