Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1896-08-20
ABERDEEN, WASH, Aug. IS, 1896.

ABERDEEN, WASH, Aug. IS, 1896.
Mr.. EDITOR Il hear some talk on the
street about a 53-cent dollar When did
it first make its appearance l have
never seen one. When was the act
passed that authorized it's issueo heard
man say that we would have to put
more silver in dollar in order to make
it good. The biggest dollar that l ever
handled was the trade dollar; it posses
sessed 420 grains Of standard silver and
80 cents was all 1 could get for it,
while the original dollar, possessing only
4l2'a grains, passed for 100 cents, or its
face value. Now, what l want to know
is, at that rate, how big would those
trade dollars had to have been to cause
them to become entirely worthless? In
1898 the gold standard men pointed to
the purchasing clause OF the Sherman
law as the thing that threatened the
stability OF our finances and said if it was
out OF the way the country would return
to prosperity. The president called
congress together in extra session and
they repealed the law; but times con-
tinued to grow worse. The next step
was to sell bonds and replenish the re-
serve fund. They claimed that would
restore confidence, but it steadily grew
worse. Now, if they were honest in their
statements, they certainly have shown
themselves to be incompetent, and if dis
honest, God knows we don't want to
listen to them. In either case, they have
shown themselves unfit to dictate the
financial policy OF this country. Again,
they say if we have free and unlimited
coinage Of silver it will make America
the dumping ground OF the world for sill
yer. Now, how are they going to do
that? Are they going to bring it over
here and give it to us, or are they going
to purchase our products with it? To
my mind, that would revive our indus
tries and be benefit. Again, the gold
bugs tell us that free silver will drive
gold out OF the country. Are these men
who profess such preference for gold
going to exchange their beloved gold for
silver? Remember, they told us the
same thing when the Bland-Alison act
was passed, but the statistics show that
more gold came in. Now they are rails
ing great howl in Wall street that the
free coinage of silver will run gold up to
a premium. Does any sane man believe
that they would object to being made
richer? They also say it will lower the
price OF farm products. How those fell
lows do love the farmer all at once-so
much that they will raise a ten-million
dollar campaign fund to protect him and
keep themselves from getting richer! But
the people don't believe them, because
they have seen as the price Of silver de-
clined so has the price Of their products.
When a great nation that has the great
est resources Of any nation on earth, so
much greater that she ought and will be
the leader, says she will coin all the
silver that is brought, it will bring silver
up to par, because there is no limit to
the demand. Raise the price OF silver
and you raise the price of agricultural
products, which is sure to bring pros
perity to the country. Consequently, we
will sell at public auction, on the first
Tuesday in November, 1896, one thor
ough-bred gold standard platform, sired
by Wall street, adopted by the Republic
can party and damned by the people.
T. J. SHELLEY.