The Holt County sentinel., 1896-10-09
THE ABSURDITY OF BRYANISM
The Silver BarOnS' Wild Claim
Shown to Be Absolutely
Impracticatle.
What Imtiisputable Facts and Figures
VIII Prove How Voters
are Deceived.

Hon. John l.. HOniS. assistant Az
tornev-Generai for the POst office De
partment. and formerly a member of
the Missouri Supreme Court, sends oat
the following statement, which shows
the folly and demagogy of sixteento
oneness:
Mr.. Bryan states that he believes
the free coinage of silver. by our gov
ernmcnt alone. at the ratio of IL to l.
would raise the price of silver to SIG
ing that our government is strong. and
rich. and powerful enough 10 accom-
plish this result, without waiting or
asking for the cooperation of any
other codntry. In making this predic-
ton Mr.. Bryan ignores the experience
of this and other nations of the world
in regard 10 the free coinage of silver
during the past zoo wears. but waving
that. let us see what his proposition in
wolves.
Il presume il will he conceded by
Mr.. Bryan and his adhcrents that the
price of silver bullion in this country
cannot be- affected without at the same
time affecting it everywhere. and that
the rise in the price will apply TO all
silver, whether in bars or wares. a.
we'll as in coin throughout the world.
The figures l shall give. except
those showing the production Of silver
since 1892, are all taken from a report
submitted by Mr.. Voorhees,. free sill
yer advocate. on behalf of the Finance
Committee of the Senate. March S. 1894,
which report is entitled Coinage Laws
of the United States from l.9. to 1894,
with an appendix relating TO coins and
currency: fourth edition. revised and
Corrected TO August l. 1894. Prepared
under the direction of the COMMITTEE
According to that report. page 215.
the production of silver in the world
from 1898 to 1892 amounted to ..522..
5Os.1l6 ounces. and there has been pro-
duced since lSe: about 6OO:OOO. 900
ounces, in round numbers. Add this
TO the other sum. and we have a total
of 3, l22. 5O1. 1l6 ounces. l have no data
showing the production of silver prior
to 1898. and hence ] can not give the
figures. but think it may be safely as
sumed that it amounted to as much as
the whole amount of silver that has
been lost ar DESTROYED.
CONsERv vATIvE ESTIMATE
I'm order to be sure that we are on
the right side. however. let Us deduct
l22. 2.5O.,.l6 ounces and state the pres
ent supply of silver in its various forms
in the world at 5000. 600. 600 ounces.
This is worth 6j cents per ounce. or
about $3.50, ,OOO.OOO in the grand ag-
gregate. To this. according to Mr..
Bryan's opinion. the legislative fiat of
our government alone wouid add %
cents per ounce. or 5000. 200. 600. and,
strange to saw, the larger part Of this
added wealth would be outside of our
own country. In gold standard coun-
tries the commercial value of the silver
coin in circulation would be brought
nearly to the gold standard. This fiat
of ours would substantially double the
value of Sll2.OOO.O0O in silver coins in
Great Britain $500. .GOO. 900 in France.
gels. zoo. 900 in Germany. 1900. 900 in
Belgium. SIG. .OOO. 600 in Italy. $4,000 900
in Switzerland. s3.OOO.0o0 in Greece,
Sl35. .O0O. 900 in Spain. SlO.OoO. .O00 in Por-
tugal. Ss5. 200. 900 in Ars:ro- Hungary,
5000. 600 in the Netherlands. 81 .90O.-
600 in Sweden. 81. 400 900 in Denmark.
si4.O00,0oO in Turkey. S..eOO.O 900 in
Australia. SI5.OD.0 in Egypt. and
sl1O.GO0.O00 i'm the Straits. besides
S6a5. 900. 900 in this country. and raise
all this money nearly to par with gold:
and yet we are tod that all these
countries not only refuse to join Mr..
Bryan and his supporters. but even do
not sympathize with them in this stu
pendous enterprise. which would add
SO much to their wealth. and in large
degree relieve them from the burden
now resting upon them of keeping
their gold and silver coins at par with |
each other in their circulatinn.
But how would il work in the silver !
standard countries? This Government !
fiat of ours would at one fell swOop I
substantially double the value of SAL /.
O00, 900 in silver coins in Russia. !
$50. 600. 900 in Mexico. -. O00. 900 in Cen /
trai American States. $50. .0O0.OOO in !
South American States. 500. 600. 900 in /
India. and S125 900. 900 in China and |!
would at the same time double all the |
private and public debts of those coun- |
tries. which havci been contracted on |
the silver basis.
But Mr.. Bryan's proposition is more
than that. He asserts |
that he believes that this legislative I
fat on our part would not only bring /
the silver now in existence To par with /
gold at the ratio of I6 to !. but would |
keep il and the future production there.
although doubling the price would
hereafter probably double the pro-
SOME QUESTIONS.
In view of these facts. is there any
in inquiring how it is that
We, TO.O00.0OU strong. can affect the
money of 1.35O.OOO.OOO people by .
simple statute, while the 1850. .OOO. 600
can not, by legislation. affect Us? And