Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-11-11
THE FUTURE OF SILVER.
1t Has Outlivcd Its Vsefulness ~ Fall
Money Metal,

Money Metal.
II must be admitted on all hands thu,
the future Of silver looks very dark
The price is now so low that the me tn
In silver dollar Is worth only 40 cents
Yet the mines in this country and Mex.
leo continue their activity. In most Of
them the ore Is galena silver, and the
recent rise In the price Of lead compen.
safes largely for the fall In the Other
metal. Indeed there are many mines
where IL pays to mine and smelt the
ore for the lead alone. so that whatever
is obtained for the silver Is clear profit.
Thus there seems to be no probability
that there will be rise in the price OF
silver occasioned by n heavy falling of
In the total production.
In the meantime there appears to be
not the slightest probability Of an In
crease in price growing out Of o larger
use OF silver as money. The states Of the
Latin union are so gorged with five
franc pieces that good authorities say II
is impossible to force any more into
circulation. In this countryonly about
one-ninth Of the silver dollars we have
coined can be kept afloat and in use as
money. All the rest are stacked up In
the treasury and are, therefore, Of no
more use or value than was the bullion
from which they were stamped Not a
single nation that has abandoned the
free coinage Of silver shows the least
disposition to retrace its steps.
The general consensus of enlightened
opinion all over the world is that silver
has outlived It's usefulness as full
money metal and will in the future be
employed only as subsidiary coinage. 1t
is too bulky and cumbersome and Of too
uncertain valueto serve the larger needs
OF the worlds commerce. To 20 back to
silver coin for the settlement OF trade
balances would be as stupid as to aban-
don railroad transportation and return
to carts and wagons.
The silver men would be wise to Law
politics aside and face the facts of the
situation. II your bank pays your 500
check in silver, you cannotg get the mon
ey to your store or office without hiring
a handeart. This kind of money Is not
At for the large and quick transactions
OF modern business. II would be hin
drance, not help, to the making of ex-
changes. The world has outgrown 1t
and got beyond 1t, and no clamor Of the
politicians will avail TO restore 1t to its
old place as money Of ultimate re-
The silver men, in keeping
up their agitation, are only kicking
against the solid wall Of the worlds
combined common sense.
We shall continue 10 use silver for
half dollars, quarters and dimes, be-
cause 1t Is the best material for these
small coins, but for this purpose we
have silver bullion and silver dollars In
The treasury sufficient to last for 500
years. The government will not again
be a purchaser Of silver, and no other
country is at all likely to enter the
market as buyer. Silver mine own
rs will be fortunate II their product |
hoes not continue 10 decline until II |
caches the lowest figure at which It |
an be produced OF the best mines, with
small margin Of profit. There will be
10 reconciliation and no international
greement to put up the price.--Sound
doney.