The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-08-22
FIFTY CENTS WORTH OF SILVER
a Conclusive Answer to an OFT Rcpca.r 4
Piece of GoIdhrg CIaptr,D.

" S"ncihsiVe Answer to an Oft HCVca. !
Piece of Goldhng CIaptrap.
A common charge Of the eastern
money combination, and one booked for
active service in the coming campaign.
says The Rocky Mountain News. is that
free coinage people want the govern
ment to take 80 cents worth of silver
and Issue it from the mint as worth 100
cents. This charge was specifically
made by the last member of Nh. Cleve.
lands cabinet who took his turn TO
plead for the money changers of Wall
street.
The absurd charge could not be hon
estly made by any II acquainted with
financial history. 1t entirely ignores the
effect on the commercial value of silver
by the adoption Of bimetallism by the
greatest and wealthiest nation on earth.
Yet some of the highest financial au-
thorities, and European at that, have
declared their conviction that omen
minis for gold and silver in the United
States would result in raising the COM
mercial price of silver to its mintage
value. This view is sustained by the ex-
ample of France, which kept silver at
l5R to l of gold in Europe for nearly
three-quarters of this century despite
the hostility Of England and the varia-
Bile financial legislation of other Euro
pean powers.
Twenty-three years ago the influence
OF the United States in the monetary
affairs of the world was so distinctly
recognized by the conspirators against
silver that they made this the first bat
tleground. and by stealth won a victory
that precipitated hostile silver legisla-
ton abroad. Today the United States Is
immensely greater relatively and more
influential than it was then, yet we are
told that the Institution Of bimetallism.
buttressed by the authority and re-
sources of this great republic, would
have no effect Oh the commercial value
of silver.
AT the time the knavery was wrought
by which silver was ~demonetized silver
bullion was at a premium over gold. 1t
fell In the market solely because of leg
lslatlve discrimination, and its normal
value can be restored by Just legal en-
actment. 1t is meet that the nation
which was surreptitiously used to lead
IN silver's overthrow should be the first
to pave the way for Il just equilibrium
between the monetary and industrial
affairs of the world.
A return to the free coinage of both
metals-as sure to come as the earth to
revolve on its axis-will not long test
merely the influence of the United
States Ill finance. 1t is indisputable
England alone stands in the way of
a declaration for b~imetallism by the
leading nations of Europe. independent
action by the United States will break
the spell by which the money power of
London has long dictated European
financial affairs.
With the abrogation Of q measure Of
value that slowly but inexorably con-
to depreciate the value of every
thing but itself, silver bullion will com
mand its mintage prices in the worlds
Even now we have nearly $780,
900, 900 of silver in circulation. either
in coin or its representative. Yet the
OF the United States makes it
equal with gold, dollar for dollar. With
restoration of its historic and con-
stitutional right, the unreasonable re-
sources OF our country in behalf of sill
yer will be re-enforced by a restoration
IF its legitimate mintage demand, the
deprivation Of which by money pirates
IS alone answerable for the divergence
the relative value of the money