Iron County register., 1898-12-08
AN AMERICAN SYSTEM.
No Other Nation " ould Part So Cheap
ly with Its Precious Metals
as We Do.


It is law of grayitation that small
bodies of matter approach and mingle
with large bodies, and it is a law of in
fuence that draws people who have felt
for generations the heavy hand of ty-
cannical government to seek to come
under the protecting flag of a free and
powerful government. 1t is this infiu.
ence, this longing to escape the hard lot
of oppression which they have suffered
so long under the misgovernment OF
Spain, that attracts the East and the
West India colonies of that effete old
monarchy to the young republic OF
America. Cuba may try playing at in
dependent government for while to
satisfy the ambition of leaders, but
when the people of that island find they
can enjoy entire security and larger
degree of free government under the
United States flag than by attempting
to set up nation of their own, the in
fiuence of the leading men of business
will steadily struggle to become col
ony of the United States, and enjoy all
the freedom and business advantages of
territorial or local self-goyernment,
with the protecting power of the United
States to insure them safety against
petty instructions within and danger
from powerful nations without.
The advantages which Porto Rico
would enjoy as colony of the United
States over Cuba playing the role of ma
tionality among powers of the world,
would or will exert an irresistible infiu-
ence to become a colonial, instead of a
national power. The same influence
which will shape the destinies of the
West India islands will act similarity on
the Philippines. The very decree of
destiny will command this country to
aid the Pacific archipelago to reach a
higher state OF civilization and enjoy
the blessing OF liberty under local self
government.
The first problem these ten or twelve
millions of people separated from the
medieval rule of Spain will be the finan-
c:al problem. They will look to the
United States to furnish money with
which to prosecute business. There is
10 other source from which to draw
than the United States, and there is no
money supply equal that of silver, es-
pecially for the Pacific countries. The
eastern people are a silver-using people,
and their greatest demand will be for a
large supply of silver coin. The Philip
pines furnished with American silver
would draw not only the trade of these
islands to US, but that of the entire east
ern continent. This great demand
would absorb all the silver our mines
ze
In regard to money and the money
metals the United States holds position
entirely separate and distinct from all
European nations. The latter have no
silver mines worthy of notice. The sill
yer and gold mines of the European con-
tinent have practically been exhausted
centuries ago. The United States pos
sesses the richest silver mines in the
world. European nations have to pur-
chase silver to keep up their supply of
subsidiary coin, and it is an advantage
to buy silver at half its coinage value as
long as America is blind enough to sell
its silver at such a ruinous rate.
In the matter of paper money the Unit
ed States, when they issue paper money
issue it direct, but European govern
1nents deposit bonds in their govern
ment banks and the banks issue the
notes. This is the privilege our gold
bank trust is making such desperate
fight to retain and ampilfy.
Had Germany, France or England the
rich silver mines that the United States
possess, neither would sell its silver at
half its money value to enrich otEer
nations. The mints would be opened
and money of full legal tender value
would flow into the channels of trade
increasing the power and wealth of
the nation.
We have a triple, we might say a
quadruple, incentive to turn the silver
of our mines into money, in place of
throwing it half away to benefit for
eign nations. The United States have
many times the territory of the COM
bined territories of the three leading
nations of Europe. We have three
times the railroad mileage of these ma
tions and our domestic trade is greater
than that of those three nations COM
bined, and it is sorely cramped for
money to enlarge, increase and conduct
it. Our silver mines with open mints
would turn out at least 500, 600, 900 per
year which would enter into our circu-
lating money without the purchase of a
single dollar. The product of the miner
would not only serve him in providing
himself and family with the necessaries
and comforts of life, but would leave
him like the mountain streams that
washes his ore, and flow on helping to
increase the volume and power of the
great financial stream that gives life
and activity to trade.
Now that we are about adding, or
adding. some 10, ,000, 900 to 12,-
600, 600 people to our nation, whose
greatest need for development is suf-
ficient volume of money, and the kind
of money they have been accustomed
to through all time-silyer money-the
demand on us to create our silver into
becomes doub1y great. Our sill
yer in the form of money would not
as now flow in bullion TO London to en-
rich a conclave of silver-broker Jews,
but would flow across the Pacific, fol-
lowed by every article of production
known to this country of matchless en-
ergy, matchless skill and unequaled en-
terprise. The trade of the old east
would f1o.y back to seek more and more
of our silver and the products of our
skill and industry.
What could Europe do in contest
with such nation able to supply, not
only every article of merchandise and
produce known to the temperate zone,
but the money to energize that trade,
md Snnniu that stock of money with