The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1896-08-07
Both Narrow and Shallow.

'ln discussing the question of fret
silver and what it's effects would be up
on the wages of American worl1ingmen
the gold press takes too narrow a view
of the matter" says a contemporary
But the real trouble is that the golc
press takes too many irreconcilable
views of the matter. Thus, it is shocked
at the idea of the "silver barons" tax
ing their product to the minis and get
ting 100-cent dollars for 50-cent mater
ial; and at the same time, often in the
same article, it bewails the prospective
payment of workingmen in 20-cent dol
lars; and it does this in apparent I'M
consciousness of the antagonistic prin-
ciples and results involved in the two
propositions.
The same press laments the coming
flood of silver the world would pour
out upon us on the establishment of
free coinage, but at the same time it adj
mits that all of the silver produced had
been absorbed in commerce and mint
ratio more favorable to silver than is
proposed in this country; how, then,
there could be such silver food is not
explained.
Again, that press insists that to pay
public obligations in silver coin, as the
law clearly contemplates, wonld be re-
pudiation of half the debt; and yet that
mine owners would be the benefciaries
of the Government bounty in getting
100-cent dollars for so cents in bullion,
thus forseeing a silver dollar that at
one and the same time would be worth
fifty cents and also dollar.
The gold press also maintains that
low prices are the result Of overproduc-
ton, and yet admits that sales of all
products of earth and factory are less
than formerly, showing that it is lack
of ability in the people to buy, and not
over production that depresses trade.
1t holds that money is always stable
in price, and that products vary on the
market, according to supply and de-
mand; and yet it insists that silver
money is an exception to the rule of
invariable money value, thus committing
the double error of failing to note the
constant accord of silver with prices of
products, and the appreciation of gold
proved by the same rule of applying
average purchasing power to market
quotations
1t insists that the increased produc-
ton of silver has debased its standing
as money; yet maintains that much
greater increased production of gold
has neither depressed nor augmented
the value of that metal, thus applying
contrary rule for one metal to that
applied to the other.
This press protests that gold money
is the money of international commerce
of civilization. that silver is bulky, cum
bersome, unwieldly, and is the money
of the semi-civilized, of people with lin
tied and feeble commerce, And yet it
contends, and the st. Louis platform
declares, that we must abandon this adj
mirable single gold standard, this mon
ey of civilization, as soon as we can get
help from other nations to let GO; and t
restore to standard money use the de-
spised, cumbrous silver, the standard
Of semi-civilized people.
These are but samples of the contra c
rites of the goldite press; yet they are
so constantly in evidence in the col !
inns of that press, and so universally '
by it as axioms, that it is :
worth while to turn the light of consist t
ency and logic upon them. Salt Lake !,
Tribune.