The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-10-23
NO. A
Sound Money Leafiet.

The stock in trade of the free silver
advocate is assertion. They make
statements without attempting to
bring forward proof of their accuracy
and in most cases for the reason that
proof is impossible. Unless answered
however, these assertions frequently
mislead those who hear them. It is
important, therefore, that those who
want to understand this important
question should know the answers,
in word to the most important OF
these stock assertions.
Here are some.of the most frequent
assertions of the friends of free coin
age and the facts which answer them:
l. That the free coinage of silver
will make money plenty.
1t will drive more than $500, ,OOO, 600
OF gold out of the country, and it will
require years to replace this amount
with silver.
2. That silver was demonetized in
1873.
To "demonetize" means to aban-
don the use of silver as money. Up
to 1873 we had coined only 100000
OF silver dollars. Since that time we
have coined 423, 100000 silver dollars,
and they are all in use and all full
legal tender.
3. That the present hard times re-
suit from the gold standard
One cause of hard times is the con-
tinual agitation for cheap money.
The other is suspension of manufact-
uring, due to increased importation
of manufactured products under the
Wilson law.
4. That the gold standard has
ruined the country.
The wealth of the country was more
than doubled from 1870 to 1890.
5. That the gold standard has cut
wages in half.
From 1870 to 1890 wages increased
q per cent, and their purchasing
power 81 per cent.
6. That silver is not legal tender.
Silver dollars are legal tender to
any amount; subsidiary coins are
legal tender to the amount of $40.
Z. That free coinage will make
3714 grains of pure silver sell for 81.
Three-fourths of the earth's popula-
tion have free silver coinage, but 3714
grains OF silver sells for So cents.
8. That this country is big enough
adopt free coinage and restore silver
value independently of the rest of
the world.
If three-fourths of the people in the
world have failed, how can 100000
succeed.
8. That the "money power" has
cornered gold and made money scarce.
There is Sc, ,7S6, ,437 900 of gold in the
world, and no combination could
possibly corner it.
TO- That we are driven into bank
ruptcy by scarce money and high in-
terest.
In 1872 our circulation was $18.O4
per capita, in 1895 it was $22.96. The
increase in the total money in the
country was much greater. Since
1873 rates of interest have fallen so
per cent.
IL. That the larger the volume of
currency the higher are prices.
France has $33.T per capita. Switz-
erland has $9.97. Prices are the same
in both countries.
II. That primary money only is a
measure Of values.
Gold is the primary money of both
France and Greece. France has $2219
gold capita. Greece has only % cents
Prices are same in both countries.
13. That the silver men demand
bimetallism.
In his great Centralia speech, w. J.
Bryan said: "The Democratic party
has declared fo: single standard Of
silver" That means silver mono-me-
tallism.
IA. That free silver will raise the
wages.
From 1860 to 1865 494 cents paper
dollar raised prices 1I6 per cent, and
only raised wages 43 per cent, while
the purchasing power of the money
received for wages was reduced 66 per
cent.