Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-09-29
EXPLODED ARGUMENTS.
Republicans Are Again Employing
Old Methods IN. This Years
CAMPAIGN.

The republicans seem to have come
to the conclusion that they cannot
avoid taking notice of the fact that
the democratic party stands squarely
on the financial issue. So their mills
have started up again for the purpose
of putting out a goodly quantity Of
material of a character warranted to
kill off silver sentiment at sight. But
as this warrant is of the same kind
that has been so frequently found de-
fective, the takers of this latest grist
will not be sure of its effects. The
grist being ground by the mills is not
new material, but is the same that was
thoroughly ground two years ago. We
cannot blame them for this, as the
original material was very expensive,
(they paid at the rate of $4,000 night
for some of it, and we cannot expect
them to purchase any new opinions in
an off year.
One of the mills in Indiana has
started to grind out 'open letters to
Senator Turpie." These letters are
not expected to reach Senator Turpie,
but this is merely an artistic setting
for the opinions to be set forth, it be-
ing hoped that the coupling of great
name with the literary venture will
cause the pseudo-epistles to be read.
The writer in this case is r. S. Taylor.
He rushes into print with some brand
new (?) ideas-they were new about
20 years ago.
One of the first fine thoughts of the
gentleman is expressed in these
words: ''Inasmuch as we have had
unlimited coinage of gold for 100 years
and as no one is proposing any change
in the law in that respect, this demand
for the free and unlimited coinage of
gold seems to be unnecessary" How
delighted the gold standard men would
be and how delighted the currency
contractionists would be if the demo-
Gratis would eliminate from their plat
form that clause. The gold standard
man would then be able to assert that
the silver men were waging war on
gold as a money metal, and the cur
rency contractionist would be able to
hope that the silver men, once in the
saddle, would assist in demonetizing
gold, as was attempted in Europe
about 1887. The contractionist does
not care which metal is thrown out.
The loss of either will secure the end
he desires. But the democratic party
is determined to make its position
plain. and to demonstrate to the peo-
pie that it is not fighting a money
metal, but is fighting the base prin-
ciple of contracting the currency of
this growing nation. The man that
would demonetiZe gold receives notice
that if he attempts to carry out his
scheme he need expect nothing but
war from the party that is of and for
the people.
Mr.. Taylor reasserts the old sophis-
try that silver would at once drive
gold "out" Out where, Mr.. Taylor?
Not out of the country surely, for that
could be done only if the balance of
trade were against us, and when the
balance of trade is against us, the
gold will go anyway. Not out of cir
culation, for some one must own the
gold, and the holders of $3.50, 100000
of money cannot afford to have their
property not earn them interest. The
idea of money going out Of circulation
is a fairy tale. Gold did not go out of
circulation even during the war, but
was nightly active, paying customs
duties and performing other duties
that were 1egislated to specie. 1t was
not found much then in the hands of
the common people for the reason that
there was too great a demand for it
in fulfilling the special functions dele
gated to it by congress. 1t was not
everywhere in evidence because it had
been detailed to special duty" But
the congress that remonetizes silver
will not detail gold to any special
duty" and will not confer extraordi-
nary privileges upon it. Hence it will
be found in the hands of all the people
as usual. There is no "out" that it
can go to and pay interest to its own
srs.
H F. THURSTON.