Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-09-17
THE WAYTHEY ARGUE
WEAKNESS OF THE GOLD
STANDARD CAUSE.
Goldites Batter Away at Straw
Dummy Instead OF Attacking Real
Free Silver Arguments-A Dollar AL
ways u Dollar.


statement made by the Somerset Par
agon of the former state:
Should this country alone attempt
free coinage of silver at the ratio Of 16
to l, 1t would thereby give notice that
that we are ready to exchange for all
corners a quantity Of gold which is
valued at 81 in every civilized country
for quantity of silver which repre-
sents in the markets of the world
about so cents. In very short time
all gold would disappear. 1t would be
boarded to await premium or ship
ped to countries where it is more APP
preciated. Only silver would remain
our circulating medium. We would be
on silver basis. Our standard would
be dollar worth little more than fifty
cents in every country but our own.
All values, would quickly adjust them
selves to this deprecated dollar, and
would fiucuate with its changing value
In international exchange"
Our friends should not be too severe
on the men who make these state
ments. The poor fellows are doing the
best they can. Not having single
fact to bring against the free coinage
of silver. they are compelled to bring
lies. If they did not found their argu
ments on lies, they would have nothing
whatever to found them on.
Everybody who knows anything
whatever on the money question knows
that under free coinage of silver this
country would not give dollars worth
Of gold for fifty cents worth of silver,
or any other amount of gold for any
other amount of silver. That would
not be free coinage at all. 1t would
not bear the slightest resemblance to
free coinage 1t would be the purchase
of silver.
Free coinage of silver means that
any person owning silver bullion shall
have the privilege of taking that bull
lion to the mint and having 1t coined
into silver dollars, which silver dollars
will be handed back to the person
bringing the bullion. There will be
no gold in the transaction. Free coin
age of silver means the coinage of sill
ver-not the purchase of silver with
gold.
There could not be clearer evidence
Of the weakness of the cause Of the
gold standard men. Instead of attack
ing the thing which the silver men
want, they get up man of straw,
which bears not the slightest resem-
blance to the real thing, and valorous-
ly knock 1t over.
The talk about gold disappearing
under free coinage is pure theory. In
fact, 1t could not disappear very much
more than 1t has already done. None
Is in practical use as a circulating
medium. But why should it be sent to
other countries. and what other coun-
tries would there be which would ap-
preciate 1t any better? Our coinage
valuation Of gold is about the same
as the coinage valuation placed on it
by other nations, and would be just
the same under free coinage of silver
Gold (nine-tenths fine) brings $3.50
an ounce at the United States mint
now. 1t would bring $3.50 an ounce
If we had free coinage of silver. It
don't bring any more than that in
other nations. Why would gold be
sent to other nations If we had free
coinage of silver? The gentlemen who
say 1t would should present some
evidence or at least some reasons why
1t would be probable. Their unsup-
ported assertion is not sufficient.
This able writer declares that under
free coinage our standard dollar would
be worth but little more than fifty
cents.in any country but our own.
Why?
Let him give reason.
Tell us why our silver dollars would
be worth any less in foreign nations
under free coinage than they are now.
tions now, less the freight. Why would
they be worth any less under free
coinage?
We have had enough of these bald
assertions. Let the men who make
them furnish some evidence.
And suppose-just suppose-that our
standard dollars under free coinage
would be worth only fifty cents in
foreign nations, suppose they would be
worth only five cents, suppose they
would be worth nothing at all, suppose
anything you please about their value,
what difference will 1t make to John
Jones, the farmer, and Sam Smith, the
laborer, and Henry Hudson, the school
teacher, and Ben Benton. the store
keeper, who never were in Europe and
never expect to be?
Must we regulate our whole financial
system to accommodate that insig-
nificant portion Of the people which
spends it's summers in Europe?
Must the farmer have his farm sold
under mortgage, and the laborer be
kept idle nine months in the year, and
the storekeeper be forced to the wall,
and the school teacher get reduced
salary, In order that the very few of
our people who are able to spend their
summers abroad may have dollar
that is good in Europe?"
Away with such unpatriotic and I'M
democratic nonsense. Let the Ameri-
can people adopt system of finance to