The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-25


can conveniently attend to just now in
arranging for the settlement Of their
butchers bill in Thessaly. We have no
occasion for their interference on this
side of the ocean.
From the Washington Post.
THE BRYAN DOLLAR"-"The Bryan
dollar yesterday possessed an intrinsic.
value of 40 cents and fraction of cent.
At the same time the price of cash wheat
went to 81 per bushel. That nefarlous
| money power is certainly working hard
to enable the Western farmers to pay off
their mortgages. New York Commercial
Advertiser, August 10.
The intrinsic value Of any article Is that
which belongs to the subjects In it's very
existence" The ascertainment of that
value according to the gold standard or
any other standard is an extremely diff
cult problem. We believe. however, that
1t Is not extravagant to credit bushel OF
wheat with mere OF intrinsic value than
an equal weight of either of the precious
metals, for food is absolutely indispensa-
BILE to existence, while the maintenance of
life Is not naturally dependent on either
gold or silver. One can readily imagine
world going on comfortably without
either gold or silver coins, but without
wheat or its equivalent In other food. life
would be impossible. How much OF the
bullion value of silver or gold Is intrinsic
and how much is due to usage and legis-
| lation can not, OF course be definitely de-
termined, for neither of these metals Is
as necessary to mankind as iron. In fact,
iron Is more important than all other met
ais. mas been greater contributor to the
welfare OF humanity, to the progress Of
science and the arts and to the advance
ment Of civilization than all others.
stripped OF all intrinsic value, leaving in
each metal only that value which "be-
longs to the subject In its very existence"
would not ton OF iron be worth more
than ton OF gold or silver? Would not
ton or iron be worth more in silver than
ton OF gold, IL silver were the standard
ana gold were utterly and universally de-
mone tized? Would not a ton OF iron be
worth more in gold than a ton of silver
" 500 were the only metal used as money?
| me Bryan Dollar" to which our New
york contemporary alludes with undis-
guised contemnt. was not invented by
Brvan but was created by the people CT
| the United States acting through their
CONGRESS. We make the statement not
IN the way OF news, but because OF the
confirmed habit among great many
newspapers OF sneering at 1.-The Bryan
dollar We have some ii0, 900 900 of stand
ard silver dollars in circulation largely
| by paper proxies. All told. we have silver
TO the amount OF $3.50 000, 900, reckoned at
rs coined value. Every penny that has
gene out OF the bullion value OF silver
since the decline began has caused loss
| OF millions TO the people OF tho United
states--a loss that can only be made coed
| by rise IN the price of silver. But each
| Of tho desplsed Bryan dollars" althou I'll
containing less than Al cents worth of
silver is still good for 100 cents; still as
J good as gold for each has the faith of
| the United States pledged to keen IL at
n parity with gold. aud the world believes
that pledge will be kept, In other words,
each OF these silver dollars requires about
90 cents In fiat to keep it aaoat at par.
Considering the immensely Of the stake
this Nation has in silver, Is 1t wise. Is IL
patriotic to do or say anything calcu-
lated to cheaper that metal? Is II fittins
that officials OF the United States treas
urv and the sound money newspapers
| should ioin in n chorus Of sneers al "the
BRYAN dollar" and chuckle in glee when
ever value goes out Of and fiat goes into
our $3.50 100000 OF silver?
For thu oheapening Of silver that has
come from the action Of other countries
the American people are not responsible
| That II has been great disaster to this
| country ought TO be apparent TO every
one, whatever may he his views as 10 free
coinage But " we may Judge by the
tone and temper OF hundreds of our news
Papers. they are really glad Of the sag
In silver aud the consequent stretching
OF the nat And their way OF treating
the subject has been one OF the factors
that have helped on the decline.
\ word more as to Intrinsic value seeuly
to be in order. Financial authorities as
se:t that something like $3.50. 900, 900 OF
legal tender silver. coming value, !, In
use among the Nations as money. All that
must be thrown out-thrown into the mar
Ret 70 be sold for what II will bring for
other than monetary uses-before anybody
can begin TO guess what its intrinsic value
Is Would that help the United States ?
Are we prepared for such revolution?