Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1898-01-07
ELKO, NEVADA, FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1898.

their product. unmindful OF the fact
that SO far us gold is conccrned--and
coinage is now confined to gold, ex
cept as the accumulated stock-it is
the privilege OF the miner now to
take his bullion to the mint and have
1t tnrncd into coin; that he receives
the coin, the Government making no
purchase OF bullion whatever. The
question is whether TINT convenience
shoul / he afforded to him nearer the
source OF production or 5000 miles
away, i'll the Eastern States.
y IL here let me make the sugges-
ton that had the mining regions OF
th's country been opened when our
Government WIS formed, undonb, ad.
ly the mints would have been placed
nearer the mines, just as every III
dustry is placed near the source OF
the product with winch it deals.
There is no donbt that had all the
bullion Of the country the gold and
the silver, produced during the past
thirty years been mined in the Vest,
or financial condition would have
been much better, for liz that case,
with both the gold aud silver, the
miner would simEly have received in
paymeSt gold and silver com. Now,
Imagine how that would have simpli-
fled the silver question. These people
IN the west were accustomed to the
use of metallic money. The people
Of the East were unaccustp - ned to the
use or metallic money.
Why metallic money hardly exist
ed for years he ore the war. 1t did
not cyst dur.ug the war. The pep-
pie Of the East had become accus,om.
ed to paper money and unaCcustomcd
to either silver OF gold, and rejected
the use of both. So that We had
paper in the East in broadest use
whereas on the Pacific Coast aid in
the mou ltain States the feeling was
quite to the contrary. There they
are used to tie coin, md do not like
the paper money. | find that | have
to revniutionizc my own habits twice
every year in the way Of becoming
accustomed to paper and metallic
money, ] go West and recur to the
use of the metallic money, and find
That do not like to have twenty-
GO!lar goli pieces and silver CONS in
my pocket, and after become accus-
toned to them ! prefer them to paper
and then after awhile, on my return
East, | strike paper money again and
have no metallic money. and paper
money is distasteful to me, for it
seems to be the storchouse Of conta-
gion OF every ElEd.
Now, this is mere matter OF habit.
liad We cOnsIltcd tho habits OF the
West, we would have permitted the
owncrs OF silver bullion to present Il
nj the mint and to receive either its
coinage value or its market value
according To c.: sting legislation, in
absolute CON, receiving in the ore
case all and in the other only n part
the difference between the market
value and the coinage value being &C.
taincd by the Government as seigni.
oTage. And what would have been
tho resul,Y Probably threo-iour.hs
or more Oi tue bills OF the mincrs aro
for wages. The silver coin is pait; 10
the mon from whom they obtain their
supplies, and the merchants use it in
buy ing flour and grain and clothes
nnd other supplies.
Thus you would fad the actual use
ot silver extending To tho cntiro
Western region, where they are nc
customoG to il, aud gradually TO tho
Southern ana Middle Wcstern States
where also they are accustomed TO il
and Ike il. and you wonld have n
circulation of this currency in the re.
gion that now mot requires IL. in
s;cnd OF having this HiIycr acLnmula.
ing i'll You treasury, whore it consti.
tutcs menace 10 Tho world. For
rccollcct TINT the average intellect
docs not comprehend that that silver
IL constructivcly coined and in the
hands OF the people in tho form Of
silver certificates. Tho average in.
tcllrct regards il ns mn accommodation
OF silver which. as Il result OF hostile
legislation, may he lot loose upon
tho world and produce flood OF this
money.
So ] say n wise public policy would
have put your m'llo near you raw
products, your minis near your
mines. and tho result would ha va
been that both gold and silver would
from those ccntcrs OF production and
contors OF coinage, have been spread
all over the Western and the Southern
region, and would gradually rouch tho
EasG itself, and accustom tho people
thGro to tho use OF the only real
money, tho only money OF redemp.
ton.