Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-19
PIC IRON At is 70 !.
The Argument Much Stronger for II Than
Tor Silver.
lAtIantic Journai.)

lAtlantic JOurnal)
Alexander r. Hull Of Atlanta, is a
strong 10 10 1 man. He does not believe
in halfway measures. The free coinage
OF silver idea Is too tame for him. He Is
willing to see the silverites and to 20
them 100 points better. Here are his dec
iaration proposition and argument:
Having been deeply impressed by
the arguments OF Judge Crisp. Bryan.
Stewart Jones and other silver leaders.
and especially sfieved. shocked and nor
riiied by the awful crime OF 49,, as 20
luridly depicted daily In the columns Of
the Atlanta Constitution and other silver
organs ! have changed my views on
the money question, and am ready TO
maintain the propositions following in
Joint debate or nc wspaper controversy.
~ accept the arguments OF tho 3Gyo-
Gates of silver and agree with their rem
edy as far as il goes. However. i does
not 50 far enough. Let Us nave plenty
OF remedy-in fact, enough to make deDi
and poverty Things of the past. relics 81
the dark ages. / am In favor of the free
and unlimited coinage Of pig iron al a ra-
Ito of 10 TO ! with gold by the United
States alone, independently OF all ma
lions, and can prove by the best author
lty obtainable that such a policy on the
part OF the United states will raise
prices put plenty Of money In c,rcula-
tlon and give the honest debtor "A
chance to pay his debts, thereby making
the whole country prosperous.
Now. in the first place, II may be
urged by some who do not understand
The subject OF standards Of value, that
a free-conage act for iron would NOS
raise its price TO a ratio OF 10 TO with
gold. To them ! reply that the stamp OF
this government and the legdl-tender
qualities OF the iron dollar would in
stantly make the bullion value OF pig iron
the same as the mint value. For VINO
would part with an ounce of this precious
metal for anything else than the mint
fvalueg Stewart. Jones and Bryan.)
again II may be urged that our mint
would be oyercrowded with pig iron. i
reply that the price OF pig iron having
been raised from s7.50 ton to a ratio of
10 to | with gold the world over no one
would especially care to carry i TO the
minis. since the mint price could be OBJ
tanned anywhere in the open market.
ATLANTA Constitution. Next IL may be
urged that gold and silver would go out
of circulation. l reply: First, This Is a
mere assumption OF the tools of The
money power. which they cannot verify
ATLANTA Constitution: second. Suppose
gold and silver do go out of circulation,
ia there not plenty of pig iron TO take
their place and give the people plenty OF
money! Bryan; and. third. Such an
assumption mikes the ideas of circulating
medium and standard OF value; gold and
silver would still be potential money
metals, though not in circulation. and
would lend their help toward raising
prices and causing general prosperity.
Crisp.
Then. again. Il may be urged against
the pig-iron standard of value that
wages would not rise in proportion to
prices. The reply is: Wages would be
compelled TO rise since no man would
be fool enough TO work for 81 a day who
could make 1900 per day picking up rusty
nails and old horsesboes and carrying
them 10 the mint for coinage. HHull)
I'm addition IL may be urged By the
money power. by the 'Wa!l street sharks
and the Bond street Shyloeks, that We
could not alone 90 on plg-iron basis
without an International agreement. To
such dastards as dare 10 lay a limit 10
the power of the American people TO do
what they please. Independently of all na-
tlons.I hurl their cowardice and lack Of
patriotism back In their faces. tBryan.)