The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-09-23
BRYAN'S PLAIN FACTS.
Answers Fourteen Questions of
Senator Sanders.
GOldbug Contentious Absolutely Refuted-
Statements on Finance Which are
Worthy of Study.

DuA1hE uAAC AOSOhb NAolO Vi 1lOhs w IA
liam j. Bryan to Montana he was called
upon by ex- United States Senator San
ders. AS the ex-senator left he handed
Mr.. Bryan list of questions, fourteen
in all, bearing upon the silver question,
and ask lIr. Bryan if he would furnish
answers.
The latter said he would. The four
teen questions and answers were as fol-
lows:
Question 1. When it is enacted that
412t grains of standard silver shall con-
stitute q dollar, do we thereby fix the
value of the silver, ormerely define the
meaning of the word dollar?
Answer. The present silver dollar
contains 412t grains of standard silver.
When the mints are opened to the free
and unlimited coinage of silver the
government simply declars that that
amount of silver, when coined, shall
constitute dollar, just as it now de-
clares that 25 $40 grains Of standard
gold, when coined, constitute dollar.
The purchasing power of the dollar, both
under the gold standard and under BIZ
metallism, depends upon the number Of
dollars. Under the gold standard the
law declares that all gold Of standard
fneness may be converted into money,
and the primary money depends upon
the amount of gold presented for coin
age. Under bimetallism the govern
ment declares that all gold and silver Of
standard fneness may be converted into
money at fixed ratio, and the amount
of primary money depends upon the
gold and silver presented for coinage.
The government does not decide what
the purchasing power of dollar shall
be, whether it be gold or silver, but the
government can increase the purchas-
ing power of the dollar by limiting the
coinage of gold alone, or it can lesser
the purchasing power Of dollar by ad
mitting silver to coinage on equal terms
with gold. The gold standard has in
creased the purchasing power Of GOLD
by increasing the demand for it. Bi
metallism will reduce the purchasing
power of gold just to the extent tina
the gold standard has increased it.
| Question 2. Is the commercial valu
of the metal in coin the measure 0
it's value, and essential in determinin!
its efficiency as money?
i Answer. Under free and unlimite
coinage there can be no material differ
ence between the value of the meta
and the coin, because any one desirin
the coin can present the metal for coin
age without limit and without charge
and any one desiring the metal ca
melt the coin. Bimetallists conten
that free coinage will SO increase th
demand for silver as to raise the bu
lion value to $1.29 an ounce, measure
by gold. Gold and silver have bee
driven apart by hostile legislation
which has increased the purchasin
power of an ounce OF gold o
the one hand, and decreased th
gold price of silver on the other. B
metallism will increase the demand fc
silver and lessen the demand for gol'
thus bringing the metals together an
making an ounce of silver, wheth
coined or uncoined, worth 81. 80 in golt
and the silver dollar will then be equ
to the gold dollar in this country,
anywhere else in the world.
QUESTION 8. If silver dollars contai
ing varying quantities of silver we
issued from the mints as legal tend
money, would they circulate comteI
On poraneously as money!
= Answer. If the holder of silver bl
Q, lion was permitted to convert his br
es lion without limit and without char
nd into dollars differing in size, but
~ legal tender for the same amount
would convert his metal into dollars
a2S the least size. II there we're in Giro
ns lation dollars of different weights,
m heavier one would be recoined into I
nd lighter dollars. or, if they were not
es' coined, would pass at premium.
no other words, two silver dollars of {
ferent weights would not circulate
gether under free and unlimited co
age.
= Question 4 Will coins of differ'
commercial value, fulAll the SO
monetary function if the law calls tn
= by the same name, and imposes on th
= Unfortunately the same monetary
- rand?
.ins .siIns Answer. While it is true that
ent' coins OF the same denomination, bu
..or different commercial value, will
circulate at par under free and
. limited coinage, it is also true that
commercial ratio will conform to
-ug- legal ratio Whenever the coinage
bot mand is equal to the supply of the u
! I.us Na als. The law can change the ecommer
n is value of a coin by increasing or
yin creasing the demand for the meta
just which the coin is made. II is not
'.'as sOaa to say that the commercial ratio
see existing between gold and silver
that lion will remain the same when
Old mints are opeued to the free coinag
=. both metals. The gold value of 81