The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-09-04
BRYAN and q Silver Basis.

Our silver free coinage friends con-
tinue to assert that the success OF
Bryan, at the polls in November, will
not drive this country to a silver basis.
Assuming that they are honest and
sincere in their views, we are forced to
conclude that they are ignorant OF
many of the plainest, simplest and
most incontestable facts concerning
our financial experience, past and
present.
We can determine what our future
is to be, only by understanding and
clearly experimenting the meaning CT
our past and present experiences. He
who is not familiar with and does not
comprehend our past and present ex-
periences, must be poor prophet as
to the future. So with our unlimited
coinage-of-silve friends. Unless they
know our past, and know our present,
how can they know our future?
To this they reply; awe know the
facts, past and present. We are truly
honest. We are striving only for the
good of the country. You republicans
are the ignorant, or the dishonest peo-
pie"
Well, let us see. If you are honest
and fair, you will honestly and fairly
listen TO our side of the question. You
cannot be hurt, by being fair and just
to any one. wish to call your at
tention to some facts, and then sug-
gest some conclusions which must
flow therefrom:
The first fact is: That under our
present laws, the president can pay out
silver, instead of gold whenever the
government obligations are presented.
Second: He has not paid out silver,
but has paid out gold to the amount
of $262,O0O,OOO, when the same has
been demanded by the creditors of the
government. The result is that we
are on gold basis, or on basis which
is the equivalent of gold.
The inevitable conclusion to be
drawn from the above is that if lac had
paid out silver when gold was demand
ed, that we would now be on a silver
basis. Gold would have been out OF
circulation by this time. Everybody
would have been boarding it, and sill
YER would have taken its place, as fa1
as it could have done so. Nobody
would have given gold in exchange fol
silver, or accepted silver as change fol
gold. Nobody would have bought
goods, or anything else for gold, when
they could have bought, at the same
price, for silver. Prices, in silver,
would have been high, while the price
in gold, would have remained as they
now are. Very many remember how
it was directly after the war: 1t tool
lots of greenbacks to buy goods, but i
you offered to pay in gold the price
was much lower. Then we were on
greenback basis. The greenback
were not worth as much as the gold
and the gold went out of circulation.
Whenever in trade or commerce
people cannot get dollar in gold, il
change for silver or paper, as the cas-
may be; then they will not give golt
in change. At once, all transaction
are entered into on the basis of tn
silver or paper. Whichever is in dali,
circulation, that is the kind of none,
upon which we base our trades.
may be silver. or paper, or gold, or i
may be all three kinds of money, a
We have at present, but the none
that circulates freely; i. e. the none
that you and / give and take in GU
daily affairs, that is the basis of on
trades.
If the government had refused t
pay in gold, the people would ais
have refused to pay in gold, and golt
would have gone out of circulation
and we would now be on silver basis
The election of Mr.. Bryan mean
that when our creditors present on
obligations and demand gold thereto
he will pay them in silver! This h
can do under our present law. H
and his platform declare that if elecI
ed, he will do so.
Ii he does pay silverit will be be
cause he has not got the gold, or b.
cause he will prefer the gold to silvel
In either case we will at once be on
silver basis. S.
UNDER Republican tariff laws, du
ing the period from the 1stof Septen