The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-17
Campaign Thoughts.

uhuer Tree coinage the dollar VIII pur-
chase only so cents worth of commodi-
ties lies" This eminently courteous
and delicate way of getting around
an unpleasant fact is common to
many debaters, but we have observed
that it generally fails to carry con-
victon.
If the aimable editor of the Luzerne
contemporary will put in his pocket
gold dollar or its equivalent in Ameri-
can money and take that representa-
tive of wealth to the city of
Mexico. where free coinage already
prevails. he will discover that he can
buy any article which in Mexico sells
for 81 with his one gold-backed Yankee
dollar, whether it be gold, silver or
paper. On the same scale, with free
coinage Mexican dollar, he can buy in
the United States only so cents worth
of our commodities. What Is true in
Mexico now would manfestly be true
in the United States if this country
would relapse into the Mexican style
of finance. The free coinage American
dollar would, of course. buy nominal
dollars worth. but that dollars worth
would be only half as much as we to-
day get for 81 under the gold standard.
Hence, unless our stock of dollars or
our wages at once doubled under free
coinage, we should be in the position
of the man who bit off his nose to spite
his face; and no sensible man supposes
for an instant that law passed at
Washington would double either his
dollars or his wages at one clip. Even if
it did, he would be relatively no better
off.
To be sure, Mr.. Bryan. Mr.. Stewart,
Mr.. Altgeld and Mr.. CoXey deny that
free coinage would debase the cur
rency. They say it would pull gold
down and silver up until the two metals
would meet and keep together on per-
manent parity. But they give no rea-
sons for this belief. 1t IS merely their
conjecture, their guess. On the other
hand, every recognized economist and
nearly every experienced statesman
the world over says that free coinage
by America alone would do nothing
of the kind, but would, il anything in
the long run increase the disparity be-
tween the metals by forcing gold to a.
premium and making it more than
ever worth while for spectators to try
to corner that metal so as to make it
artilicially harder for us to get hold of
it when we come to pay interest and
principal on our already executed gold
clause loans Is it foolish to suppose
that the latter guess is the more rea-
sonable than the former? Is Bryan
better authority than Mckinley:
Stewart than Tom Reed: Altgeld than
John Sherman: and CoXey than Ben
jamn Harrison, Justin S. Morrill,, Will
ildiu ID. NI'lHol, VI any 'thNIo VI a h'ot
of men whose reputation for learning
and craftsmanship covers three contin-
ents? In court of justice the value of
testimony is judged by the characters
OF the witnesses who offer it. Can the
case for free coinage meet this fair
test?
If we may be permitted a personal
word of advice to the News Dealer edi-
tor, whom we select as a type of many
disputants in this campaign, it would
be to suggest to him and to all like him
that the calling of names or the use of
harsh language will not permanently
help the cause in whose behalf it is
done. Any man can say that his op-
ponent lies; but unless he proves it, he
hurts only himself. And even if he
could establish an error in his oppon
ert's argument, would 1t be chivalrous,
manly or honorable to fall into bill
lingsgate in consequence? Are all
mistakes deliberate? Are all errors
planned with intent to deceive? That
was q splendid lesson in political cour-
tesy the other day when Mr.. Bland
and the members of Bryan and Sc
wall club called upon Major Mckinley
and expressed, along with their in
tention of voting against him. their
admiration of his personal worth. In
the public speeches of both Bryan and
Mckinley the same dignified courtesy
prevails. Is it too much to ask that this
example of the standard-bearers shall
be followed by the subordinates in the
ranks?
We may be mistaken in our estimate
Of the American people, but we be-
lieve that a majority of them, ignoring
clap trap and dust throwing, will de-
eide the issues of the day in the calm
spirit of reason. We predict that the
side which shall offer the best and
clearest impersonal argument will win.
Therefore it behooves those who want
to stand show Of winning to put