Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-03
SOME SILVER QUESTIONS.

Interrogation Points That Go Deem
Into the Subject.
From the New York Lumber Trade Journal
Let US not get mixed up with complex
matters in connection with the free silver
idea
Let US not befog our brain with argu-
ments about the crime of '73, or bother
with the many theories which the advocates
of free silver are giving US.
But let us take a common sense view of
the situation.
Now, to start with. .. t.
Suppose Bryan was elected, and the f.ee
coinage act had been passed. and that free
coinage was an actual fact.
Suppose that silver could be taken to the
mint and coined into silver dollars at the
ratio of 10 to 1.
How would that affect us?
We haven't got any silver coin.
A whole lot of people who own silver
mines have it, and so they could have #
any ourselves, we could not have a solitary
single dollar coined under the free silver
act.
Now, suppose. however, that all the sill
yer mine owners and others who had silver
took 1t all to Washington or PHILADELPHIA
or to some other United States mint. and
had 1t coined into 1G-to-1 dollars. and
Suppose SO much had been coined that all
16-to-1 dollars. and
Suppose that every one of these dollars
were piled in one heap right on the next
block, and
Suppose every single one of them was
worth 100 cents here and everywhere
What good would they do u.s. unless we
had something We could trade by which
we could get one?
Well. we have something to trade: every
body has.
Some have labor, SO much for a dollar.
Some have lumber, SO much for a dollar
Some have sugar or potatoes or ham CT
ccal Or something else, all so much for a
dollar.
We have advertising and subscriptions
so much for dollar
When we want one Of those silver dollars
we cannot go and take 1t: they don't be-
long to us; they belong to the men who
took the silver to the mint to be coined. u
II we took one. 1t would be stealing
If we asked for one for nothing. it would
be begging. Ill
If the owners gave us one for nothing IT
would be a gift
IT we borrowed one, it would cost us in
terest and SO
Most of us. to get one, must trade labor
thing to get it. =
This is absolutely and honestly so. ism,
IT? so' 'eA
Well. being so. why do we take any
chances on the dollar?
We can get gold now sHr'r. -=I.,ir-.-s u
where.
So we have supposed the silver to be, blu,
Suppose it isn't.
What then?
What is the use Of taking a chance I'M
less We can do better?A silver dollar won't
be worth more than 100 cents, will It?
We are getting that now.
Let well enough alone.
Some say duty conpels democrat to
back up and vote for democrat You have
Bryan's word that he is no democrat. Let
him dare deny that he said IT,
Some say 1t Is pretty bad now. We might
as well take chance. 1t can't we worse
What kind of tomfoclery is this? nh"
When our baby lay at deaths door. cid
we do any experimenting? We tried every
thing which could cure, but we did not ex-
pertinent.
Are things bad in business way:
Let US tell you something 10 try
Vote down this crowd of regulators
Tell the world in trumpet tones in No
vember that we want the best money, that
we will take no other, and business will
revive.
Let the capital out that Bryan and his
followers have scared under cover and
prosperity will come.