The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-07-22

of $40 per ton value will not pay SO well,
being refractory. With silver at coin val
lie 80 per cent. of the ores that would be
mined and reduced would not exceed the
value of $40 per ton. There would not,
therefore, be any $50 cent dollars" (who
ever saw so cent silver dollar) but dollar
that costs, Approximately, what it passes
for The silver industry before the panic
sustained a population of about 5000, 900
who were the best customers the east ever
had. It calls for the employment Of humid
reds of thousands of men in coal, cOke:ng,
f1uxing, charcoaling, etc., and many other
auxiliary occupations. Counting employed
as one man to the ton of ore to double the
present output of sivler would give employ
ment to 900 per cent. more men and the
auxiliary occupations would be stimulated
in proportion. Outside of its financial bear
ings Is there an industry in the United
States that can benefit the whole people
as silver mining can? Not one.
With fixed value on product the margin
of profit must be close, and with combi-
nation of capital and muscle, the silver and
gold mines of the west can be made to ex-
tricate our country from its desolate condi-
ton. The increase in production cannot
possibly initiate the currency of our c0un-
try. The great bonanza regions are work.
ed out. The silver sections have been
thoroughly prospected over. The geologi-
cal surveys have clearly defined the limits
of ore zones. The most prosperous times
of the past were when the great bonanzas
were pouring out their wealth. 1t is un-
fortunate that there are now no more. and
should another Comstock be discovered it
would be all the better for the people. The
H,,k. - .1s1x
our low grade mines. Ore once extracted
is gone forever. The rapid working out Of
our mines and the speedy transportation of
our precious metals to foreign countries
should call for prompt action to protect
America from the tota! loss of both gold
and silver as money Of final redemption.
God and silver that is not needed in circu-
lation affords safe basis for currency and
preserves it for future generations when the
mines are totally exhausted. The senate
finance committee gives the worlds produc-
ton of silver since the discovery of Ameri
ca as SO ,O00, 100000, of which $4,000, 000,-
600 is in existence today loss of 60 per
cent IN that time. The loss in the future
must be AS great. Then in view of these
facts where is the danger in retaining and
utilizing our silver? Wise statesmanship
and patriotism calls for just the opposite Of
what is taking place today. Even were the
silver product many times as great as now
it would fill only corner of a government
bonded whiskey warehouse hundred
years hence, and so long as we have $346,
100000 legal tender notes and $4,000, 900
national bank currency to withdraw it IS All
insult to the intelligence Of child to say
that there is any danger of silver infla-
ton, either as coin or currency based there
on. The silver mine owners who are so
roundly abused do not live in the west as a
rule Stocks of most of our silver mines
are owned east and are quoted daily in all
our eastern cities. To those s'silver barons'
It matters little whether they get free COIN
age or reduction Of western wages one
half. The western people are indirectly in
terested as working, professional. business
men, farmers, etc. The silver mine worker