The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-09-18

Hon Garrett A. Hobart
"GRSTLEMEN-I have already. in accepting
the nomination for the once OF the yice-prcsi-
dency rendered me by the National rcpub-
lican convention expressed my approval or
the platform adopted by that body a the party
basis ~ doctrine. In accordance with accepted
usage ! beg now 10 supplement that brief
statement OF my views by some additional re-
Elections upon the questions which are in
debate before the American people
The platform declarations in reference 70
the money question express clearly AMI un-
miStakahly the attitude OF the republican
party as 70 this supremclv- Important subject
We stand unqualinedly for honesty in
finance ana the permanent adjustment Of
our monetary system. Ia the muitiiarious
activities % trade and commerce. 20 the exist
ing gold standard 81 value We hold that
every dollar OF currency Issued rs the
United STATES whether OF gold silver or paper,
must lie worth dollar In gold, whether in the
pocket % the man who tolls for his dailg
bread. ia The vault ~ the savings banh which
holds his deposits, or In the exchanges % the
world.
1.-The money standard - a great nation
should be as fixed ana permanent as the nation
itself TO secure anu retain the best should
be the desire 81 every riFhf-miuded citizen.
Resting on stable foundations. continuous and
unsarylng certainty 81 value should hc Us dis
tinguishing characteristic. 7le experience OF
made under any law, howsoovcr that coin may
be stamped. VIII finally command in The mar
lscts % the world the except value of the ma
icrials which compose 10. The dollar % our
country. whether ~ gold or silver should be OF
the full value Of 100 cents and By so much as
auy dollar IS worth less than this IN the mar
kot ~ precisely that sum viii some one be de-
fraudcdo
The necessity of a certain ana fxed money
value between nations as wei as individuals
has grown out Of the Interchange o. commodi-
ties. the trade and business relationships
which have arisen among the peoples Of the
world. with the enlargement 81 human wants
ana the broadening OF human interests. This
necessity has made gold the final standard OF
oil enlightened nations. Other metals. In
Guiding silver, have a recognized commcrc lai
value, und silver. especially has a value OF
great Importance for subsidiary coinage. In
view of a sedulous effort hy the advocates 81
free coinage 70 create a contrary impression. d
can not be too strongly emphasized that the
republican party in ITS platform afirms this
value IN silver. ana favors the largest possible
use OF this metal rs actual money that can he
maintained with safety. Not only this. ii viii
not aufngouize. but viii gladly as /
sist IN promoting a double standard 4
whenever IL be secured by 4
agreement and co-opcrafion among the ma
tions. The bimetallic currency. involving the 4
free use OF silver. which we now have, Is cor /
daily approved By republicans. But stand /
ard and currency are vastly different things 4
II we are TO continue 20 hold our place \
among the great commercial nations. we must 1
cease juggling with this question. and make /
our honesty 81 purpose clear % the world No 4
room should be left for misconccpiion as TO \
the meaning OF the language used ia the bones
81 the government not vet matured. II should I
not BE- possible for any party or individual 10 /
raise q question IS 10 the purpose o. the coun- |
try 70 pay an rs obligations In the best form
o. money ret ognized by the commercial world !
ANY nation which IL worthy OF credit or conn
dcncc can AFFORD TO say explicitly, on qucs-
tion vital 20 every interest, what i means
when such meaning is challenged or doubted.
II Is desirable that We should make "
known at once and authoritativey tnat
an honest dollar means any dollar
equivalent TO q gold dollar OF the present
standard OF weight and fineness. The world
should likewise be assured that the standard
dollar Of America IS as inAexibe a quantity as
the French napoleon. the British sovereign or
the German 20-mark piece
WHAT FREE COINAGE MEANS.
..r-he free coinage OF silver nj the ratio of 10
"a A. n policy which no nation has ever before
proposed. and IL T. not to-day permitted la any
mint In the world-not even in Mexico IL Is
purposed to make the coinage unlimited, at an
absolutely fictitious ratio. fixed with no refer
ence to intrinsic value or pledge OF ultimate
redemption. With silver at its present price
OF less than 20 cents per ounce in the market.
such policy means an immediate profit TO
| the seller OF silver for which there Is no re-
turn now or hereafter to the people or the
| government. 1t means that for each dollars
worth Of silver bullion. delivered Mt heinint.
| practically two dollars OF stamped coin Will he
given in exchange. For 800 worth OF bullion
nearly 200 silver dollars will be delivered
such free coinage legislation. IL ever con-
| summated, would discriminate against every
| producer OF wheat. cotton. corn or rye-who
| should in justice be equally entitled, with the
silver owner, to sell his products to the United
| States treasury. at proft liked by the gov
ernment--and against all producers Of iron.
steel zinc copper. who might properly claim
| 10 have their metals made into current coin
]. would, as well. be a fraud upon all persons
forced TO accept currency thus stimulated
and at the same time degraded.
I'm every aspect the proposed policy Is par
| tial and sided. because Ii IL only when a
profit can be made by mine-0wner or dealer
that be takes his silver to the mint for coin
age. The government Is always at the losing
| end stamp such fctitious value upon silver
ore. and dishonest and unjust Discrimination
! will he made against every other form OF IN
dustry. When silver bullion worth a little
more than 30 cents + made into legal-tcnder
dcilaf. driving out one having purchasing
aud debt-paying power 81 100 cents, il will
clearly be done at the expense aud injury OF
every class OF the community"
Mr. Hobart then at considerable length de-
tailed the purchase OF silver by the govern
ment and the issue Of dollars therefrom and
referred To the decline 81 the metal from Al Is
70 O. cents per ounce The loss upon these sill
yer purchases to the people o, the country hrs
now been nearly slto.0oo,ooo.
WOULD MEAN A CALAMITY.
Continuing, Mr.. Hobart writes:
ut may be instructive to consider moment
how the free and unlimited coinage OF silver
would affect few great interests. and men,
tion only enough to demonstrate whata caiam-