The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-02-25

! the gold and silver coins in circulation,
and it is more favorable to gold than
the ratio now existing in most Euro
pcan countries.
70 change the ratio by independent
action. besides changing existing con-
tracts, lessening our currency and in
curing great expense, would put us
out Of harmony with other nations:
especially would it put us out of har
mony with France, the European nation
most friendly to silver, where the ratio
is 1519 to /. If by international agree
men we should change the ratio to SO
to l, for instance, it would necessitate
the recoinage of more than four bill
lions of silver into coins twice as large
provided the change was made by in
creasing the size Of the silver coins).
TO double the size Of the silver coins
of the world would diminish by one
half the silver money of the world; it
would diminish by one-quarter the en-
tire volume of the metallic money of
the world. Such a-shrinkage of the
volume of money would, in effect, add
billions of dollars to the debts of the
world. Should so great an injury be
done without the necessity for it being
proven beyond a reasonable doubt?
ut is true that some bilnetallists do
not believe that this nation alone can
maintain the parity at that ratio, but
shall the great majority who do believe
surrender their conviction to the com
paratively few who doubt? Upon what
principle can a minority demand OF
the majority the right to dictate a
platform? Those who are opposed to
the gold standard must act together,
- Il e 1>o lo4
mined by the majority. The moment
the ratio of 1G to l is surrendered our
silver plank loses its force. Those
who oppose the ratio of 16 to are not
agreed among themselves. No con-
siderable body of men ask for any
other special ratio.
ITO abondon the ratio would be
wrong in itself and as impolitic as it
would be wrong. If the democratic
party were to allow its policy on this
question to be determined by a few
doubling Thomases, or by the desert
ers who supported the enemy in the
great struggle between democracy and
| plutocracy, it would lose the respect
and confidence of those who now look
on it as an efficient means of restor-
. ing good government to the people. TC
turn from it's clear and courageous
enunciation to walk low again in the
lnirc of ambiguity and deception would
be to aienate those who have beer
drawn to it by the platform Of 1896.
x*.
Prosperity hovers over Boston. Re
Gently small army of unemployed oc
cupicd the streets leading to the state
house all night in order to be on hanC
when the doors opened in the morn
ing, ready to register for civil service
examination in the mechanical depart
ment. Painters, masons, iron work
ers, plumbers and tinsmiths were the
tradesmen wanted Many of the mer
had been without work for months
The men were admitted in order ane
the 500 names which were all that
could be taken. were soon recorded
, More than 1000 were turned away.
: The little pieces called the 2-cen
, stamp has printed on it. the fiat of tn
: government. 1t has no intrinsic val
ne. Remove the fat and you have {
} worthless piece Of paper. With the
fiat goes. the promise Of the govern
; ment that it is good to carry u letter
to any part Of Uncle Sans domain. II
: is not a promise to pay. 1t is not re
deemable in gold. 1t has nothing bu
: the faith and credit of the government
! back Of it. Yet have you ever know,
q postage stamp to depreciate? !.
~
II. II. Boyce, who is alleged to knoy
e much about the Hanna bribery case il
I |
. Can. He says he is there to protec
4 not Mark Hanna but the president o
}. the United States. He also said tina