The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-10-22
"THE MONEY or TEE FATHERS"
what the Fathers Really Thought and said
to the Confusion OF Organism.

Of argument the ridiculous financial theory OF
free coinage o silver. and the Democrats, nav
ing again indorsed this policy. fraueht with
disaster to the country, now rrattle aboutt as
"the money OF the Constitution and tho
money OF the fathers" Fortunately l have
discovered among the papers OF Frederick
Roger sherman, the grandson and executor OF
Roger Sherman. a pamphlet published In the
year INA, and preserved by the "Signer.' who
Endorsed hs name thereon with the date OF the
year 1870. the appendix to which is entitled
"R Elections on Gold Silver and Paper Passing
as Money"
lie us compare the hare-brained sophis'ries
OF Mr.. Bryan wi b these Reflections" treasured
by Roger Sherman We need not change a
WI I'd to make this simple, direct. un~answerabe
anal sis Of the science Of money apply to the
question to-day as II applied Ia the year OF the
Declaration Of Independence. No catch y ord
or rhetorical flourish is attempted therein.
'"The Interests Of the trust could not have do
tated this pamphlet. nor VIII MIR. Bryan contend
that II was only an attempt to Justify the
crime of 1873 He has ca 10 upon the psst
lie says his present opponents are in secret
league vi h England they have forgotten
the Declar ton OF Inderendence:" "they seek
to destroy the Union;" They override the Con-
stltution" lie will doubtless listen to opinions
valued by Roger sherman, who was on the
con mittee that drafted and who signed the Pc
tition 10 the King. the Declaration Of indie
pandence. the Artl,l les OF tonfed' ration. and
the Con. titution OF the United States.
The author Of the pamphlet Of IVA says: IL
will endeavor to show as briefly a possible that
what relat 8 to coin Ia not OF such a complex.
abstruse nature as II Is generally made: and that
no more than common Justice. with common
..,.. .r...,r.ral - oil tinna cnu1arn-
ingit"
Continuing. he says: Che italics are 10 the
origInai)
Coins are pieces q metal on which an impression Is
struck. which impression IS understood by the Legis'
Iaturs to ascert IN he ueighl. aud The intrinsic rdIus,
OF uoHh Of each pieca
The real tdlus of coins depends not on a piece be'ns
called a guinea. a eropn. or a Shilling. but the true
worth OF any particular piece OF gold OF sllveris What
such rire' contains OF 1ns or pure god OF 'hrtr.
The quantity n ,arsr and copper mixed by way Of
d,oy Is liked by the Legislature, TO make a lawful pro-
portion, and both gold and gHrsr arc brought 10 what
Is called Standard.
Its for pu5lie coHtsnisres that coins were invented.
and they are no more than an vnfrsridi &c
csWsi merchandise; for gold and silver In bullion.
beng Of equal weight purity and Oneness. must DO
Of equaI value. the one TO the other. for the stamp on
elthe' Of these metals duly proporuoned. neither adds
TO nor ia ies from their intrin sic value.
II when coined due proportion Of these metals
the one to tue other, Be not established the dlspfopor.
ton will be felt and proved; and tn I metal wherein
the excess In the proportion l. allow,d VII preferably
be made use Of, either in expectation or In uanufac-
uTt.
ui'the current market price Of gold and silver that
mus, govern the carrying II to The Mint lis absurd
to think any one snould send gold TO be coined that
sh puld cost more than IS liza 1924. an ounce, or
silver m.rs than 90 perez the ounce and as absurd
would II be " pretend thai, those prices only shall DO
the constant invarlsble prices
That to the ug illness u the silver coin now remain
Ing In Great B itain We owe all The silver coin VIC now
have any person with " ighu and scales may prove.
Were sltc- to be coined, 63 shiIinsi oi Of a pound
7roy uetghio NJ STANDARD tirer; II those 90 shlllinss
would sell al a price that makes II worth while 10
melt or eIpOrt them they mu1 and will be considered
and used as 4 merchandise, and the same will hold
as h god. Though tue proportion OF about i4h OF
pure silver 10 l Of pure gold 10 neighboring
States be nor liked, IN regard to their coin, and III
submit d such proportion should BE- attended to IN
nj, Kingdom. yet that proportion may BE- su beet to
alteration: Tor this plain reason. that should the
silver mines produce a quantity OF that metal 70 as to
make II greatly abound, more In proportion than II
now does. and the gold mines produce no more than
now they do more silver must be requisite 20 pur
chase gold.
1t matters not whether ,iitsr On gold be called Stand
ara mon v. al; seems most rational that the most
scarce aud precious metal should be the una OF
standard
And so long ss the sea does not overflow the land,
and industry continues, 80 long will those metals not
be wanting, And paper In the general chain Of credl,
and commerce 4, As useful as they are; since the Is.
suets ur coluers Of that paper are understood 10 have
some cquiralsrf 10 answer for what the psper Is
valued at, and no rdi! OF coin can do more than
find It's tdlLe"
El-ewhrre In the work the writer says:
In Great Britain the silver coin btains a dispro-
portion 10 gold more than in nelghboring States, OF
about frs IN the hundred. must, by that dSproportion.
become merchandise. This might be remedled with
on; %lnlurng the public or touching the present stand
ard, which neyer should b. done. only by ~enaeting
that amy mo shlllings should Ne cut QUITO one pound
weight OF standard silver Instead Of 'lHy+Vo, which
arc he number now ordained by law,
Continuing. the author desc ibes exactly Mr..
Rryan's 47-oent dollar. and classiAe. him with
thu colnterfeit'r RS Of the day who cut more
shill IS from a pound Of silver than the intrin-
sic v lue thereof. which was manifest roguery"
and fraud.
Coiners have pointed out. though a, tho risk Of
tn gallows, a measure which we think would be
adv sable In some degree for Government to adopt
They coin and circulate shnlings Of such weigh, as
To gain ten 10 fourteen In the hundred and upward: as
out Of a pound Of STANDARD silver they cut sfny sioh.
or sersl fI-ors ShlllnVs That these light Shlllings or
counters are useful though the publidbe so greatly
imp sed on, Is evident II must be presumed ,hA,
everything 5 put In practice By Government to detec,
end stop this manifest roguery. The power Of the
Legislature - correct the erroneous proportion Of me-
In N hundred Is IndubitAble
Mr.. Bryan will pardon the allusion TO the
gal uws. as the ano ent author was not aware
Of tho lenity OF our modern times. ad-
NIT that We could not now thus execute n,n,
though he is cow cted Of the intent to commit
the zane crime.
This simple document, written IN the plain,
unvarnished style Of The age when 40 many
monumental truths were declared and e.tab-
Il he'd beyond controvers . stands In glowing
contrast TO the preteltous platitudes ana con-
n, ne emanlt.ons u the demagogues OF to-
dav.
1T Is absurd 10 think one should send gold to
he ooin. d that cost mora than G. lis I0Hd an
ounce or silver more than ed. an ounce" dts
col ed valuel And as abs "rd would IL be
TO pretend hat those prices only shall be the
constant. lnvarIabls price This was written
when from Spain and Portugal came the
gr arest part Of gold and silver" BIT to-1ay.
when from Alaskas Icy molntains,~ CONCEALED
IN Arc 10 cold thr ugh every z ne 10 the frozen