Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-04-25

OF this cour try, is both unnecessary
and undesirable. The promlscuous use
of the ter':;s gold standard" and Gin
ternatio;iai blmetallism' by our oppo-
nents indicates eithep mental confu
sion on their part or Il purpose to con-
tuse others as to their real designs.
DOLLARS MADE DEAR by LAW.
That the purchasing power of dol
lar OF standard money depends upon
the number OF dollars Is Il fundamental
propositions; this being true. 1t neces-
sarily follows that legislation which
affects the volume of standard money
affects the value of each unit.
In other words money being n crea-
ture Of law, the dollar may be made
dear or cheap by legislation. Bimetal
lists. both independent and interna-
ticnal, contend that legislation which
gives gold L monopoly of mint priv-
leses has for lis object and effect the
enhancement of the purchasing power
OF the dollar. Rising dollars and fall
ing prices re synonymous terms. Ris-
ing dollars are profitable 10 those who
own money and fixed Investments, but
they are Injurious to those who own
property. owe debts or create wealth.
Mr.. Mckinley. in 1891. charged in n
public speech that Mr.. Cleveland. dur
ing his first administration. was dis
honoring enc Of the precious metals
discrediting silver and enhancing the
price OF sold. He insisted that Mr..
Cleveland was trying 10 make money
scarce. ard therefore dear" and added:
He would have increased the value OF
money and diminished the value of
everything else. Money the master and
everything else the servant"
MONEY THE MASTER NOW.
Il Mr.. Mckinley then understood the
real purpose of The gold standard. as
| believe he did, who could think JET
ferSon capable Of advocating a policy
which, instead of securing equal aud
exact justice for all. makes money the
master ana everything else the serv
ante"
MIR. Carlisle. in speech in 1873. said:
The conspiracy To destroy by leGisla-
ton ana otherwise from thrce-sevcnths
to one-half Of the metallic money of
the world is the most gigantic crime
of this or any other age" If Mr.. car
Isle was then right, as ! believe he
was. III his denunciation of the gold
standard. who can believe Jefferson
capable OF being party To such
crime?
Bimetal!sm stood for oighty-one
years, from 1892 to 1873. without any
political party condemning it in ma
tional convention. The gold standard
was adopted in 1873 without any party
asking for ii, and was retained FOR
tWenty-thrce years before any nation
nj convention declared it 10 Sc good.
In 1896 the Democrats, Populists ana
Silver Republicans declared for indie
pendent bimetallism. while the Rcpub-
lican party was pledged TO internation-
al bimetallsm.
LESSON OF ELECTION RETURNS.
Thirteen and a half million voters
supported parties pledged TO the double
standard as against the gold standard.
while only Il hundred and thirty three
thousand supported tho only ticket
ever nominated upon n platform dcclar-
ing the gold standard to bc a blessing;
and you. as member OF that party.
were so disguested in one campaign
that you have been trying ever since
10 wear the name Democrat without
accepting the political principles for
which the word Stands.
You ask whether deem the money
question as presented in the Chicago
platform To be now paramount to all
others. and whether | insist upon the
infalliDility OF the ration OF sixteen 10
one.
do not assume TO speak for the
Democrat tic party. Speaking as an in
| dividual and hasng my opinion upon
my own observation. | reply that
have found no disposition among Dem,
| ocrats to abandon either the principle
"a lii4lt4fiilSIl OF inc ratio OF sixteen
20 ono. Those who supported the CHI
cage platform are not deceived by quiD-
blinss over the ratio when such quib-
bnngS come from men like Yourself
who advocate, not international BIZ
metallism, nor Independent bimetnllism
NJ some other ratio, but the single gold
standard.
After the election Mr.. Mckinley sent
commission to Europe to secure in
ternational aid in getting rid Of The
gold standard, and a Republican Con-
sress appropriated money To- pay the
expenses of the commission. The COM
mission failed because OF English OBJ
position, and English opposition was
due 10 the opposition of English fnan-
ciers. Jeffersonian Democrats must
have better reason for submittinc
! TO the gold standard than the fact that
English financiers favor ii as a means
for raising the purchasing power Of
| their money.
THE ISSUES OF 1900.
circumstances determine the relative
| Importance of questions and 10 one Is
1