Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-05-15
A GREAT SPEECH.
Judge A1dredge, at Atlanta, Be-
fore Convention of Amer
lean Bankers.


the Conventional In an Uproar-Case Stated
So Plainly That All Can Understand 1t.
Five Principal Free Coinage Arguments
Answered IN Turn-Chinch Bugs and
BoIlworz.s Versus 1G to L Cranks-What
Makes Interest Low?-Important P,ices
That Have Risen Since 1873.
Perhaps the sound money speech in greatest
demand in all parts of the country. and the de-
mand for which is most constantly growing, is
that of Judge George N. AldreGge of Dallas
Tex, delivered Oct 16, 1850, ct the convention
of the American Bankers association at Al
lanta, GA. We certain that al of our read
ers will relish the wit and humor which upset
the dignity of the bankers. They Will also ind
it very instructive reading We reprint it in
full below:
The proposition that this government should
coin silver for the world, in unlimitt d ;.mCunt,
at double its market value, is so repuEr;nt to
the common sense of mankind that it ought to
be unnecessary to discuss it, ard would be but
for the fact that portion of our people have
been misled by appeals to their prejudice and
by the specious reasoning of sophists. II our
government were asked to declare that two
quarts equaled gallon or to revise the multi
plicatiOn table and enact that ~ times 10
eoualed 200, all men would the folly, but
when asked to believe that SO worth of silver.
by being touched by the governments stamp.
honestly believe this miracle may be accom-
plished, and many others affect to believe it
for practical purposes.
In all ages of the world there have been de-
lusions in reference to money, and in spite of
uniform disastrous results many ever
ready to listen to the teachings of any charla-
tan who claims that he has discovered y short
route to wealth They rafuse to apply to
money that hard common which they
exercise in dealing with the everyday affairs
of life The ignorant have always had super
stition about silver. Among the negroes of the
south nothing would kill q witch but silver
bullet.
That our ancestors 100 years ago fixed a unit
of value in gold silver and fixed ratio be-
tween them is imlnateral to Their exam
pie in so doing is not more binding than
their methods of business, their means of
transportation, the implements with which
they sowcd and reaped. 1t would be sad
commentary upon our intelligence if We had
learned nothing in 100 years. We do know
that in fixing ratio they attributed no magic
to the government stamp, but sought diligent
ly to ascertain the market value of the two
metals in the leading nations of the world and
conformed, they thought, strictly to this
market ratio. BY pursuing the method adopt
ed by them would now fix the ratio at
about 81 to 1. The consistent man is not the
one who stands in one place always, regardless
of the changing conditions around him, but it
is he who. with Intelligence AMI circumspec-
ton, adapt5 himself to the changed condition
of affairs.
Gold Versus Silver Standard Countries.
For nearly 20 years every enlightened nation
in the world has been u gold standard basis
They are all representative governments, and
their laws are made by their people and for
their people. The government which first
tablished the gold standard is moro obedient
to the will of its people than ours is When
important administration measure is defeated
by the representatives of the English people.
the government is Immediately placed in the
hands of the opposition. The gold standard
nations are those that have reclaimed the
world from barbariSm and have given it all its
learning and invention. where schools and
churches abound, where the dignity of is
maintained and labor properly rewarded, and
they control the commerce of the world
These nations, after testing gold and silver
for hundreds of years, voluntarily adopted the
gold standard. No nation today has the silver
standard from choice 1t is only because they
weak and helpless to remedy the evil that
any of them remain on a silver basis. But to-
day the United St2tes, the foremost nation in
all the earth in solvency and resources. in in
telligence and energy. is seriously invited to
abandon the standard of civilization and COM
merce and to consort with half civilized, half
clad people. who are weak and ignorant, who
have little or no commerce, where bull fights
abound and schools do not, where human labor
is in sharp competition with the meek and
lowly jackass, where breechclout is preferred
to a full suit and where the bulk of the people
know more about a standard of value than
a mule about the nebular hypothesis. Surely
we would do we'll to take a look at the com
pany before We sit down to the feast
Free Coinage Arguments.
The invitation is that this country, after
having adjusted its enormous business for 20
years to gold standard, shall suddenly read
Just all business and all values to what is
termed a double standard of gold and silver
The arguments advanced in behalf of such a
change are:
First.-A double standard resting upon gold
and silver would give more correct measure
of value and one less liable to fuctuation than
a single gold standard.
Second.-Gold has appreciated in value and
all property measured by it has declined In
value.
Third.-The supply of gold is inadequate to
make it a safe standard, and the scarcity of it
will tend to the depression of prices.
Fourth.-The Free unlimited coinage of sill
yer at the ratio of 16 to will create unlimited
demand for silver and restore it to par
Fifth--Free and unlimited coinage of silver
at 10 to will increase the prices of property
Mythical Double Standard"
With reference to the first proposition: A
standard of value is some exact measure which
enters into and becomes part of every con-
tract, and to which all obligations are refer
able If our government could, by legal enact
ment. fix the value of gold and silver in the
markets of the world and could keep them ad-
iusted to fixed ratio, double standard
would be practicable. But it cannot fix or
maintain value. The buyers of the world, the
merchants. do that When Abraham purchased
his lot in Ephron's cemetery, he weighed out