Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-03-20
CONVERTED BY OBSERVATION.


and who refuse to be convinced by
any amount of reading, are often con-
verified with celebrity when the practi-
cal workings of a theory in economics
are placed before their eyes.
CAPTAIN J. V. Admire, the well
known ex-Kansan, who is now editor
of the Kingfisher %. IT, Free Press.
has been a radical free silver man.
Probably the most disagreeable task
which was ever set before him was
the necessity of supporting the ma
tional Republican platform at the
recent election. He did so, but at
the same time reserved the right to
believe. and advocate the doctrine of
bimetalliSm.
Captain Admire was member of
the recent national editorial eXcur-
sion to Old Mexico, and in an article
which he has since written cOnfesses
that he expected to equip himself
while there with facts and arguments
which would enable him to refute the
gold standard advocates at every turn.
Upon crossing the Mexican line Cap
tain Admire commenced TO observe
chain of facts which is presented to
every visitor to silver standard
country. He discovered that the
American silver dollar would buy two
Mexican silver dollars. He discover
ed further that the MeXicans utterly
rejected the coin of their own realm
and figured all of their commercial
transactions upon the gold standard,
Of M
tional money f1uctuate up and down
Just as does wheat, corn or any other
commodity. But we will let Captain
Admire tell his own story.
II have always BEEN" says he, "a
Enthusiastically a trimetallist, or,
for that matter, an altogether metal
list, but / must admit with humility
and sorrow that / am now at sea. To
have the traditions and teachings of
lifetime overthrown and scattered
into innumerable fragments by mere
" crossing river few hundred feet
wide is ruthless. But to what other
conclusion can one come than that,
after all the sOphiStry of money SCI
ence, all the stuff about ratios, inter-
national agreement, etc, there is no
money except that which is either
made out of gold or that which the
government agrees to redeem in gold,
as long as gold continues to be the
only measure of value.
'.Talk about it all we may-theorize
about it all we can-bambOoZle our
selves until we are blind-the condl'
tion remains. Gold is standard money
of the world. Mexico has a silver
standard-and yet, phew!-what be
comes of theories when experience
shows that an American silver dollar
of 1925 grains can be exchanged ever
up in MeXico-as soon as one crosses
the Rio Grande-for Mexican silver
coins weighing S07.8 grains. And
even worse than that; when, on &C
count of this difference IN the eX
change of moneys of the two repub
lies, lying side by side, the cost o
commodities is Immediately increased
100 per cent"
After reciting his belief that ther'
is no other way to make silver none.
standard over the world except b.
removing the money quality iron
gold. Captain Admire continue
with an argument which is surpris
ingly strong considing the newnes
of his version. 1t says:
ssThe United States has been at Sc
on the subject from first to last. Al
of the fathers were mystified and be
wildered on this subject. All of tn
political parties of the Union hav
reared, tossed, and fioundered owe
this question in the widest and mos
extravagant manner. There has bee
ground and lofty tumbling over it
the greatest statesmen of the countr
men whose adipose tissues was nc
adopted to that sort of exercise, an
whose gyrations have been of til
most undignified character. Som
times L think they-political parti'
and political partisans- purpos
ly lied about this question. The
have taught us that it was possibl
and altopether nrODer to have mOnt